The 2024 college football season is just weeks away, and many teams are hopeful of a College Football Playoff run.
Unlike in past years, the College Football Playoff has now expanded to 12 teams from the previous four-team rendition we have become used to. This new 12-team format opens up more opportunities for teams to get into the playoffs, and it also gives fans more interesting matchups in the thick of bowl season.
On top of the College Football Playoff expanding, so are the traditional conferences. The PAC-12 is all but gone, as they were pieced out to the other four major conferences. The new-look Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and SEC will make for some entertaining matchups in the fall.
As we get closer to the start of the 2024 season, it is time to think about the potential College Football Playoff now that many more teams have hope. Which teams will get in and which teams will once again be left on the doorstep feeling scorned?
2024 preseason 12-team College Football Playoff prediction
Rank | Team | How | Previous Rank | CFP Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oregon Ducks | Big Ten Champs | N/A | 1 |
2 | Texas Longhorns | SEC Champs | N/A | 2 |
3 | Georgia Bulldogs | At-Large | N/A | 5 |
4 | Alabama Crimson Tide | At-Large | N/A | 6 |
5 | Ohio State Buckeyes | At-Large | N/A | 7 |
6 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | At-Large | N/A | 8 |
7 | Kansas Jayhawks | Big 12 Champs | N/A | 3 |
8 | Miami Hurricanes | ACC Champs | N/A | 4 |
9 | Penn State Nittany Lions | At-Large | N/A | 9 |
10 | Ole Miss Rebels | At-Large | N/A | 10 |
11 | Appalachian State Mountaineers | Sun Belt Champs | N/A | 11 |
12 | Utah Utes | At-Large | N/A | 12 |
While the first AP Top 25 poll has been released, that is just the framework of what could be this season. There could be teams not even on the radar that emerge as contenders to be in the College Football Playoff top 12.
I have the Oregon Ducks taking the title as the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff by season’s end. They have one of the best teams in the country, and their roster is revamped after losing Bo Nix to the NFL.
The other top four seeds, which are the power-four conference winners, include No. 2 Texas Longhorns, No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks, and No. 8 Miami Hurricanes. These four programs will win their conferences and get the top four seeds, despite not actually being the top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The highest-rated group-of-five conference champion also gets an automatic bid, and I have Appalachian State finishing No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
No. 3 Georgia leads the at-large bids, followed by No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 9 Penn State, No. 10 Ole Miss, and No. 12 Utah.
First-round matchups would include No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Penn State. The winner takes on No. 1 Oregon. No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Ole Miss with the winner taking on No. 2 Texas. No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Appalachian State with the winner taking on No. 3 Kansas. No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 Utah with the winner taking on No. 4 Miami.
This is just the preseason College Football Playoff prediction. Things are going to get wild, especially with the new-look conferences. This should be a fun 2024 season.