NCAA: The 2024 College Football Playoff: The Only Bowls That Matter

[GKJ]

I write this on it's eve, but welcome to 2024, and the final 4-team college football playoff. After 10 years of bitching about leaving out the #5 team instead of the #3 team in the BCS-era, next year we'll get to complain about who should be #12 in years that a group of five team isn't highly ranked. Unfortunately, we had more teams deserve to be here this year than we had spots for.

It's simple: both semifinals are on New Years' Day, with the winners meeting in Houston on January 8.

The Rose Bowl kicks off at 5pm EST in Pasadena, with #4 Alabama vs. #1 Michigan. Alabama last played in the Rose Bowl Game in 2021, but that game was in Dallas. They last played in Pasadena in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. They last played the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena in 1946, a 34-14 win over USC. It's the first time Michigan is playing in the Rose Bowl since a 32-18 loss to USC in 2008 (strange to think about), and have not won the Rose Bowl since winning the last winning a split of the national championship beating Washington State 21-16 in 1998. Michigan is currently, just a 1.5-point favorite, and the over/under is 44.5. We know Nick Saban loves being an underdog, and we know Jim Harbaugh, having overcome two suspensions, is still being ambiguous about a return to the NFL.

The Sugar Bowl kicks off at 8:45pm EST in New Orleans, with #3 Texas playing #2 Washington in a rematch of last year's Alamo Bowl, which Washington won 27-20, and a matchup of two teams switching conferences next year. Texas has never played in the College Football playoff, while Washington has never played in the Sugar Bowl. Texas has it's second trip since 1995, having beat Georgia 28-21 in 2019. Washington famously ran a brutally difficult gauntlet in the Pac 12, and did so undefeated, with a number of close wins, including Oregon twice. Texas is favored by 4, and after beating Alabama on the road early in the season, sort of meandered through their conference schedule before a couple of impressive wins in their final two games.

And yes, these are A+ programs. Most of the A+ programs at least.

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[LightningStorm]

Go Huskies! Feeling anxious about tomorrow, but just thought back to 2 seasons ago when we went 4-8 after losing our opening game to Montana for some perspective. What an amazing season this has been, going undefeated and beating our rival Oregon twice, including in the final PAC 12 championship. Hoping our season continues after tomorrow!

 

[GKJ]

Go Huskies! Feeling anxious about tomorrow, but just thought back to 2 seasons ago when we went 4-8 after losing our opening game to Montana for some perspective. What an amazing season this has been, going undefeated and beating our rival Oregon twice, including in the final PAC 12 championship. Hoping our season continues after tomorrow!

Only Pac-12 team to make the 4-team playoff twice

 

[daver]

Would like to see Bama lose but feel they have a big advantage in coaching and confidence.

 

[Tony Romo]

Oh boy. I am STRESSED

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Preemptively preparing myself for these two games to be dragged out like crazy due to the number of commercials that are pumped into them.

 

[End of Line]

Watching a Rose Bowl without hearing Keith Jackson’s voice still doesn’t feel right. And it’s been 17 years since he called his last one.

@GKJ I think UM’s last Rose Bowl was 2007. I remember Illinois getting stomped by USC since Ohio State eventually got into the BCS title game.

 

[GKJ]

Watching a Rose Bowl without hearing Keith Jackson’s voice still doesn’t feel right. And it’s been 17 years since he called his last one.

@GKJ I think UM’s last Rose Bowl was 2007. I remember Illinois getting stomped by USC since Ohio State eventually got into the BCS title game.

Yeah, that’s the 32-18 game

 

[PanthersPens62]

In what he said was "his most controversial pick ever", Lee Corso donned the Maize & Blue helmet & did the Heisman pose in honor of Dez Howard.

 

[Terrier]

John Beecher won this bet, but Bama will roll.

Boston Bruins on Instagram: "Never lose a bet to Beech."

35K likes, 94 comments - nhlbruins on December 31, 2023: "Never lose a bet to Beech.".

www.instagram.com

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

The season is over at 4pm. None of the rest matters . It is a joke where 4 mediocre teams buy a top 4 spot.

 

[Tony Romo]

That Naysayer segment on gameday, maybe one of the funniest things gameday has given us. I laugh more each time I see.


Also pretty good segment on Sark

 

[GKJ]

The line for Michigan went up a full point.

Down a half point for Texas.

 

[GKJ]

Oh man

 

[hockey20000]

lol mich

 

[End of Line]

Hahahahahahahahaha

 

[RedRocking]

Ouch. Michigan is gonna get destroyed aren’t they?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Jesus Christ McCarthy….

 

[BMOK33]

Thats coming back

 

[GKJ]

Oh god they’re gonna get so lucky

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

WTF are you doing, JJ? You're ridiculously lucky he didn't stay in bounds.

 

[BMOK33]

Pretty sure McCarthy due to the sun did not actually see the defender there...one of the advantages you have if you play sports and have bad vision is you can wear transition contacts but most of these dudes are superhuman in every way and have like 20/10 vision so occasionally being unable to wear shades outside of baseball can hurt you

 

[GKJ]

Ball don’t lie

 

[Filthy Dangles]

lol Michigan…

Respond with a great defensive drive and muff a punt

 

[BMOK33]

Sun again lol