The idea of a White Out had to be tempting. And if Alabama got into the field instead of SMU — pitting Penn State against the Crimson Tide — maybe ESPN would have opted for a primetime game at Beaver Stadium. But that wasn’t the case with the Mustangs being selected over the three-loss Tide.

SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday. Both the Nittany Lions and the Mustangs are making their playoff debut after benefitting from the expanded 12-team selection process.

Frankly, SMU was not ready for the pressure and magnitude. Its playoff future hung in the balance against Clemson on Dec. 7, and the Mustangs made multiple first-quarter errors to dig themselves a 21-0 hole. However, after that initial meltdown, the Mustangs settled down and rallied to tie the game.