Brace yourself, college football fans. The 2024 season is careening towards a November to remember, with an unprecedented 26 teams still vying for the 12 coveted College Football Playoff spots. Surprising contenders like Indiana, Texas A&M, and UNLV have crashed the party, while traditional powers aim to steady the ship. Record crowds are packing stadiums, eager to witness the high-stakes elimination games that will make or break their team’s title dreams.
Playoff Pandemonium: 26 Teams, 12 Spots
According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, an incredible 26 teams still have at least a 5% chance of reaching the first 12-team playoff. The list includes the likes of Indiana (68.6%), Texas A&M (46.6%), UNLV (8.7%), Boise State (60.5%), BYU (57.2%), Iowa State (45.6%), Army (21.5%), and Pitt (20.4%). While title favorites Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, and Alabama remain at the top, the expanded field has given this season a thrillingly unpredictable edge.
Week 10: Big Ten Battles, ACC Anarchy
Week 10 will provide clarity on the Big Ten hierarchy, with No. 4 Ohio State visiting No. 3 Penn State and No. 1 Oregon facing a tricky trip to Michigan. In the ACC, No. 17 Pitt battles No. 20 SMU with major playoff implications. The Big 12 takes a breather, but don’t sleep on the potential insanity of the Ole Miss-Arkansas rivalry.
Week 11: SEC Showdowns, Big 12 Road Traps
The SEC takes center stage in Week 11, with four monumental matchups: No. 2 Georgia at No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 14 Alabama at No. 16 LSU, South Carolina at No. 8 Clemson, and Oklahoma at No. 23 Missouri. Big 12 favorites Iowa State and BYU hit the road against potential spoilers Kansas and Utah. The Michigan-Indiana clash could have major at-large bid ramifications.
Week 12: SEC sorting, AAC apocalypse
Week 12 should provide clarity on the six SEC teams with between a 9% and 27% chance of winning the conference. No. 7 Tennessee visits No. 2 Georgia in a game oozing with playoff stakes. Pitt gets a prime showcase opportunity hosting No. 8 Clemson, while elimination games loom in the Big 12 and AAC races.
Week 13: Underdogs Unleashed
Week 13 sends seven current top-20 teams on the road as less-than-two-TD favorites against unranked opponents. No way all of them survive unscathed, especially with rivalry passions running high. No. 9 Notre Dame battles No. 21 Army at Yankee Stadium in a classic clash. Several surprising contenders face prove-it road tests that will make or break their magical seasons.
Week 14: Rivalry Resumption, Big 12 Battle
What a delicious time for the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry to reignite. The Lone Star Showdown could be an all-or-nothing affair for the top two SEC title favorites. Farmageddon between Kansas State and Iowa State may also serve as a Big 12 semifinal. Rivalry stunners loom for Clemson, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. Adopt an FCS team – their 24-team playoff starts now!
As a college football public, we head into November completely engaged… The playoff itself has given this season a delightfully messy edge. And considering basically everything we tend to remember from a given season happens in November, lord only knows where this season is taking us.
– Bill Connelly, ESPN
So buckle up and prepare for a November to remember. With the most chaotic and consequential final month in college football history upon us, all we can predict is glorious unpredictability. The only certainty? When the dust settles, 12 teams will have punched their ticket to the playoff promised land, while the rest will be left to wonder what might have been. Sit back and savor the insanity, dear fans. This is what college football is all about.
