2024-2025 NCAA Football Thread

[Milchshake]

The 2024 Season has already started with Spring Practices underway. Teams get to schedule a maximun of 15 practices over 34 days. Culminating in a Spring Game, usually 1st teamers against backups.
The transfer portal open from April 15-30. Expect movement after starting spots are won or lost from the Spring Games.

Conferences have already announced their 2024 schedules:
BIG10 2024 Schedule
SEC 2024
ACC 2024
BIG12 2024
Conference USA 2024
Mountain West 2024
PAC12 2024

TV times usually come out in August from the various networks.
USC and LSU, will headline the Kickoff Classic over Labor Day weekend on Sunday, September 1, at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT (ABC).

Until then, news might be a bit slow. Very different than the drama that swirled around year's conference and media contract realignments.



The biggest dramas of 2024 might happen about who gets into their conference championship games. As teams play 8-9 conference games, then miss the other 8, with divisions being abandoned.

2024 will also feature a playoff expanded to 12 teams.
The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded Nos. 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. Seeds 5-12 will play each other in the first round. The first rounds would take place at either the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program during the week of Saturday, Dec. 21. Here's a breakdown of the first round matchups:

No. 5 vs. No. 12
No. 6 vs. No. 11
No. 7 vs. No. 10
No. 8 vs. No. 9
This year's quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be January 9-10, 2025.
2024 quarterfinals: Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl
2024 semifinals: Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl
The The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Good Luck, Have Fun.

Reminder: football vs handegg vs soccer is infractable. Pro vs college bashing is also not welcome here.

ACTIVE THREAD WARNINGS:

Stop getting personal and hostile, everyone. You don't need to engage things that get you riled up.

[Logwyn]

Let's go State of Georgia college football!!!!
KSU OWLS!!!
GSU PANTHERS!!!
GSU EAGLES!!
GT JACKETS!!
UGA DAWGS!!!

[marilynlablanc]

Which teams are expected to be the top contenders for the conference championships in 2024?

[Tech614]

Which teams are expected to be the top contenders for the conference championships in 2024?

Big Ten- if OSU doesn't win it, colossal failure with all the NIL money they spent in the transfer portal + Michigan lost a lot on offense even though the defense will still be a force. Oregon is probably the 3rd team in the mix, Penn State dark horse.

Big 12- Utah is gonna glaze this souped down Big 12 hard imo, Oklahoma State and Kansas State probably their biggest competition. Maybe TCU rebounds and can also be a threat.

SEC- Right now it looks like Georgia & Texas with no other teams at that level but there is enough talent in the conference some other competitors will probably emerge.

ACC- Clemson, FSU and Louisville the strongest teams. Miami dark horse.

[cubby]

From the new B1G:

Oregon is looking very strong with a seasoned QB and a lot of returning starters. Expect them to contend for the Conf title.
UWash was gutted after their coach left for 'Bama.
Ohio State is looking solid with Chip Kelly finally just-having-fun and running the offense. I was terrified when I saw that marriage happen - Kelly has always been good at college football offenses, and now that's all he has to do.
UMich gutted as well with coach going pro and taking most of the staff with them. Too early to eliminate them as possible contenders, but we'll have to see. Uncertain at best.
USC will be strong/interesting, given their total lack of defense last year. Limping into the B1G like the bitches they are. Still contenders, depending.
UCLA - nope, former coach Kelly's complete disregard for recruiting has effectively gutted the program of talent. They will be rebuilding for the next 2+ years. Winning record is all they can hope for at this point.

Remaining teams vary from good luck to let's get 8 wins. However, as always, it's college football and predictions are a dime a dozen, and rarely correct.

- - - Updated - - -

Big Ten- if OSU doesn't win it, colossal failure with all the NIL money they spent in the transfer portal + Michigan lost a lot on offense even though the defense will still be a force. Oregon is probably the 3rd team in the mix, Penn State dark horse.

Big 12- Utah is gonna glaze this souped down Big 12 hard imo, Oklahoma State and Kansas State probably their biggest competition. Maybe TCU rebounds and can also be a threat.

SEC- Right now it looks like Georgia & Texas with no other teams at that level but there is enough talent in the conference some other competitors will probably emerge.

ACC- Clemson, FSU and Louisville the strongest teams. Miami dark horse.

I don't see Michigan as the #2 team in that mix. They lost so many coaches. It won't be a rebuilding year at all, but it could look/seem like one. Their defense should still be strong, and that could carry them through though.

I see OSU and Oregon competing for the Championship.

[Tech614]

I don't see Michigan as the #2 team in that mix. They lost so many coaches. It won't be a rebuilding year at all, but it could look/seem like one. Their defense should still be strong, and that could carry them through though.

I see OSU and Oregon competing for the Championship.

Michigan is returning the 2 highest graded DTs in the country, 2 of the top 10 graded edge rushers in the country, the top graded CB in the country and they still have Donavan Edwards and Loveland on offense who are both top 3 round picks, Loveland is a potential 1st rounder. Moore is replacing his OL of seniors with an OL of seniors who everyone expects to mash people in run blocking all the same. Wink Martindale helped pioneer the defense Michigan has ran for the last 3 seasons and plays a slightly more aggressive version of this. The only reason Michigan is not the favorite to win the conference out right is QB is giant hole/?.

OSU has the clear 2nd best defense in the conference, and should have a much better offense than Michigan so they deserve to be the favorite. Anyone else over Michigan? Nah, I ain't seeing it. Michigan could of beat every other team besides OSU in the Big Ten last year without even passing, USC and Washington certainly aren't going to change that. Oregon and OSU are the only teams in conference schedule that can beat Michigan, and OSU is the only one of those that should be favored. Oregon I could see being favored if it was in Oregon, and not in Michigan in November. Michigan likely loses to Texas and OSU and is 10-2.

[xskarma]

Maybe this is Penn State's Year. Coach Franklin has those boys on the cusp!

HAHAHA

Bit of Big Ten humor for cubby.

(whatever else happens, it's never Penn State, and absolutely never Franklin. They are like the Minnesota Vikings of the Big Ten. Even when they are good you know they are going to screw up in the big moments)

[Jimson]

James Franklin is a constant in an unpredictable world. He's almost a lock to win 7-8-9 games, but fail in the biggest games in the most inexplicable possible fashion.

[Milchshake]

James Franklin is a constant in an unpredictable world. He's almost a lock to win 7-8-9 games, but fail in the biggest games in the most inexplicable possible fashion.

Dan Lanning could be that coach. Except with Nike NIL money the expectation is to win 10 games. But he has yet to prove he can win a big game.

We're still at the leading edge of the NIL era. Were NIL allows for teams to close the gap faster than expected. Also, some of the previous powers that had eschewed NIL, have changed their tunes. They will be catching up with a vengence.

[cubby]

Maybe this is Penn State's Year. Coach Franklin has those boys on the cusp!

HAHAHA

Bit of Big Ten humor for cubby.

(whatever else happens, it's never Penn State, and absolutely never Franklin. They are like the Minnesota Vikings of the Big Ten. Even when they are good you know they are going to screw up in the big moments)

It does always seem like Penn State makes a stink and then falls flat.

- - - Updated - - -

Dan Lanning could be that coach. Except with Nike NIL money the expectation is to win 10 games. But he has yet to prove he can win a big game.

We're still at the leading edge of the NIL era. Were NIL allows for teams to close the gap faster than expected. Also, some of the previous powers that had eschewed NIL, have changed their tunes. They will be catching up with a vengence.

Lanning has won big games, just not against UW. NIL money is great, and certainly helps recruiting efforts - but Lanning is a tremendous recruiter sans NIL moneys. We'll see how his first year in the B1G goes.

He definitely needs a Conf Champ game under his belt, which will now be that much tougher with OSU and Michigan in the mix.

[Tech614]

James Franklin is a constant in an unpredictable world. He's almost a lock to win 7-8-9 games, but fail in the biggest games in the most inexplicable possible fashion.

In all seriousness, there is a very real possibility Penn State is in the B1G Championship game. I doubt Franklin could seal the deal and win it, but their path there is easy as hell. They dodge Oregon and Michigan on their schedule and even with a loss to OSU they're sitting pretty comfy to get in. Then they just need a 2016 flukey game like they had against OSU and James Franklin is a 2 time Big Ten Champion.

[Jimson]

In all seriousness, there is a very real possibility Penn State is in the B1G Championship game. I doubt Franklin could seal the deal and win it, but their path there is easy as hell. They dodge Oregon and Michigan on their schedule and even with a loss to OSU they're sitting pretty comfy to get in. Then they just need a 2016 flukey game like they had against OSU and James Franklin is a 2 time Big Ten Champion.

Is it still East vs West? Like I seriously doubt Franklin could win the game, but if they match up against Iowa....

[Tech614]

Is it still East vs West? Like I seriously doubt Franklin could win the game, but if they match up against Iowa....

No, it's just the 2 best records now. Divisions are gone.

Speaking of Iowa, they have Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin all as protected rivals. They could realistically have years where they don't play PSU, OSU, Michigan, Oregon or USC. The Big Ten schedule right now is even sillier than when it had divisions.

[cubby]

No, it's just the 2 best records now. Divisions are gone.

Speaking of Iowa, they have Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin all as protected rivals. They could realistically have years where they don't play PSU, OSU, Michigan, Oregon or USC. The Big Ten schedule right now is even sillier than when it had divisions.

I prefer that format. No one method is perfect, but the divisions would never be "equal" with strong and weak like we see in the SEC.

[Tech614]

I prefer that format. No one method is perfect, but the divisions would never be "equal" with strong and weak like we see in the SEC.

Doesn't matter if the divisions where equal or not. The Big Ten East winner was gonna be the champ everyone knew it, but that made the schedules far more balanced than we're seeing now with their really stupid flex protect system. If the flex protect system didn't exist no divisions would be fine but...

We got Iowa who has 3 mid at best programs as locked in rivals.
We got PSU who has no locked in rivals.
And everything in between.

It's trash. Should of just been every team has 1 protected rival and plays everyone else an equal amount. I wouldn't have a problem with the division removal in this situation.