Officially, it’s the College Football Playoff.

Unofficially it’s been the “Southern Showdown.”

Now in its 10th season, the play-off to determine college football’s ultimate champ has been a “ya’ll come ‘n’ get it” gig with cornbread and sweet tea on the menu.

Eight of the nine former champs are from the Deep South and 15 of the previous 18 finalists are linked to the region.

This year could be different with only Alabama and south/southwest Texas in the final four. Michigan and Washington will represent the Midwest and West Coast.

A high percentage of the headline players in the CFP have been Black.

It may be a factor that Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina are among the six states with the highest percentage of Black population.

That makes recruiting a bit easier. There are 81 Black players on the ’Bama roster, mostly in-state and from nearby states.

Of the 133 schools Football Bowl Subdivision, here are the survivors:

Alabama Crimson Tide

Conference: Southeastern Location: Tuscaloosa Record: 12-1; defeated Georgia for SEC title CFP history: The regular attendees won titles in 2015, in the ’17 and ’20; runnerups in ’16, ’18 and ‘20

Coach: Nick Saban, 17th season, 201-28

Keep your eyes on: No. 4, quarterback Jalen Milroe 2,718 yards passing with 23 TDs; 468 yards rushing with 12 TDs), a likely Heisman favorite for 2024

Former Heisman winners: Mark Ingram ’09, Derrick Henry ’15

First Black players: running back Wilbur Jackson and defensive end John Mitchell in 1970

Michigan Wolverines

Conference: Big 10

Location: Ann Arbor

Record: 13-0; defeated Iowa for Big 10 crown

CFP history: Never made finals; lost to TCU in last year’s semifinals

Coach: Jim Harbaugh, ninth season, 84-25

Keep your eyes on: No. 2, running back Blake Corum, from Marshall, Va. (Fauquier County); the 5-foot-8, 213-pound powerhouse has rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 TDs.

Heisman winners: Tom Harmon in 1940; Desmond Howard, ’91; Charles Woodson, ’97.

First Black player: Ann Arbor native George Henry Jewett II, running back, 1890; was named team captain

Texas Longhorns

Location: Austin

Record: 12-1; defeated Oklahoma State for Big 12 championship

CFP history: First trip

Coach: Steve Sarkisian, third season, 25-13

Heisman winners: Earl Campbell in ’77; Ricky Williams in ’98

Keep your eyes on: No. 93, defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, the Outland Trophy winner as nation’s top lineman; he’s hard to miss at 6-foot-4 and 362 pounds.

First Black player: Offensive tackle Julius Withers, 1970

Washington Huskies

Location: Seattle Conference: Pac 12

Record: 13-0; defeated Oregon for Pac 12 title

CFP history: Lost to Alabama in 2016 semifinals

Coach: Kalen DeBoer, second season, 24-2

Keep your eyes on: No.9, QB Michael Penix Jr.; the senior transfer from Indiana has thrown for 4,218 yards and 33 TDS

Heisman winners: None. Penix was second this year and eighth a year ago; another famous Huskie is Warren Moon, Class of ’77, among all-time top Black QBs

First Black player: Halfback Hamilton “Ham” Greene in 1923