Video: Officials provide update on CFP title game, related events

NEW ORLEANS – Fifty-four days from now, the next college football national champion will be crowned inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which has seen more than its share of champions in its 44-year history.

College Football Playoff and local organizing committee members met the media Wednesday to update their plans for the Jan. 13 title game and related events, which included the unveiling of musical acts who will perform at a three-day concert series at Woldenberg Park.

The Sugar Bowl committee has hosted numerous national championship games in college football’s previous iterations of determining its top team, most recently in January 2012 when Alabama defeated LSU for the BCS national title.

“That pales in comparison to … what’s about to happen,” Hundley said, “with the number of fan events, the access that fans have.

“For New Orleans, it’s going to be great, because we’re going to have the national spotlight on us … not to mention the economic impact.”

CFP executive director Bill Hancock has run Final Fours and BCS national championship games in the Dome.

“The base of it all was the (Dome) itself, how much people enjoyed coming here and how it’s held up over the years,” Hancock said. “It’s a real landmark in America. Everyone knows the Superdome.”

The Sugar Bowl and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation are teaming up to serve as the local organizing committee for the title game.

“One of the things I’m most impressed by,” said Hundley, “is the CFP Foundation, in addressing a real issue in the city in public education. The CFP Foundation shows that college football has a soul.”

LSU (10-0) is No. 1 in the CFP rankings for the second straight week.

“It’s subjective opinions of each of the 13 members (of the CFP committee),” Hancock said. “I love the varying perspectives in the room. I truly enjoy what they do.”

Added Hundley: “It probably doesn’t hurt (the local buildup) right now that the team from Baton Rouge is in the picture.”

The four-team playoff field will be announced Dec. 8, the day after conference championship games. Semifinal games at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl will be Dec. 28.