The postseason, a phrase coveted by many players, coaches, and fanbases alike. These words hang over programs during every lift, practice, and game they execute day after day. Each sport has its own, and the road is simple for each and every one, to win. From the fourteen-team playoff of the National Football League to the madness of the sixty-four-team bracket in NCAA College Basketball, each sport adds its own charm. The outlier to this phenomenon sits between the endzones of college football stadiums around the country, with their stubborn and quirky history shaping dynasties for decades.
For much of the early history of the sport, national champions were crowned by pollsters and editorials who created multiple National Championship honors during the season. This system could not continue, however, as the popularity of bowl games rose during the 1950s, which started the evolution of broadcasting within the sport. As the bowl season grew, the crowning of a champion sharpened up with it, as pollsters would crown a champion after the final whistle blew. Again, this was not enough for fans, who fought for a true “National Championship game”, and television broadcasters lobbied for this demand. With this came the dawn of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) era in 1998. These BCS rankings factored in the previously used polls with new analytical statistics available to them as technology furthered into the twenty-first century, per ESPN.
As this system matured, controversy came with it, and this led to split national championships again in 2003, between Louisiana State University and the University of Southern California, per 24/7 Sports. Programs grew and recruits became faster and stronger, so picking two teams became too difficult to pull off. To try and fix this problem, the NCAA announced the College Football Playoff in 2014, which would allow for four teams to compete for a national title. With a committee deciding the destiny of these playoff teams, it was well-known the path to the CFP was straight and narrow as a loss would instantly drop teams’ stock week after week. The creation of the playoff, which was intended to silence controversy, created the exact opposite. Most notably in 2023, the committee left out undefeated Florida State University, due to their concerns with the Seminoles’ injured quarterback. After years of debate with bowl game commissioners, the expansion of a twelve-team playoff would be announced and would take its full effect in this the 2024 college football season.
The bracket consists of four rounds, with the top four ranked conference champions getting first-round byes. The four teams that received these byes, Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State, all had different routes to this break. Starting with the number-one ranked team, Oregon, their first season in the Big Ten Conference was a breeze. Their quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, led the Ducks with 3,600 passing yards and twenty-eight touchdown passes. These stats helped Oregon finish with an undefeated season and their first Big Ten Championship victory. The two seed, Georgia, took home a hard-fought Southeastern Conference Championship, with their second win over Texas this season. Their losses over ranked programs Ole Miss and Alabama cut some holes in their resume, but their quarterback, Carson Beck, fought hard through an elbow injury to a win in overtime. The third-ranked team, and only non-power conference program in the playoff, Boise State, had a dominant season as well. Their 12-1 record was highlighted by their very close game at #1 Oregon, which ended in a walk-off Ducks field-goal as time expired. This, along with a perfect conference record, created a solid resume heading into championship week. Their victory in the Mountain West Championship gave them an automatic bid, and their high rank slid them all the way up to the three seed. The Broncos’ success can be attributed to Ashton Jeanty, a Heisman-front runner running-back, who is chasing college football records week after week. The last team to earn a bye-week, Arizona State, is a true Cinderella story in itself. Picked last in the conference, the Sun Devils rallied late in the season to knock off Kansas State, BYU, and Iowa State to take home a conference title in the Big Twelve. These four teams will play their first games starting on December 31st.
The next eight teams earned at-large bids through their successful regular seasons, respectively. Starting with Texas, the five seed, whose only two losses were to Georgia, were runners-up in the Southeastern Conference and finished with an 11-1 record. Quinton Ewers took the Longhorns to their second college football playoff, despite his injuries throughout the season. Many speculate their toughness on the field, but their path to the championship is a coveted one indeed. Penn State took the sixth seed with their losses to Ohio State and Oregon but took a runner-up spot in the Big Ten Conference nonetheless. James Franklin, their head coach, has a lot to prove this winter, as his teams are becoming known to fold when the pressure hits. Another questionable team follows the Nittany Lions, Notre Dame, who stood dominant among all foes, except for one. Their loss to Northern Illinois showed vulnerability within the Irish but climbed back to win ten straight after the shock. The team that rounds out the top eight, Ohio State, holds the title for the best roster, but their record does not hold this title. Their losses to Oregon and rival Michigan questions Ryan Day’s coaching ability, and a deep playoff run could be the only way he stays a Buckeye in the distant future. These four teams will host playoff games on December 20 and 21, which should create a new atmosphere for college football.
The away teams in these matchups were programs that had something to sweat about on selection Sunday, as these final four teams were the lucky few out of a batch of solid top fifteen teams. The nine-seed, Tennessee, is starting a new dynasty comparable to the Peyton Manning days in the 1990s. Their young squad won ten games and finished third in the Southeastern Conference. Behind the Volunteers, the Indiana Hoosiers sit loud and proud at the ten spot. The Cignetti-led season became the program’s winningest and was a shock for the college football world. The last two seeds are home to the Atlantic Coast Conference finest, Southern Methodist University and Clemson, who both competed in the ACC championship. Even though Clemson secured the conference title, the Mustangs of SMU hold the higher seed due to their in-season success. The Tigers hold the twelve seed, but sit sixteenth in the rankings, which was erased due to the conference title.
With the final spot being filled, these twelve teams will start a month-long journey to Atlanta in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. From the home-field advantages in the first round to the multitude of bowl championship opportunities, the new college football playoff will be a roller coaster of emotion for every program. Who will step up to the pressure? Who will fold? All questions will be answered over the next cold, winter months. The twelve-team playoff might be the future of college football, but one team will put their mark in history.
