The inaugural 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff bracket has been revealed.
All eyes have been on how the CFP choice committee was going to worth Mountain West champion Boise State, Massive 12 champion Arizona State and ACC champion Clemson, and which program was going to obtain the ultimate spot within the CFP between SMU and Alabama.
We acquired our solutions, because the Broncos obtained the No. 3 seed within the CFP bracket, whereas the Solar Devils have been rewarded with the No. 4 seed. Each groups will obtain first-round byes. In the meantime, Clemson, contemporary off a win over SMU within the ACC title sport, is the No. 12 seed and can journey to Austin, Texas, to tackle the Longhorns in a first-round sport.
As for the SMU vs. Alabama debate – the committee favored the Mustangs, rewarding Rhett Lashleee’s staff with the No. 11 seed, establishing an opening-round sport towards Penn State.
Here’s a have a look at my high takeaways from the bracket reveal:
1. CFP committee values Group of 5 champion over Massive 12, ACC champs
The Faculty Soccer Playoff choice committee has proven it doesn’t worth the standard of play within the Massive 12 or ACC greater than it does the Mountain West. Boise State, a Group of 5 champion, was seeded forward of Massive 12 champion Arizona State and ACC champion Clemson.
The Broncos have only one loss. However their one loss got here to the No. 1 staff within the nation, on the final play of the sport. This whereas talisman and Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty rushed for 192 yards.
Nonetheless, the Solar Devils got here out on high in a league that completed with a four-way tie for first place, whereas the Tigers knocked off an 11-win SMU staff within the ACC Championship Recreation.
2. SEC, Massive Ten present their dominance
The SEC and Massive Ten are probably the most dominant leagues within the sport, with seven of the 12 groups coming from these conferences. The No. 1 seed within the CFP – Oregon – is a Massive Ten staff, whereas the No. 2 seed – Georgia – is an SEC program. This leads us to consider the committee expects these groups to complete within the nationwide title sport, which might be a rematch of the 2022 matchup when Georgia dominated Oregon, 49-3, in Atlanta.
3. Texas will get rewarded with the No. 5 seed
Texas will get the honour of taking part in a house playoff sport and the coveted No. 5 seed. The Longhorns will host ACC champion Clemson in what is certain to be a rematch worthy of Friday Night time Lights. The 2021 Texas state championship sport between Southlake Carroll and Austin Westlake ended with Cade Klubnik’s Chaparrals beating Quinn Ewers’ Dragons, 52-34. Klubnik and Ewers will now get the possibility to face off once more, this time in a first-round matchup in Austin.
Now that the 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff bracket is ready, listed here are my predictions:
FIRST-ROUND BYES
1. Oregon: Bye (would then play the winner of 8. Ohio State vs. 9. Tennessee)
2. Georgia: Bye (would then play the winner of seven. Notre Dame vs. 10. Indiana)
3. Boise State: Bye (would then play the winner of 6. Penn State vs. 11. SMU)
4. Arizona State: Bye (would then play the winner of 5. Texas vs. 12. Clemson)
FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
The Longhorns are coming off an emotional loss to Georgia, whereas the Tigers are coming off a superb ACC title win towards an SMU staff that additionally made the 12-team discipline. Texas’ protection might want to present it may well cease Klubnik from escaping the pocket and hurting them within the run-game like Georgia backup QB Gunner Stockton did within the SEC Championship Recreation.
Winner: Texas.
6. Penn State vs. 11. SMU
The Nittany Lions consider they’ve the form of bodily staff able to imposing their will on a smaller SMU staff. However with Brashard Smith placing collectively the perfect season by an SMU tailback since Eric Dickerson, the Mustangs may really feel they will run via the PSU entrance seven and stretch the secondary with Kevin Jennings’ partnership with Roderick McDaniel.
Winner: Penn State.
7. Notre Dame vs. 10. Indiana
The Preventing Irish will face probably the most full staff they’ve seen all 12 months in Indiana. The Hoosiers have overwhelmed 10 out of 12 opponents by double-digits and consider they’re the perfect staff within the state of Indiana. Nonetheless, Al Golden’s protection has been excellent, permitting just one staff to attain 35 factors in a sport this season.
Winner: Indiana.
8. Ohio State vs. 9. Tennessee
The Buckeyes have an opportunity to redeem themselves in entrance of their followers on the Shoe with Tennessee set to journey to Columbus, Ohio. They’ll must do it towards the perfect tailback within the SEC in Vols operating again Dylan Sampson, who has rushed for 1,485 yards this season.
The Buckeyes have allowed 169 dashing yards per sport this season, however they’ve been stingy about groups scoring, that includes the top-ranked scoring protection within the nation.
Winner: Ohio State.
RJ Younger is a nationwide faculty soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast “The Quantity One Faculty Soccer Present.” Comply with him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Younger Present” on YouTube
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