NCAAF · 9 months ago

Setting the Stage for College Football Championship Weekend

Grant White

Host · Writer

Setting the Stage for College Football Championship Weekend

We knew this was an eventuality, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. The 2024 college football regular season has drawn to a close. Fourteen magical weeks later, with a barrage of upsets, unlikely victories, and endless entertainment, we are staring straight at Championship Weekend and beyond.

Which teams made their championship games, and which teams have an inside track for a playoff berth?

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The Power 4 Conferences

Only a few teams had guaranteed themselves a spot in Week 15 before the final week of the regular season, ensuring there was no shortage of drama heading into Saturday’s action.

The Big Ten

The top-ranked Oregon Ducks had already punched their Big Ten Championship Game ticket. Still, they set their sights on a perfect run through the regular season in Week 14. Not surprisingly, the Ducks won and covered the hefty -17.5 spread versus the Washington Huskies on Saturday. However, there was no shortage of intrigue surrounding who they might face in the final.

The Ohio State Buckeyes appeared to have the inside track to face off against Oregon, but a Week 14 loss to the hated Michigan Wolverines halted those plans. The Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers punctuated their regular season with identical 8-1 conference records. Alas, it was Penn State that advanced on the strength of the tiebreaker.

While Indiana is destined for a playoff berth, the CFP Committee will need to consider Ohio State’s resume to determine whether a two-loss season is worthy of inclusion.

The Big 12

No conference was riddled with more drama than the Big 12. Faced with the prospect of an eight-way tie, Week 14’s results weighed heavily on who would advance. All four two-loss teams took care of business, uncomplicating the tiebreaker process.

Despite convincing victories in their regular season finales, the Colorado Buffaloes and BYU Cougars were the odd-teams out. That means the Iowa State Cyclones and Arizona State Sun Devils will battle for Big 12 supremacy in Week 15.

The Buffaloes and Cougars were outside of playoff range heading into Week 14. At this point, the best both teams can hope for are prestigious bowl game berths.

ACC

The Miami Hurricanes did this to themselves. A perfect 9-0 record came to a grinding stop as Miami dropped two of its last three. Consequently, they relinquished their presumptive spot in the ACC Championship Game.

The surprising SMU Mustangs put a bow on a perfect conference record. On Saturday, SMU easily bested the California Golden Bears, ending the regular season on a nine-game winning streak. In doing so, they’ve put themselves on an undeniable path to a playoff berth. While the Clemson Tigers will likely need to secure the conference championship for a spot in the 12-team field, the Mustangs should still be playing football come January.

Depending on how things shake out in Week 15, the Hurricanes’ playoff aspirations could be put on hold.

SEC

Arguably, no conference was turned on its head by expansion than the SEC. Without divisions to separate contenders, the regular season was a free-for-all. The Texas Longhorns‘ foray into the SEC was a successful one. The perennial contenders assured themselves of a championship berth before Week 14.

An eight-overtime win over the visiting Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets salvaged the Georgia Bulldogs‘ season. After the dust settled, Georgia punched its ticket to the SEC Championship Game versus the Longhorns.

The Tennessee Volunteers narrowly missed out on Week 15, losing by a tiebreaker. Still, the Vols and Alabama Crimson Tide appear to have a leg up when making the College Football Playoff.

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Group of 5

Only one Group of 5 is guaranteed a playoff spot, but this year’s results substantiate that a few teams could hold their own against the Power 4 counterparts.

American Athletic Conference

The Army Black Knights may have had the most unsuspecting success this year. A Week 13 loss is the only blemish on an otherwise immaculate record. Nevertheless, the Black Knights will have their hands full in next week’s showdown against the Tulane Green Wave in the AAC Championship Game.

CUSA

CUSA enthusiasts get a rematch of last week’s matchup in the upcoming championship game. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers won as short home underdogs against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in Week 14, setting up a rematch at AmFirst Stadium on Friday night.

MAC

The Miami (OH) RedHawks and Ohio Bobcats finished with identical 7-1 records in MAC-tion. As a result, these foes take to Ford Field on Saturday afternoon to determine the MAC Champion.

Mountain West Conference

The Boise State Broncos are the frontrunners in securing a Group of Five playoff berth. A win versus the UNLV Rebels in the Mountain West Championship Game all but assures them of that distinction.

Sun Belt

Finally, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and Marshall Thundering Herd reigned supreme over the Sun Belt West and East Divisions. As a result, Marshall heads to Lafayette for a clash at Cajun Field on Saturday evening.