2023–24 College Football Playoff

Last updated

2023–24 College Football Playoff
Season 2023
Semifinals
Championship
Teams invited
Champions Michigan (1st CFP title, 12th overall title)
  2022–23
2024–25  

The 2023–24 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the tenth edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. Each participating team was the champion of its respective conference: No. 1 Michigan from the Big Ten Conference, No. 2 Washington from the Pac-12 Conference, No. 3 Texas from the Big 12 Conference, and No. 4 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference. Significant media criticism arose from the exclusion of Florida State, the first undefeated Power Five conference champion to be left out of the playoff and only the second such team ever to be not chosen for title contention (2004 Auburn).

Contents

The playoff bracket's semifinal games were held at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day, part of the season's slate of bowl games. In the Rose Bowl semifinal, Michigan defeated Alabama in overtime, 27–20. The second semifinal, at the Sugar Bowl, saw Washington defeat Texas, 37–31. As a result of their victories, Michigan and Washington faced each other in the national championship game, held on January 8 in Houston. In the championship game, Michigan had an effective start to the game on offense and held a seven-point halftime lead, which they were able to expand in the second half. Two touchdowns in the fourth quarter helped them pull away and secure a 34–13 victory for their first national championship since 1997. Their win gave them a 15–0 record to conclude the season, making them the fourth FBS national champions to finish the season with such a record.

This playoff was the last to use the four-team bracket format; the playoff's board of managers announced in December 2022 that the tournament will expand to 12 teams beginning with its 2024–25 edition. Broadcast on ESPN, it was the most viewed playoff since the 2017–18 edition and was shortly followed by a six-year, $7.8 billion extension of the media rights agreement between ESPN and the CFP.

Bracket

Semifinals Championship
January 1 – Rose Bowl
  1  Michigan (OT)27 
  4  Alabama 20 January 8 – National Championship
 
    1  Michigan 34
January 1 – Sugar Bowl    2  Washington 13
 
  2  Washington 37
  3  Texas 31 

Selection and teams

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee for the 2023 season was chaired by NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan [1] and consisted of former Nevada head coach and athletic director Chris Ault, Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuck, former Wake Forest, Baylor, and Ohio head coach Jim Grobe, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, Miami (OH) athletic director David Sayler, former NFL player Will Shields, Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor, Virginia Union athletic director and former head coach Joe Taylor, Notre Dame trustee and former Sugar Bowl president Rod West, and former college football reporter Kelly Whiteside. [2] Bill Hancock continued in his position as CFP executive director, which he has held since the organization's conception in 2012. [3]

The College Football Playoff poll released its first rankings on October 31, 2023, with the top six teams consisting of Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Florida State, Washington, and Oregon. [4] After no change in the top six from week nine to week ten, [5] the next two rankings released saw only two changes at the top of the poll. In the November 14 rankings, Georgia jumped Ohio State to become the new No. 1 team following their victory over No. 9 Ole Miss, [6] and another swap took place the following week when Washington was bumped to No. 4 in place of Florida State after the Huskies' road win against No. 11 Oregon State. [7] Ohio State lost to Michigan to conclude the regular season, dropping them from No. 2 to No. 6 and moving Michigan, Washington, Florida State, and Oregon up one spot each. [8] Each team in the penultimate top six qualified for their respective conference championship game. Michigan defeated Iowa in the Big Ten Championship to mark their third consecutive conference title; the Associated Press said that Iowa "never had a chance" in the game and remarked that Michigan was likely to take the top ranking for the playoff. [9] Similarly, Washington won the Pac-12 Championship with their second win of the year against Oregon; the Huskies won an October 14 game between the teams by three points and claimed the conference title with another three-point win. [10] [11] The SEC Championship matched No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama and resulted in a three-point Alabama upset victory and Georgia's first loss of the season. Florida State, who lost their starting quarterback Jordan Travis in their next-to-last regular season game against North Alabama, [12] and were also without backup Tate Rodemaker due to a concussion suffered the next game, [13] turned to Brock Glenn for their ACC Championship matchup with No. 14 Louisville. [14] Despite the depleted roster, the Seminoles won 16–6. [15]

The four teams competing in the playoff were determined by the selection committee's final rankings, which were released on December 3, 2023. [16] Michigan and Washington were generally seen as guaranteed bids while the final two spots were debated between Florida State, Texas, and Alabama. Florida State's injury problems, particularly to Travis, were seen as a liability and potentially a reason to exclude them, though many analysts urged for their inclusion based on their undefeated record and conference championship. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] Alabama and Texas were both one-loss conference champions, though Texas held the head-to-head advantage after defeating the Crimson Tide by ten points in early September. [22] The Longhorns' sole loss had come by four points to No. 12 Oklahoma. [23]

2023 College Football Playoff rankings top six progression
No.Week 9Week 10Week 11Week 12Week 13Final
1Ohio State (8–0)Ohio State (9–0)Georgia (10–0)Georgia (11–0)Georgia (12–0)Michigan (13–0)
2Georgia (8–0)Georgia (9–0)Ohio State (10–0)Ohio State (11–0)Michigan (12–0)Washington (13–0)
3Michigan (8–0)Michigan (9–0)Michigan (10–0)Michigan (11–0)Washington (12–0)Texas (12–1)
4Florida State (8–0)Florida State (9–0)Florida State (10–0)Washington (11–0)Florida State (12–0)Alabama (12–1)
5Washington (8–0)Washington (9–0)Washington (10–0)Florida State (11–0)Oregon (11–1)Florida State (13–0)
6Oregon (7–1)Oregon (8–1)Oregon (9–1)Oregon (10–1)Ohio State (11–1)Georgia (12–1)

Key: Team increased ranking from previous week  Team decreased ranking from previous week  Team selected to College Football Playoff 

Exclusion of Florida State

Ultimately, the committee selected Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama to participate in the playoff, while opting to exclude Florida State. [24] This marked the first time an undefeated Power Five team had been left out of the playoff, a decision that was met with significant criticism from the media. [25] [26] [1] ACC commissioner Jim Phillips also criticized the committee, calling the decision "unfathomable". [27] An antitrust investigation into the CFP was launched by Ashley Moody, the attorney general of Florida, and Governor Ron DeSantis, in the midst of his presidential campaign, proposed setting aside $1 million to help Florida State with legal fees in suing the CFP. [28] In response to a letter from Senator Rick Scott, executive director Bill Hancock cited Travis's injury and a lower strength of schedule as the cause of FSU's exclusion; according to the ESPN Football Power Index, Florida State's strength of schedule ranked No. 55 in the FBS, while Michigan's, the lowest of the four playoff teams, was No. 33. [29] The Seminoles finished with the No. 5 ranking [1] and were matched with No. 6 Georgia in the Orange Bowl, where they lost by a bowl game-record sixty points. [25] The selections of Alabama and Texas were also of note in that they were ranked No. 8 and No. 7, respectively, in the next-to-last CFP rankings, marking the first time a team ranked lower than No. 6 in the penultimate poll (2017 Georgia and 2019 Oklahoma) qualified for the playoff. This edition marked the CFP debut for the Longhorns, while Alabama made their eighth appearance, Michigan their third, and Washington their second. [27]

Playoff games

Semifinals

Rose Bowl

2024 Rose Bowl
Quarter1234OTTotal
No. 4 Alabama73010020
No. 1 Michigan7607727

at the Rose BowlPasadena, California

  • Date: January 1, 2024
  • Game time: 2:11 p.m. PST

The playoff began on January 1 with the Rose Bowl matchup between Michigan and Alabama, the sixth all-time meeting between the teams. [30] Each team scored a touchdown in the first quarter: Alabama on a Jase McClellan rush, and Michigan on a J. J. McCarthy pass. The score remained 7–7 until a Michigan touchdown to take the lead late in the second quarter. The Wolverines led by three points at halftime and maintained this lead through to the fourth quarter when Alabama scored a touchdown. An Alabama field goal and Michigan touchdown tied the score at 20, forcing the game to go into overtime. [31] It was the second Rose Bowl and the third CFP game to reach overtime. [32] Michigan received the ball first in overtime and scored a touchdown in two plays, both rushes by Corum, giving them a 27–20 lead, [31] and Alabama failed to do the same, ending the game and giving Michigan a berth to the national championship. [33]

Sugar Bowl

2024 Sugar Bowl
Quarter1234Total
No. 3 Texas71401031
No. 2 Washington71410637

at Caesars SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: January 1, 2024
  • Game time: 8:01 p.m. CST

Washington and Texas met in the Sugar Bowl for the second playoff semifinal; it was their sixth all-time meeting. [34] Washington opened the scoring on their first drive through Dillon Johnson, and Texas tied the game on their next drive. Both teams scored twice more before halftime, making the score 21–21. The Huskies began the second half by scoring thirteen unanswered points while forcing two Texas fumbles. [35] Adonai Mitchell scored a rushing touchdown for Texas before the teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. [35] The Longhorns reached the Washington 12-yard line in five plays, leaving fifteen seconds on the clock. Their next three plays resulted in no yardage gained, and they failed to score on 4th & Goal with no time remaining, giving Washington a six-point victory and a national championship game berth. [36]

Championship

2024 College Football Playoff National Championship
Quarter1234Total
No. 2 Washington373013
No. 1 Michigan14331434

at NRG StadiumHouston, Texas

  • Date: January 8, 2024
  • Game time: 6:46 p.m. CST

Michigan and Washington met for the national championship on January 8. Michigan entered as betting favorites by a 4.5-point spread [37] and received the ball to begin the game. [38] Both teams scored on their opening drives, and Michigan scored again on their second drive. A field goal by James Turner shortly into the second quarter extended Michigan's lead to fourteen points. A turnover on downs by each team followed before Washington scored their first touchdown on a 3-yard pass by Michael Penix Jr. Each team scored their first points of the second half on a field goal. Three punts by each team followed, a streak broken by two Michigan touchdowns. These were the last scores of the game; Washington's last offensive possession ended with a turnover on downs on an incomplete pass, securing a national championship for the Wolverines. [39]

Aftermath

Michigan's Karsen Barnhart with the CFP trophy 2024-0108-Karsen Barnhart.jpg
Michigan's Karsen Barnhart with the CFP trophy

Michigan's national championship victory was their first since claiming a share of the 1997 national title, which they split with Nebraska; [40] their last outright national championship came in 1948. [41] They finished the season 15–0, making them the fourth FBS national champions to do so. [42] All three playoff games were broadcast by ESPN; the 2023–24 playoff was the most viewed since the 2017–18 edition, which featured a double-overtime Rose Bowl and an overtime national championship. [43]

In the weeks following the playoff, three of the four coaches of the participating teams left their programs: Alabama's Nick Saban retired on January 10, [44] Washington's Kalen DeBoer was hired to replace Saban on January 12, [45] and Michigan's Jim Harbaugh took an NFL head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers on January 24. [46] This left Texas's Steve Sarkisian as the only one of the four to remain with his team for the 2024 season. [47] This was the last playoff to feature a four-team format, as the next year's edition will expand to feature twelve teams, as announced by the CFP board of managers in December 2022. [48] Additionally, the championship was Washington's last game as a member of the Pac-12 Conference; as a part of a wave of conference realignment, they joined the Big Ten on August 2, 2024. [49] The realignment effectively caused the collapse of the Pac-12, since only Oregon State and Washington State, out of the conference's twelve members in 2023, lack plans to join another conference in 2024. [50]

Reports emerged on February 13, 2024, that ESPN and the CFP had agreed to a six-year extension of their media rights deal worth $7.8 billion, [51] equivalent to $1.3 billion per year. [52] The 2023–24 playoff was part of the parties' original media rights contract, signed in 2012, which had a payout of $470 million per year through 2025; that payout will increase to $608 million for the final two years of the original deal following the signing of the extension. [51]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Bowl Game</span> Annual US college gridiron football postseason game

The Rose Bowl Game is an annual American college football bowl game, traditionally played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College Football Playoff</span> Postseason tournament in American college football

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is an annual postseason knockout invitational tournament to determine a national champion for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football competition in the United States. It culminates in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The inaugural tournament was held at the end of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season under a four-team format. The CFP Board of Managers voted in 2023 to expand the playoff to twelve teams beginning in 2024, an arrangement that will last at least through the end of the 2025 season. After 2025, the current contract between all major entities expires and a new contract will be drawn up, with indications that additional expansion to a 14-team playoff or larger may take place at that time.

The 2014–15 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the inaugural edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. Each participating team was the champion of its respective conference: No. 1 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference, No. 2 Oregon from the Pac-12 Conference, No. 3 Florida State from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and No. 4 Ohio State from the Big Ten Conference.

The 2015–16 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football bowl games. They completed the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The games began on December 19, 2015, and, aside from the all-star games, ended with the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship which was played on January 11, 2016.

The 2017–18 NCAA football bowl games was a series of college football bowl games which completed the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The games began on December 16, 2017, and aside from the all-star games ended with the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, which was played on January 8, 2018.

The 2018–19 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football bowl games completing the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The games began on December 15, 2018, and, aside from the all-star games that follow, ended with the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, which was played on January 7, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 College Football Playoff National Championship</span> Postseason college football bowl game

The 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game that was played on January 9, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The ninth College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined the national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2022 season. It was the final game of the 2022–23 College Football Playoff (CFP) and, aside from any all-star games following after, was the culminating game of the 2022–23 bowl season. The game began at approximately 4:45 p.m. PST and was televised by ESPN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 College Football Playoff National Championship</span> Postseason college football bowl game

The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game that was played on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. The tenth College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined the national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2023 season. It was the final game of the 2023–24 College Football Playoff (CFP) and, aside from any all-star games afterward, the culminating game of the 2023–24 bowl season. The game began at approximately 6:45 p.m. CST and was televised nationally by ESPN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 152nd season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision. The regular season began on August 28, 2021, and ended on December 11, 2021. The postseason began on December 17, with the main games ending on January 10, 2022, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and the all-star portion of the post-season concluding with the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 19, 2022. It was the eighth season of the College Football Playoff (CFP) system. It was the first time since 2016 that no major team finished the season undefeated as the Cincinnati Bearcats, the season's last undefeated team, were defeated in the 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic. The season's Heisman Trophy winner was Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young.

The 2021–22 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football games scheduled to complete the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The main games concluded with the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship played on January 10, 2022, while the all-star portion of the schedule concluded February 19, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 153rd season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 27 and ended on December 10. The postseason began on December 16, and, aside from any all-star games that are scheduled, ended on January 9, 2023, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The 2022–23 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football games played to complete the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Team-competitive games began in mid-December and concluded with the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship on January 9, 2023, which was won by the Georgia Bulldogs. The all-star portion of the schedule began on January 14 and concluded on February 25, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 154th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 26 and ended on December 9. The postseason began on December 15, and, aside from any all-star games that are scheduled, ended on January 8, 2024, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The 2023–24 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football bowl games in the United States, primarily played to complete the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Team-competitive bowl games in FBS began on December 16 and concluded with the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship on January 8, 2024, which was won by the Michigan Wolverines. The all-star portion began on January 13 and concluded on February 24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Rose Bowl</span> College Football Playoff Semifinal bowl game

The 2024 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2024, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, United States. The game was the 110th annual playing of the Rose Bowl, one of the semifinals of the 2023–24 College Football Playoff (CFP), concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game featured two of the four teams chosen by the selection committee to participate in the playoff: the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference and the first-ranked Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference. The winner qualified for the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship against the winner of the other semifinal, hosted at the Sugar Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Sugar Bowl</span> College Football Playoff Semifinal bowl game

The 2024 Sugar Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2024, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game was the 90th annual playing of the Sugar Bowl, one of the semifinals of the 2023–24 College Football Playoff (CFP), and was one of the bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game began at approximately 7:45 p.m. CST and aired on ESPN. It featured two of the four teams chosen by the selection committee to participate in the playoff: the third-ranked Texas Longhorns of the Big 12 Conference and the second-ranked Washington Huskies of the Pac-12 Conference. The winner qualified through to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship against the winner of the other semifinal, hosted at the Rose Bowl.

The 2015–16 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the second edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. Each participating team was the champion of its respective conference: No. 1 Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 2 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference, No. 3 Michigan State from the Big Ten Conference, and No. 4 Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference.

The 2016–17 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the third edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. Three of the four teams were conference champions: No. 1 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference, No. 2 Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and No. 4 Washington from the Pac-12 Conference. No. 3 Ohio State, from the Big Ten Conference, finished second in their division on a head-to-head tiebreaker with Penn State, who went on to win the conference championship.

The 2017–18 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the fourth edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. The four teams to participate were No. 1 Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 2 Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference, and No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Alabama, both from the Southeastern Conference. This was the first CFP to feature two teams from the same conference.

The 2018–19 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the fifth edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game. Each participating team was the champion of its respective conference: No. 1 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference, No. 2 Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 3 Notre Dame, an FBS independent, and No. 4 Oklahoma from the Big 12 Conference.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bowman, Emma (December 3, 2023). "Undefeated Florida State is left out of 4-team College Football Playoff". NPR . Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. "2023 College Football Playoff Selection Committee". College Football Playoff. 2023. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  3. "Staff Directory – Bill Hancock, Executive Director". College Football Playoff . Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  4. Becton, Stan (October 31, 2023). "College Football Playoff rankings: Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, Florida State lead first top 25". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  5. Offutt, Ethan (November 7, 2023). "CFP rankings released: second round of rankings look to provide clarity". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  6. Schmidt, Kaitlan (November 14, 2023). "College football playoff rankings: Georgia jumps Ohio State for No. 1 slot". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  7. Bardahl, Jayna (November 21, 2023). "College Football Playoff rankings: Washington jumps Florida State for No. 4; Georgia No. 1". The Athletic . Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  8. Offutt, Ethan (November 28, 2023). "CFP rankings released: championship week provides final test". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  9. Marot, Michael (December 3, 2023). "No. 2 Michigan beats No. 18 Iowa 26–0 for Big Ten title, likely to claim top playoff seed". AP News . Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  10. "No. 7 Washington holds off No. 8 Oregon 36–33 to remain unbeaten". USA Today . October 14, 2023. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  11. Bonagura, Kyle (December 2, 2023). "Washington outlasts Oregon to win Pac-12 title, seal CFP bid". ESPN . Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  12. Kassim, Ehsan (November 18, 2023). "FSU football quarterback Jordan Travis appears to suffer serious injury, leaves in ambulance". Tallahassee Democrat . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  13. "No. 4 Florida State QB Rodemaker a game-time decision vs. No. 15 Louisville in ACC title game". Associated Press . December 1, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  14. Hale, David (December 2, 2023). "Brock Glenn gets start for Florida State for ailing Tate Rodemaker". ESPN . Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  15. Veazey, Austin (December 2, 2023). "Recap: Florida State's defense shuts down Louisville to win 2023 ACC Championship". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  16. Silverstein, Adam (December 3, 2023). "2023 College Football Playoff bowl games: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama fill four-team field". CBS Sports . Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  17. Palm, Jerry (December 3, 2023). "College Football Playoff rankings prediction: Texas rounds out top four with Liberty ahead of SMU, Tulane". CBS Sports . Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  18. Bachar, Zach (December 3, 2023). "Predictions for top teams ahead of final CFP poll reveal". Bleacher Report . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  19. Becton, Stan (December 3, 2023). "College Football Playoff rankings predictions: What the final CFP top 25 could look like". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  20. "Predicting the four CFP teams after chaotic conference championship weekend". Yahoo! Sports . December 3, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  21. McKinnell, Zach (December 3, 2023). "Joel Klatt final college football playoff rankings, names top four teams". Athlon Sports . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  22. "Hook 'em Horns! No. 11 Texas, Ewers pull off 34–24 victory at No. 3 Alabama". CBS Sports . September 10, 2023. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  23. "Boomer Sooner: Gabriel tosses late TD pass as No. 12 Oklahoma beats No. 3 Texas in Red River Rivalry". ESPN . October 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  24. "CFP: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama to vie for title". ESPN . December 3, 2023. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  25. 1 2 Levenson, Eric; Lev, Jacob (December 30, 2023). "Florida State, left out of the College Football Playoff despite undefeated record, gets crushed in historic win by Georgia". CNN . Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  26. Chavkin, Daniel (December 14, 2023). "Jimbo Fisher bashes College Football Playoff for Florida State snub". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  27. 1 2 Culpepper, Chuck (December 3, 2023). "Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama selected for College Football Playoff". Washington Post . Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  28. Lewis, Dustin (December 5, 2023). "Florida governor Ron DeSantis sets aside $1 million for FSU's legal battles against CFP". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  29. "College Football Playoff committee responds to demand for answers from Florida Senator". SB Nation . December 15, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  30. Walsh, Christopher (December 29, 2023). "How to watch the Rose Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  31. 1 2 "Michigan vs. Alabama (Jan 1, 2024) – Play-by-Play". ESPN . January 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  32. Harrigan, Sam (January 1, 2024). "History of overtime games in the College Football Playoff". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  33. Sallee, Barrett (January 2, 2024). "Nick Saban, QB Jalen Milroe defend Alabama's failed fourth-down call in overtime Rose Bowl loss to Michigan". CBS Sports . Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  34. Montierth, Caroline (December 29, 2023). "New Year's Six preview, plus a few extra bowl games to watch over the weekend". KSL.com . Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  35. 1 2 "Texas vs. Washington (Jan 1, 2024) – Play-by-Play". ESPN . January 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  36. "Michael Penix Jr. leads No. 2 Washington to 3731 victory over Texas and spot in national title game". CBS Sports . January 2, 2024. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  37. Hoefling, Jon (January 1, 2024). "Washington vs. Michigan: Odds and how to watch 2024 CFP National Championship". USA Today . Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  38. "College Football Playoff National Championship Final Statistics" (PDF). Statbroadcast. January 8, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  39. "Washington vs. Michigan (Jan 8, 2024) – Play-by-Play". ESPN . January 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  40. Gharib, Anthony (January 8, 2024). "What the world was like the last time Michigan was national champion". ESPN . Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  41. Carr, Brandon (January 9, 2024). "Michigan football rushes to first outright national championship since 1948". WDIV-TV . Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  42. Garcia, Tony (January 8, 2024). "Michigan football runs over Washington 3413, wins 2023 national championship". Detroit Free Press . Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  43. Deitsch, Richard; Olson, Max; Auerbach, Nichole (January 9, 2024). "Michigan-Washington national title game draws 25 million viewers on ESPN: How it compares to past seasons". The Athletic . Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  44. "Alabama football coach Nick Saban announces retirement". ESPN . January 10, 2024. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  45. Zenor, John (January 12, 2024). "Kalen DeBoer hired to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, leaving national runner-up Washington". Associated Press . Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  46. Rhim, Kris (January 24, 2024). "Jim Harbaugh leaves Michigan to be Chargers head coach". ESPN . Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  47. Thompson, Cole (January 24, 2024). "Longhorns' Steve Sarkisian lone CFP coach remaining amid Jim Harbaugh departure". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  48. "College Football Playoff to expand to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season". National Collegiate Athletic Association . December 1, 2022. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  49. "University of Oregon and University of Washington to join Big Ten Conference in 2024". Big Ten Conference . August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  50. Bonagura, Kyle (December 21, 2023). "Oregon State, Washington state settle with departing Pac-12 schools". ESPN . Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  51. 1 2 Myerberg, Paul (February 13, 2024). "Report: ESPN and College Football Playoff agree on six-year extension worth $7.8 billion". USA Today . Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  52. Marchand, Andrew; Auerbach, Nicole; Mandel, Stewart; Vannini, Chris (February 13, 2024). "College Football Playoff, ESPN agree to 6-year extension worth $1.3 billion per year: Sources". The Athletic . Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.