Twelve-Team Playoff - Did it Work?
Photo courtesy French Quarterly Magazine
The 2024 college football season marked a significant shift with the introduction of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), expanding from the previous four-team format used from 2014 to 2023. This expansion aimed to provide greater inclusivity and excitement in the quest for the national championship.
Inaugural 12-Team Playoff Overview
The inaugural 12-team playoff featured the following seeds (*=Conference Champion):
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1. Oregon* (B10)
2. Georgia* (SEC)
3. Boise State* (Mountain West)
4. Arizona State* (B12)
5. Texas (SEC)
6. Penn State (B10)
7. Notre Dame (Independent)
8. Ohio State (B10)
9. Tennessee (SEC)
10. Indiana (SEC)
11. SMU (ACC)
12. Clemson (ACC)
The top four seeds—Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State—earned first-round byes as a result of winning their respective conference championship games. The first round saw higher-seeded teams hosting games on their home fields, adding a new layer of excitement and home-field advantage to the playoff structure.
Key Results and Championship Game
In the first round, notable victories included Notre Dame's 27-17 win over Indiana and Penn State's 38-10 triumph against SMU. Ohio State dominated Tennessee 42-17 in The Shoe.
The quarterfinals delivered thrilling matchups, with Penn State defeating Boise State 31-14 in the Fiesta Bowl, Texas edging out Arizona State 39-31 in a double-overtime Peach Bowl thriller, Notre Dame conquering the SEC champion Georgia 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl, and once again the Buckeyes exerting their dominance against top seeded Oregon with a 41-21 victory in the Rose Bowl. You may notice that all the top four seeds - who earned first-round byes - lost in the quarterfinal round, a very interesting detail for year one of this new playoff format.
Photo courtesy USA Today
The semi-final round was arguably the most entertaining week of the playoff. The first matchup saw Notre Dame knock off Penn State in walk-off fashion with a game winning field goal to win 27-24 in the Orange Bowl. Meanwhile, Ohio State and Texas squared off in the Cotton Bowl Classic, where the Buckeyes prevailed thanks to the heroics of star pass rusher Jack Sawyer getting a 4th and goal scoop and score to extend OSU’s lead to 28-14 with just a couple minutes remaining.
The national championship game culminated the playoff with Ohio State securing a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame, claiming their first national title since 2014 (which was coincidentally the first season of the 4-team playoff format), and marking the first championship under the new 12-team format.
Comparison to the 4-Team Format
The transition from a 4-team to a 12-team playoff format brought several notable changes:
1. Inclusivity: The expanded format allowed for a broader representation of teams, including those from non-Power Five conferences, providing opportunities for programs like Boise State and SMU to compete on the national stage.
2. Home-Field Advantage: The first round's on-campus games rewarded higher-seeded teams with home-field advantage, intensifying the competition and fan engagement.
3. Seeding Controversies: Despite the expanded field, debates persisted regarding team selections and seedings, highlighting the challenges inherent in ranking teams in a diverse and competitive landscape. It also didn’t help that the first-round games this year were for the most part blowouts. The CFP committee's most scrutinized decision amongst fans on social media was leaving Alabama out of the bracket and instead putting in the ACC runner-up SMU.
4. First-Round Matchups Lack Excitement: Following the official revealing of the 12-team CFP bracket, many fans were not as enthused for some of the opening round matchups compared to others. One of those matchups was SMU going against Penn State in Happy Valley. Although the 8.5-point spread was only the second largest in this round with Texas being favored by 11.5 over Clemson ahead of them, many fans gave the Mustangs virtually zero chance to pull off the upset. As for the entire first round slate of games, the average margin of victory was 19.25 points, so those initially skeptical fans ended up being proven right.
Conclusion
The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff successfully enhanced the excitement and inclusivity of the postseason. While it addressed some limitations of the previous 4-team format, it also introduced new challenges and discussions, particularly around team selection and seeding. As the system evolves, it will be crucial to balance competitiveness, fairness, and the dynamic nature of college football to ensure the playoff structure continues to serve the sport and its fans effectively.
Photo courtesy Yahoo Sports
