The 2024 college football season has been full of excitement, and the conference championship games are officially in the books. With the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process about to take place, let's break down the predicted bracket and where the top teams will land. This is how I expect the final 2024 CFP bracket to shape up based on the results from the weekend.
Week 12 College Football Playoff Rankings Winner of College Football Playoff
First-Round Byes
The top four teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings will earn a coveted first-round bye and skip straight to the quarterfinals. Here's how I see the top seeds breaking down:
No. 1 Oregon (Big Ten champion)
No. 2 Georgia (SEC champion)
No. 3 Boise State (Mountain West champion)
No. 4 Arizona State (Big 12 champion)
These teams won their respective conference championships and secured their places at the top of the playoff bracket, awaiting their opponents in the quarterfinals.
First-Round Matchups (On campus, Dec. 20-21)
With the first-round byes set, it's time to take a look at the matchups for the lower-seeded teams, who will have to earn their place in the quarterfinals by playing on campus. Here are the projected games:
No. 12 Clemson (ACC champion) at No. 5 Texas
No. 11 Alabama at No. 6 Penn State
No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State
As you can see, I have Alabama in the bracket over SMU, who lost to Clemson last night in the ACC Championship Game. Some will argue that a 2-loss SMU should get in over a 3-loss Alabama squad, but Bama easily had a more difficult schedule, and I believe they are the better team. (NOTE: I hope I am wrong and SMU gets in)
These games will be high-stakes, and every team is hungry to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Each one of these first-round matchups has the potential for upsets, which could shake up the bracket and make the path to the semifinals even more unpredictable.
Quarterfinal Matchups
Once the first round is over, the remaining teams will face off in the quarterfinals.
No. 12 Clemson/No. 5 Texas winner vs. No. 4 Arizona State
No. 11 Alabama/No. 6 Penn State winner vs. No. 3 Boise State
No. 10 Indiana/No. 7 Notre Dame winner vs. No. 2 Georgia
No. 9 Tennessee/No. 8 Ohio State winner vs. No. 1 Oregon
These games will take place at major bowl sites (Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Sugar Bowl) on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, and with the stakes this high, we’re sure to see thrilling action. The competition will be fierce, and with so much talent on display, these matchups could determine who advances to the semifinals.
Semifinal Matchups
The road to the national title will continue with the semifinal games, set for Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 at the Capital One Orange Bowl and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Only four teams will remain standing after the quarterfinals, and each one will be fighting for a spot in the championship game.
CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Finally, on Jan. 20, 2025, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the College Football Playoff National Championship. By this point, the road to the title will have been full of twists, turns, and surprises, but only one team will emerge as the ultimate champion.
Bottom Line
With the College Football Playoff field now set, teams across the nation are gearing up for what promises to be a thrilling postseason. The first-round games will be intense, but the real excitement will come in the quarterfinals and beyond. Whether it's the powerhouse teams like Georgia and Oregon, or surprise contenders like Indiana or Tennessee, the 2024 College Football Playoff is sure to be a spectacle we won’t soon forget!