Almost every major national publication has Texas going back to the Colleg Football Playoffs this year.
Before we discuss where the Texas Longhorns are projected for the 2024 College Football Playoff, there were significant changes from previous years with the expansion to a 12-team format, and here is a look at what it will look like.
How it Works:
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Selection of the 12 teams:
- The top five ranked conference champions are selected. More than likely being the champions of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and Mountain West will earn a top-five seed.
- The next seven highest-ranked teams (regardless of conference) are also selected. For example, Notre Dame and other highly ranked teams from the Power Four conferences will likely be selected.
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Seeding for this season’s playoffs:
- The top four conference champions are seeded 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. The conference winners of the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 will be rewarded a first-round bye in the first year of the new 12-team college football playoffs.
- The fifth conference champion is seeded based on their overall ranking. Likely, the conference champions from the Mountain West or American Athletic Conference will be selected for the playoffs.
- The remaining seven teams are seeded 5-12 based on their overall ranking. Even if Texas does not win the SEC this season, they can still have a home playoff game for the first round if ranked five through eight.
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Bracket format for the playoffs:
- Teams seeded 5 through 8 will host first-round games against teams seeded 9-12 in the playoffs. For example, if Texas were to receive the 7th seed they would host the 10th seed in the first round.
- Winners of the first-round games advance to play the top four seeds in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
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College Football 2024 Semifinals and Championship Game:
- The four remaining teams compete in the semifinals and championship game similar to last season’s format when it was a four-team playoff.
Key Changes from last season to this season:
- Expanded Field: The most obvious change is the increase from four to twelve teams, which allows more teams to participate in this season’s playoffs. Even though Texas was in last season’s playoffs, the Longhorns could lose up to two games and still make this year’s playoffs.
- First-Round Games: The introduction of first-round games adds an extra layer of excitement and competition and will make watching college football in mid to late December a must-watch for college football fans.
- Bye Weeks for the top-seeded teams: The top four seeds now have a bye in the first round which is an award for the conference champions of the power four conferences.
Now let’s take a look at where Texas is projected to be in this upcoming college football playoffs in various college football preseason predictions.
Athlon Sports has Texas earning the 6th spot in the 2024 College Football Playoffs. They are projecting that the Longhorns will host No. 11 Notre Dame. Then they have Texas after defeating the Fighting Irish, play No. 3 seeded Florida State in the quarterfinals on Jan. 1 in the Peach Bowl. Finally, they have Texas advancing to the semifinals to face off against No. 2 Ohio State on Jan. 10 in the Cotton Bowl. Unfortunately for Texas fans, they are not forecasting the Longhorns defeating the Buckeyes and advancing to the title game.
College Football News has the Longhorns hosting Penn State in the first round of the playoffs on Dec. 21 with the game being on TNT. They then have Texas playing Ohio State in the quarterfinals on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl. However, unlike Athlon Sports projections, they do not have the Longhorns advancing to the semifinals.
Sporting News has Texas ranked higher than the two other previous publications that have been mentioned already as they have the Longhorns as the No. 5 seed hosting No. 12 seed Memphis. They have Texas advancing to the quarterfinals to face off against No. 4 seed Florida State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Then they have the Longhorns going to the semifinals after defeating the Seminoles to play No. 1 seed Georgia on Jan. 9 in the Capital One Orange Bowl. However, as high as Sporting News is on the Longhorns, they have them losing to the Bulldogs in the semifinals.
The New York Times via the Athletic has similar to Sporting News has Texas as the No. 5 seed hosting Memphis in the first round of the playoffs. They don’t give a full project of the playoffs as other publications have but they are quoted as saying,
“The Longhorns came within one play of making the title game last year. Don’t be surprised if they get there this season.”
247 Sports has Texas as the No. 5 seed hosting Liberty in the first round of the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, they have the Longhorns going up against the No. 4 seed Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl. They have Texas advancing to the semifinals to play No. 2 seed Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. 247 Sports though does not have the Longhorns advancing to the title game.
Overall, all publications listed have Texas making the college football playoffs. Most have them making it to the semifinals but none of them have them advancing to the championship game. However, the games being played on the actual field this Fall and early Winter will determine how far the Longhorns advance in post season play.