Who will come out on top in this college football Cinderella story?

2:30 p.m. Friday, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas. TV: ESPN

Line: Alabama by 13.5

The skinny: As we all know, there are life lessons to be learned from watching the classic comedy "Caddyshack,'' which somehow, 41 years after its release, can be used to draw parallels to the 2021 College Football Playoff.

In Alabama, we have Ted Knight's Judge Elihu Smails, the high-and-mighty co-founder of an elite country club. Like Smails, the Crimson Tide resides in the ruling class, boasting six national championships under coach Nick Saban and looking to repeat as College Football Playoff champion and win its fourth crown in the eight years of the playoff. Alabama, like Smails and his Bushwood Country Club, exudes upper crust. The Tide has the nation's best player in linebacker Will Anderson Jr., who leads the nation with 15 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss; the nation's most decorated player in Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young (332.5 passing yards per game, 43 TD passes); and standout receiver Jameson Williams (68 catches, 1,448 yards, 15 TDs).

Smails, aghast by the crude manner of Al Czervik, played by Rodney Dangerfield, declares "Some people just don't belong,'' and that was the approach of the College Football Playoff's selection committee regarding Group of Five conferences through the playoff's first seven years. That all changed when Cincinnati broke through with an undefeated season this year. Like the festive horn on Czervik's Rolls Royce, the Bearcats will try to make some noise given their chance to face Alabama. Key to that is quarterback Desmond Ridder, who's passed for 3,190 yards and 30 TDs and rushed for 371 yards and six scores this season. Cincinnati's defense has allowed 16.1 points per game, tied for fourth-best nationally.

The prediction: Alas, Judge Smails won't need his old Billy Baroo putter to sink a key putt late in the match. Nor will Team Czervik be saved by a double-or-nothing putt that hangs on the lip before falling. The Crimson Tide just has too much from everywhere for the Bearcats to overcome. Final: Alabama 38, Cincinnati 17

6:30 p.m. Friday, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. TV: ESPN

The skinny: Michigan vs. Georgia doesn't have the riches vs. rags "Caddyshack'' story line, but let's go with Carl Spackler vs. Ty Webb.

Michigan is led by coach Jim Harbaugh, who, like Bill Murray's assistant greenskeeper Spackler, is wound a little tight and is relentless in his pursuit of his nemesis, in this case not the Bushwood gopher but Ohio State. Harbaugh vowed to finally beat the Buckeyes or die trying, and the Wolverines' victory over OSU paved their way to their first playoff appearance. Michigan will bring a stout running game (10th nationally at 223.9 yards per game) and a defense that's allowing 16.1 points per game and is led by end Aidan Hutchinson (14 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss).

Like Georgia in the SEC, Webb, played by Chevy Chase, is an elite player at Bushwood and bristles at Smails' overlording ways. He prefers to measure himself against other golfers by height, rather than score. The Bulldogs have been in Alabama's shadow, falling to the Tide in the SEC Championship Game this year and dropping a 26-23 overtime decision to Alabama in the 2018 national championship game. To beat Michigan, the Bulldogs will rely on the nation's best scoring defense (9.5 points allowed per game) and second-best rushing defense (81.7 yards allowed per game).