New College Football Playoff Format Approved, Major Changes Will Effect Clemson and the ACC

The CFP is making significant changes that will affect Clemson and the ACC.

The College Football Playoff has approved a new format starting in 2026, and it is not a good one for Clemson and the ACC.

The report initially released by ESPN’s Heather Dinich and Pete Thamel reported that the FBS conferences and Notre Dame have agreed to a new 14-team format with guarantees for conference champions. Here are some of the details as reported by ESPN.

The memorandum of understanding guarantees that the field will have at least 12 teams in 2026 and beyond, but sources indicate there is a strong preference for a 14-team field that includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next nine highest-ranked teams. Sources caution the exact format is not done yet, and the Big Ten and SEC will have the bulk of control over that, but others will be protected by parameters that have been put in place that can’t be altered.

The financial distribution for the expected 14-team playoff will look radically different that its playoff predecessor. On an annual basis, for example, the Big Ten and SEC will be making more than $21 million per school, a number that’s up from the nearly $5.5 million the Power Five leagues are currently being paid.

In the ACC, the schools will get more than $13 million annually and the Big 12 will get more than $12 million per school. Notre Dame is expected to get more than $12 million as well, and sources tell ESPN there will be a financial incentive for any independent team that reaches the CFP. (There will no longer be a participation bonus for any of the other leagues – a detail that was frustrating to some leaders in the Group of 5.)

There are huge changes coming, and it’s clear how this will affect Clemson and the rest of the ACC teams. The SEC and Big Ten get clear advantages from this new format, and with it being approved, there’s not much to be done for the ACC here.

Nick Saban recounts players’ NIL requests, playing time demands

In a recent interview, Nick Saban tells of what Alabama players asked of him as the 2024 offseason got started.

Shortly after the 2023 college football season came to a close, the shocking news broke that legendary head coach Nick Saban would be retiring from coaching. He is still staying around the game as an advocate for players and the sport, a media member (who would have guessed?) and an advisor to the Alabama football program.

Since retiring, he has been vocal about the state of college football and has recently been talking about what happened within the Crimson Tide program over the last year. Most notably he discussed the poor attitude Alabama players exhibited after losing to Michigan in the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal.

He made clear that the attitude of the players was not the reason he retired, but it played a role. As Saban explained to ESPN’s Chris Low, building and maintaining relationships was one of his favorite parts of coaching, and he felt like his messages were no longer resonating with players, which, in turn, meant that the long-lasting relationships were getting harder to build.

With the recent mass changes college football has experienced, such as name, image, likeness policies and the transfer portal being more accessible, Saban felt like coaching, in general, took a hit.

“The thing I loved about coaching the most was the relationships that you had with players, and those things didn’t seem to have the same meaning as they once did,” said Saban.

After the 2023 season came to an end, Saban met with many Alabama players in a short period of time, and the topic of conversation revolved around things that the seven-time national champion did not appreciate: playing time demands and NIL deals.

“I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?” Saban recounted. “Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

As Saban stated, he looked to develop relationships and build value for the players, not just on the field, but in their lives, as well. A football career will end for everybody, whether it’s after their time in college or after a career in the NFL. Establishing value for oneself should be at the forefront.

On the minds of many of the players he met with after the season was personal gain, one way or another. While it’s not necessarily an inherently bad thing, it is not what Saban was looking to focus on as a head coach, and he felt like it inhibited the values he held dear over decades of coaching.

“So I’m saying to myself, ‘Maybe this doesn’t work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it’s all about how much money can I make as a college player?’ I’m not saying that’s bad. I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that’s never been what we were all about, and it’s not why we had success through the years.”

The realm of college football is an ever-changing landscape that ought to evolve with the rest of society. The speed at which that change comes and the coinciding protocols must run on a parallel timeline. In today’s game, many have compared it to the Wild West.

College football as we know it will never look the same, as is the case with other periods of transformation in the game. The goal should always be to advance everyone’s best interests, using the past as a guide. There will be always new aspects of the sport that fans, players, coaches and others will champion, and there will be changes that are looked down upon. It’s all rather arbitrary.

For Saban, it had long been clear what his stance was on instituting such drastic alterations to college football, which is why many have argued that perhaps he would be an appropriate candidate to serve as the commissioner for college football. However, that is a role he has openly expressed no interest in.

Saban will continue to find his footing in a post-coaching reality, and we should all expect to hear more from him as the game continues to evolve.

As for the man who looks to fill the mighty shoes left behind by Saban, Kalen DeBoer must navigate the challenge of coaching a historical powerhouse while handling these changes in stride. The expectation is that the newcomer will lean on the veteran heavily for guidance throughout the 2024 offseason.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Clemson ranked as the No. 2 best team of the 4-team College Football Playoff era

According to ESPN, Clemson is the second-best team of the college football playoff era.

Since the start of the College Football Playoff era, there have been few, if more than one, teams that have been as good as Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers.

Looking at the Tigers’ resume since the start of the playoff, it’s tough to argue against how impressive they’ve been. With two National Championships wins, both coming against Nick Saban and Alabama, along with his eight ACC Championships, programs dream of runs like the Tigers’ have had.

Recently, ESPN graded all 84 teams to ever be ranked by the college football playoff committee, with Clemson ranking No. 2 with an A grade. The only team ranked higher was No. 1 Alabama.

Record: 119-20
Average SP+: 22.2 (3rd)

The Tigers have two national titles, played for two others, won 10 games nine times and have spent 35 weeks in the committee’s top four, trailing only Alabama. And yet, Dabo Swinney still has to deal with angry callers to his radio show questioning whether the program is still relevant. Yes, Clemson has missed the playoff the past three years. And in that span, the Tigers are 30-10 — only the seventh-best record among Power 5 teams. As slumps go, we should all be so lucky.

Over the span of 2015-16 to 2020-21, the Tigers pulled off an impressive feat, making it to the Playoff a remarkable six times in a row. Their consistent appearances stand out, considering that only Alabama managed more with eight entries into the four-team postseason. What makes Clemson’s achievement even more noteworthy is that, historically, they didn’t carry the same level of prestige and history as powerhouse teams like Alabama and Ohio State. Before the Tigers embarked on their own era of dominance, the football world often associated the biggest names with places like Tuscaloosa and Columbus. However, Clemson’s impressive run altered the narrative and solidified their place among the elite in college football.

They make excellent points about the Tigers current slump too. While fans are quick to complain and have rightfully high expectations, reality is also something we need to acknowledge. Clemson had a historic run and while they are by no means done, it is important to understand that like any sport, it’s a game of runs. It’s how the Tigers recover from this slump that matters.

Multiple Wisconsin Badgers make ESPN’s all-playoff era team

Who was your favorite Badger of the CFP era (since 2014)?

Nearly 10 years have passed since the first edition of the College Football Playoff, won by a surging Ohio State team led by running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Cardale Jones.

Wisconsin did not make the CFP in its first decade. The Badgers came close several times, most notably falling 40 yards short of a Big Ten Championship over Ohio State and Playoff birth in 2017.

Now the format is expanding to 12 teams. It will get more challenging for schools like Wisconsin to win the entire thing, but more tickets are available for them to make the dance.

Related: Pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season

ESPN recently looked back upon the first decade of the CFP and put together an all-Playoff era team. Several Wisconsin Badgers were included:

  • RB Jonathan Taylor
  • RB Melvin Gordon (honorable mention)
  • C Tyler Biadasz (honorable mention)
  • OL Beau Benzschawel (honorable mention)
  • OLB T.J. Watt (honorable mention)

Unsurprisingly, Wisconsin got a few running backs, a few offensive linemen and an outside linebacker included. Those position groups also correlate to what the program has sent to the NFL, and the general strengths of the team under former head coach Paul Chryst.

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

Notre Dame Football 2024: Irish Odds to Make 12-Team College Football Playoff Released

Odds to make the College Football Playoff in 2024

If you’re handicapping the 2024 college football season and trying to already figure out who the 12 teams making the expanded playoff will be, there is an investment opportunity for you out there.

Odds are currently posted to SportsBetting.ag on if a team will make the 12-team College Football Playoff or not.

In case you’re wondering, Notre Dame checks in with +100 odds.  For the betting declined, that simply means if you put $100 you will earn $100 with a correct bet (plus your initial $100 back).

The Irish are tied with Ole Miss, Miami (FL), and Utah for the ninth best odds nationally and are actually ahead of Alabama (+120).

Georgia (-900), Ohio State (-800), Texas (-500), and Oregon (-400) lead the way as the favorites to make the dance while Florida State (-225), Clemson (-225), Kansas State (-175), and Michigan (-110) all have better odds of making the tournament than Notre Dame.

I’ve said it before and will again to make my stance clear, anything short of Notre Dame not just making the playoff, but winning a game in the playoff will feel like a disappointment to me.

Clemson lands the No. 3 seed in this latest College Football Playoff prediction

Clemson could return to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

As college football’s offseason rolls on, teams are gearing up for the upcoming 2024 season by beefing up their rosters through recruiting and the transfer portal.

The Clemson Tigers, known for their talent and solid coaching, have their sights set on making it to the College Football Playoff. To get there, they’ll need to bring their A-game in 2024, whether that means snagging an ACC Championship win for a playoff spot or earning an at-large bid as one of the nation’s top teams.

With the playoffs now accommodating 12 teams, it’s a game-changer for college football. This means more opportunities for teams like Clemson to make their mark and punch their ticket back to the playoffs.

Recently Sports Illustrated’s FanNation recently released an article predicting the CFP for the 2024 season, with Clemson earning the No. 3 seed.

Clemson’s got a shot at a seeding like this, but it won’t come easy. The pressure’s on Cade Klubnik and the Tigers’ offense to step up and elevate the team’s chances.

Clemson vs. Nick Saban led Alabama is the all-time College Football Playoff rivalry

With Nick Saban retiring, we reflect on the Clemson vs. Alabama College Football Playoff rivalry.

For a period of the College Football Playoff era, the question was, Clemson or Alabama?

There is no denying that in the early stages of the CFP era, the best-developed rivalry was the one between Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers and Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide. The two programs had some of the best battles you’ll see, and their history is intertwined together through these classic matchups.

Things look a lot different for both programs nowadays, with reports released that Saban will be retiring from football after what could be the best coaching career in college football history. It came as a shock to many, but Saban’s time as a coach has come to an end.

With Saban stepping away, we wanted to reflect on what is the best College Football Playoff rivalry of all time, Clemson vs. Alabama.

– Updated 3/4

Pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season

What are your bold predictions of Wisconsin’s 2024 season?

Welcome to March, the time when spring practice begins and focus is officially turned toward the upcoming season.

This edition of looking ahead includes trying to understand what the sport will look like. The Big Ten now includes 18 teams, the College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams and Wisconsin’s place among both is unknown.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

Will the Badgers ascend to the space currently occupied by Penn State? Will the program become a Playoff regular as the field continues to expand? Head coach Luke Fickell has questions to answer entering year two of his tenure in Madison.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coachespredicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record, looked at the early College Football Playoff tiers and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here are our pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season:

Pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers for the 2024 season

What are the chances Wisconsin makes the College Football Playoff in 2024?

The Wisconsin Badgers and head coach Luke Fickell enter the 2024 college football season needing to improve upon their disappointing 7-6 2023 campaign.

There is good news and bad news.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

The good news: year two is often the time for improvement for new head coaches in college football. It means one more year to cater the roster to the specific systems on offense and defense, and another year of continuity on the coaching staff and the field. Also, the College Football Playoff now contains 12 teams.

The bad news: Wisconsin has one of college football’s toughest schedules in 2024. That, and the new era of the Big Ten sees those schedules get even tougher as the years continue.

Wisconsin’s chances at making the 2024 CFP are interesting. A stellar season is required, though a 10-2 or 9-3 record may get the job done.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coachespredicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here are our pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers:

CBS Sports predicts Michigan football to CFP in 2024 with potential rematch vs. Ohio State

Ranked too low, IMO. #GoBlue

Michigan football may look much different in 2024, and it has a great many questions, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. However, CBS Sports is confident there will be little falloff from 2023.

The Wolverines won the national championship last season, but then lost their head coach, Jim Harbaugh, and numerous star players, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum, nickel back Mike Sainristil, the entire starting offensive line, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and linebacker Junior Colson. So, there are a many questions the maize and blue will face in 2024.

Still, with the expanded playoff coming this season with a 5+7 format, CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson expects Michigan to make it in at-large.

7. Michigan (at-large): Sherrone Moore’s imprint on Michigan football will begin with his SMASH theme, something he’s brought from the offensive line room and now extended to the entire program. The Wolverines should still be able to win with physicality at the line of scrimmage again, and running back Donovan Edwards gets his time in the spotlight as the team’s lead back. With Michigan’s success in the player development department over the last couple of years, the Wolverines seem to be a high-floor proposition in the Big Ten this year.

With his prediction of the Wolverines at No. 7, he has Michigan hosting No. 10 Notre Dame at The Big House with the winner set to take on No. 2 Ohio State in the next round. If that were to happen, it would be a rematch from the Nov. 30 game in Columbus.

Patterson has three of Michigan’s 2024 regular-season opponents ranked ahead of it: OSU at 2, Oregon at No. 5, and Texas at No. 6.