Finally, after many years of haggling and posturing, the NCAA Division I adopted a playoff tournament. It wasn’t comparable to the other divisions, which range from 16 to 20 teams. But it was a start: 12 teams, short of the ideal format of 16 teams, but a start, nonetheless.
Indeed, the CFP made the news cycle after a vote to drop the seeding format that ranked the four conference champions who received first-round byes. Last year, the four conference winners were ranked first through fourth regardless of overall ranking. That means independent Notre Dame could earn a top four seed.
All four conference champions (Oregon, Boise State, Arizona State and Georgia) lost in the quarterfinals after receiving first-round byes.
Boise State was ranked ninth in the CFP ranking but received a third seed in the playoffs. Penn State was ranked sixth and beat the Broncos, 31-14, in the quarterfinals.
While on the surface of things, the College Football Playoff was long awaited, especially since all the other college football “tiers” (I-AA, II, and III) adopted playoff tournaments nearly 50 years ago, there were some traps.
Consider that Notre Dame advanced to the true-blue national championship game. But the Fighting Irish lost to Group of Five Northern Illinois, ND’s only loss until its loss to Ohio State in the title game.
Speaking of Ohio State, the Buckeyes suffered a gut-wrenching 32-31 loss to Oregon early in the 2024 season but paid back the Ducks in the Rose Bowl. As historic as OSU’s national championship was, the Scarlet and Gray lost to Michigan in the regular-season finale 13-10 at the Horseshoe for the fourth straight season.
Imagine two teams playing for the first-ever national championship and still left with a void in their competitive souls.
So much for bragging rights.
As my mother used to say: “It is what it is.” Or, is it?
No matter what folks may say, if I’m a Michigan player or a Northern Illinois player, I’m thinking that we beat those teams during the season – playoffs be darned.
And, as a Penn State backer, it grieved my heart that the Nittany Lions couldn’t close the deal in the tournament. At least PSU earned a berth in the Big Ten Championship, right? Ohio State couldn’t do that much.
