Sugar Bowl 2017: Known Info Before Final Playoff Rankings Reveal

After a wild season and a monumental round of conference football championship games, the college football bowl season is nearly upon us.

The crown jewel of the postseason is the College Football Playoff, now entering its fourth year. The two semifinal games will be played at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, bringing the playoff-hosting cycle full circle.

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will reveal its final rankings on Sunday, with the top four teams going to the playoff. The conference championships cleared up at least three of the spots, but the fourth spot is still a toss-up between two excellent programs.

Before getting into which teams will play where in the playoff semifinals, here's what we know about the 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl.

2018 Sugar Bowl Info

When: January 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Matchup: College Football Playoff semi-final

Tickets: StubHub

There are four spots in the CFP, and as of Saturday's conference championships, there are five teams in the mix. No. 1 Clemson is a lock to hold on to its top spot after its 38-3 drubbing of Miami in the ACC Championship Game.

No. 3 Oklahoma made easy work of TCU in the Big 12 Championship Game. The Sooners won 41-17 and stand to move up to the second spot based on their resume and the fact they, along with Clemson, are one of the two teams that came into championship weekend in the top four and will remain there.

No. 6 Georgia defeated No. 2 Auburn 28-7 to win the SEC title. With just one loss on the season, the Bulldogs should be able to at least get the No. 3 seed, with slim chances of getting saddled in the No. 4 spot or leapfrogging the Sooners to get to the second seed. All signs point to Georgia as the third seed, however.

No. 4 Wisconsin needed a win to stay undefeated and lock up a spot in the playoff, but as many predicted, they fell to No. 8 Ohio State 27-21 in the Big Ten title game. Though they have just one loss, the Badgers had an easy schedule this season and didn't impress enough on offense to warrant a spot in the playoff. 

It's hard to say which team will take over for Wisconsin in playoff. Ohio State will feel it deserves to be there based on its high-profile wins over Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State. Head coach Urban Meyer believes his team deserves a shot at a national title, per WKYC's Ben Axelrod: 

However, the committee would have to slot them in ahead of the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide, who were idle on championship weekend after losing the Iron Bowl to Auburn in Week 13. Alabama's credentials are impressive, as the team has just one loss on the season and survived most of the gauntlet that is the SEC schedule.

The margin between the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes is razor-thin. Tom Withers of the Associated Press makes the case for Ohio State, while TribLive.com's Chris Adamski makes the case for Alabama's inclusion:

It seems Clemson is looking to play in the Sugar Bowl, almost assuredly against one of those two teams. A trip to The Big Easy seems to be quite alright with Tigers defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, per ESPN's David Hale:

The selection committee has the unenviable task of deciding how to rank the final four teams that will get a shot at the national title.

A rematch of the 2017 national title game between Clemson and Alabama in the Sugar Bowl would make for a ratings bonanza, but it's possible the powers that be see some other configuration as more deserving. The final decision is on its way Sunday.