Superlatives for the 2023-24 College Football Season

Parker Gillam
Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

With the conclusion of the 2023-24 college football season, we now enter the bittersweet time of year where we reflect on everything the previous season brought us.

The notable headlines, moments, players, coaches and games of this college football season range from coast to coast and can be found in cities such as Tuscaloosa, Harrisonburg, Seattle, Dallas and even Las Cruces. Such is the beauty of this sport, and it is fitting that college football gifted us with such a classic season before its world changes drastically next year due to realignment and playoff expansion.

As we bid goodbye to the college football landscape as we have known it for roughly the past decade, I threw my hat into the ring of superlatives and attempted to put a bow on the season that was.

Most Surprising Team of the Year

Missouri (11-2, 6-2)

The Missouri Tigers were the darlings of the 2023 season, and there were plenty of reasons why. The Tigers featured a homegrown star at quarterback, a Division II transfer who led the SEC in rushing yards, two up-and-coming coordinators, and a head coach who loved to create buzz. Add on a superstar wide receiver, an elite offensive line and one of the best cornerbacks in the nation, and that leads to a surprise 11-2 season with a Cotton Bowl victory over blue-blood Ohio State.

It all came in a make-or-break year for the program. The pressure was on Eliah Drinkwitz to finally turn the corner in Columbia after three straight seasons at or below .500. Plenty of talented players returned, and the arrival of offensive coordinator Kirby Moore from Fresno State brought newfound excitement and expectations.

Early on, it looked like another case of “here we go again.” The Tigers were less than impressive in wins over South Dakota and Middle Tennessee to start the season, and the game against Kansas State looked like one that would either flip the script or continue a downward spiral. 

After a 61-yard kick that sent the Wildcats home with a loss, the Tigers had America’s attention. A convincing win over Memphis in St. Louis and a mostly comfortable win over Vanderbilt set up a monster game with LSU in COMO. Mizzou could not withstand one of Jayden Daniels’ many Herculean efforts that earned him the Heisman Trophy, but a 49-39 defeat did nothing to dispel the hype around the team. 

Facing a 14-0 deficit against Kentucky the next week, Drinkwitz got creative and faked a punt that resulted in a touchdown. That proved to be a turning point, as Mizzou trampled the Wildcats before taking down South Carolina the next week. A 30-21 loss to Georgia diminished any SEC title or playoff hopes, but a dominant win over Tennessee proved that this program was here to stay. Harrison Mevis hit another game-winner against Florida, and the Tigers then marched into Fayetteville and humbled their rivals to finish the regular season at 10-2. A Cotton Bowl matchup with blue-blood Ohio State was the reward, and after stumbling through the first half, the Tigers offense found its rhythm when it needed to late in the game.

A top 10 College Football Playoff ranking. A New Year’s Six bowl berth. A Cotton Bowl trophy. Countless award finalists. Two game-winning kicks. The SEC’s leading rusher. One of the country’s most efficient offenses.

Not a single Tigers fan saw that coming back in August. Such is the beauty of this sport.

Honorable Mentions: West Virginia, Liberty, UNLV, Arizona

Most Disappointing Team of the Year

USC (8-5, 5-4)

This was a tough choice between a handful of worthy candidates, but it’s hard to look past what went down in LA.

Caleb Williams returned as the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. Elite offensive mind Lincoln Riley was still calling plays. Alex Grinch promised that the Trojans defense would be vastly improved this season. An influx of transfers on both sides of the ball appeared to shore up some roster holes. The schedule was daunting yet manageable for a team with that level of talent and experience. USC was ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP Poll and had its sights set on a CFP appearance.

A 7-5 regular season record ensued.

The defense showed little sign of improvement. The Trojans scraped by against Arizona State, Colorado and Arizona early, which was a sign of things to come. A 48-20 drubbing at the hand of Notre Dame humbled USC, and the ensuing loss to Utah put a nail in the coffin of the team’s national title hopes. Then, in a last-gasp effort to contend for the Pac-12 title, the defense yet again failed Williams and Co. in a 52-42 defeat at the hands of Washington. All was lost, and an embarrassing 38-20 home loss to rival UCLA was the cherry on top.

Grinch is now gone, as is Williams. The pressure is on Riley to turn this USC program into a national contender yet again. Miller Moss provided a spark with his clinical performance in the Holiday Bowl win over Louisville, and the victory showed what this program is capable of. 

The talent is there and Riley’s offense will continue to put up numbers, but that’s always been the case. Can this team be tougher in the future? Can the Trojans find a defensive coordinator that is capable of translating that talent into a salty unit? Who will take over at quarterback?

Now, those questions will have to be answered in the Big Ten.

Honorable Mentions: Miami (FL), Penn State, Western Kentucky, San Diego State, Texas A&M

Freshman of the Year

Caleb Downs SAF — Alabama

2023 Stats: 107 tackles, 2 INT, 5 PBU, 1 FF

Best Game: 13 tackles, 1 INT against Miss State

Very rarely do true freshmen see the field for Nick Saban’s Alabama program. 

Caleb Downs managed to lead the team in tackles in his first season on campus. That’s really all you need to know about the former five-star out of Hoschton, Ga., but I’ll explain further.

The Crimson Tide had some holes to fill at safety, and Downs took full advantage by winning the job in fall camp and proving the coaching staff right with his play on the field. He’s a sure tackler with great instincts, and his versatility and composure made him look like anything but a freshman. NFL scouts are probably upset that Downs still has to spend two more years in college, because he is destined for a bright future at the next level. For now, he’ll just have to settle for being a star on Ohio State’s defense and chasing national titles. Oh well.

Honorable Mentions: Zachariah Branch (USC), T.J. Parker (Clemson), Byrum Brown (South Florida), Darius Taylor (Minnesota), Peyton Bowen (Oklahoma), Tyler Brown (Clemson), Kevin Concepcion (NC State), Jalen Buckley (Western Michigan), Dillon Thieneman (Purdue)

Transfer of the Year

Jordan McCloud QB — James Madison

2023 Stats: 68.2% completion, 3,657 passing yards, 276 rushing yards, 43 TDs

Best Game: 33/37, 457 yards, 4 TDs against UConn

Mr. McCloud has used the transfer portal to his fullest benefit. He began his career at South Florida, seeing the field in a moderate capacity amid two rough years for the Bulls. He then moved on to Arizona for the 2021 season but was unable to win the starting job and avoid turnover issues.

Thus, McCloud sat out a year before transferring to James Madison. He joined the Dukes in their second season of competition at the FBS level, but the team already had the look of a high-level program given its talent and coaching staff. In such a favorable environment, McCloud thrived. The JMU offense was perfectly tailored to his dynamic skillset, and he was among the most efficient and explosive quarterbacks in the nation. A 457-yard, four-touchdown performance against UConn highlighted a season in which McCloud routinely put up gaudy numbers, and he goes down as a James Madison legend that helped guide the school to one of its best seasons ever.

Now, we await McCloud’s latest transfer portal decision, one that may have a large impact on how the 2024 season shakes out…

Honorable Mentions: Tez Johnson (Oregon), DJ Uiagalelei (Oregon State)

Defensive Player of the Year

Jalen Green DE — James Madison

2023 Stats (9 games): 50 total tackles, 21 TFL, 15.5 sacks

Best Game: 6 tackles, 5 sacks against Marshall

Much of James Madison’s 2023 success is attributed to its offense, but the defense — specifically the front seven — is what truly made this team elite. At the forefront of that was senior defensive end Jalen Green.

Green didn’t play a game after Nov. 4 because he went down with a knee injury against Georgia State. Yet, he STILL finished second in the nation in sacks and tackles for loss. That’s how dominant the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Baltimore native was. 

And, the country took notice. Green was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, a Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist, and the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week following a nine-tackle, 2.5-sack performance against Old Dominion. He also now holds the Sun Belt record for sacks in a season, tied for the conference lead with an insane five-sack performance against Marshall and scored a touchdown off an interception against South Alabama.

If he stayed healthy throughout the season, people would be talking about Green right alongside the Power Five’s elite talents, and he likely would have broken plenty more records.

Honorable Mentions: Payton Wilson (NC State), T’Vondre Sweat (Texas), Cooper DeJean (Iowa), Malaki Starks (Georgia), Jason Henderson (Old Dominion), Mohamed Kamara (Colorado State), Kris Abrams-Draine (Missouri), Dallas Turner (Alabama)

Group of Five Player of the Year

Jason Henderson LB — Old Dominion

2023 Stats: 170 total tackles, 19.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks

Best Game: 22 tackles, 3.0 TFLs against Coastal Carolina

We here at The Transfer Portal CFB give out the Colt Brennan Award to the nation’s top Group of Five player, and thus my opinion here is obsolete. Ashton Jeanty was the deserving recipient this year.

But, for the sake of being all-encompassing and highlighting a different name, I wanted to include a section for the G5 players in here. So, here is my solo opinion on this front:

Jordan McCloud was beyond efficient and led one of the best G5 teams as a dynamic playmaker. Ricky White was unguardable in Vegas. Kaidon Salter spearheaded one of the nation’s best ground attacks and never lost in the regular season. Diego Pavia led an upstart New Mexico State team to its best season ever with his arm and legs. The previously-mentioned Jalen Green was a dominant force.

But, I venture to Norfolk, Va. for my choice. Jason Henderson, Old Dominion’s junior linebacker from Pennsylvania, led the nation in tackles in 2022 with 186.

So, how would he follow that up in ‘23? 

By finishing second in the nation in tackles, this time with a “meager” 170. Henderson has been one of the most unheralded yet productive players in the country this season, recording over 10+ tackles in every game except for the finale against Georgia State…only because he went down with a season-ending injury. A First Team All-Sun Belt performer and Third Team All-American (AP) in ‘22, Henderson followed that up by being named a Bednarik Award semifinalist and landed on the conference’s first team yet again in ‘23. A team leader that gave all he had for his school, Henderson embodies everything a G5 star should.

And, it’s worth mentioning that ODU won six games this season. Therefore, it’s logical to say that the Monarchs don’t play in the postseason if Henderon isn’t on the field for even one of the games they played.

He has another year of eligibility in Norfolk if he chooses to take it, and that elusive 200-tackle mark is well within reach if he comes back at 100%.

Honorable Mentions: Ashton Jeanty (Boise State), Michael Pratt (Tulane), Preston Stone (SMU), Seth Henigan (Memphis), Blake Watson (Memphis), Kaidon Salter (Liberty), Diego Pavia (New Mexico State), Dequan Finn (Toledo), Ricky White (UNLV), Jordan McCloud (James Madison)

Games of the Year

The Iron Bowl

No. 8 Alabama 27, Auburn 24

Game MVP: Jalen Milroe (259 passing yards, 107 rushing yards, 2 TDs)

A grave was dug at Jordan-Hare Stadium…but it wasn’t for the Crimson Tide this time.

As it usually does, the Iron Bowl delivered another classic. A week after being embarrassed by New Mexico State, Auburn came out with noticeable fire against its arch rivals. Alabama’s offense looked out of sorts for much of this game, and in typical fashion, the Tigers manufactured a couple explosive plays that allowed them to score enough to hang around in the game.

Bama held a 17-14 lead at half, but a dominant second half from the Auburn defense allowed Hugh Freeze’s bunch to claim a 24-20 lead. On their final drive, Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense matriculated the ball down the field but went backward in the red zone.

Facing a fourth-and-31 with their season on the line, Milroe and Isaiah Bond stunned the nation by pulling this off:

Fireworks in Oxford

No. 20 Ole Miss 55, No. 13 LSU 49

Game MVP: Jaxson Dart (389 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, 5 TDs)

This game was on drugs from the start. Neither defense decided to show up, or perhaps it was just that each offense had the perfect game plan drawn up.

Regardless, Ole Miss and LSU moved down the field at will in this game. This was the contest that truly kicked off Jayden Daniels’ Heisman campaign, as he finished with over 500 yards of offense and five touchdowns. Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers torched the Rebels secondary, and Logan Diggs found plenty of holes to run through en route to 101 yards and a pair of scores.

On the flip side, the story was the same. Jaxson Dart played one of the best games of his career, Ole Miss ran for 317 yards, and the duo of Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins was unstoppable out wide.

LSU scored 21 in the first quarter. Ole Miss responded with 21 in the second. It was 31-28 in favor of the Rebels at halftime with the only things stopping either team being the end of the half or an LSU fumble. 

The visiting Tigers actually played some defense in the third quarter, holding Ole Miss to three points and taking a 42-34 lead into the final frame. But, Ole Miss got hot when it needed to, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 13-yard touchdown pass from Dart to Harris to take the lead. 

Daniels, of course, did not go down quietly. He led a frantic final drive that saw his team get inside the Ole Miss 30-yard line, but his last-gasp shots at the end zone fell short. The field was rushed, the Tigers fell to 3-2, and SEC fans were left wondering if this was still the defense-centric conference they had grown to love.

Red River For One More Time in the Big 12

No 12 Oklahoma 34, No. 3 Texas 30

Game MVP: Dillon Gabriel (285 passing yards, 113 rushing yards, 2 TDs)

Red River is another one of those sports rivalries that just always seems to deliver, and it certainly did in 2023.

A couple of weeks removed from its statement win over Alabama, Texas walked into Dallas with a shiny No. 3 ranking and the respect of the nation. But, Oklahoma was similarly unbeaten and felt disrespected as an underdog.

News flash: When one side feels disrespected in this rivalry, they generally come out on top.

The Sooners struck first on their opening drive, but Texas responded swiftly with a blocked punt for a score. The second quarter is where the game really took off, as Dillon Gabriel and Quinn Ewers began a duel that would last the rest of the game. Both of them were willing to do whatever it took to get past a pair of stingy defenses, and after OU hit a field goal at the end of the half, a 20-17 scoreline in favor of the crimson and creme was the result.

Oklahoma went up 27-17 to open the half and clung to that double-digit advantage for much of the third quarter, but UT would not go away quietly. Ewers led his team back, and a 29-yard touchdown run from Jonathon Brooks with 6:10 remaining in the fourth evened things at 27.

Then, Texas hit a field goal with 1:17 remaining, seemingly completing the comeback. But, in a moment that launched him into the Heisman conversation, Gabriel led a flawless last-minute drive that resulted in this:

The victory for Oklahoma temporarily stole the spotlight away from Texas in the Big 12 and went down as yet another classic installment in this series.

Honorable Mentions: Oregon-Washington, Colorado-TCU, Bedlam, Kansas State-Texas, USC-Washington, Alabama-Georgia, Kentucky-Clemson, Alabama-Michigan

Upset of the Year

Appalachian State 26, James Madison 23 (OT)

Game MVP: Joey Aguilar (28/46, 318 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT)

Harrisonburg was stunned.

“College GameDay” was in town. The Dukes were two games away from a perfect 12-0 regular season, and, after countless back-and-forth messages to the NCAA, were ready to show the nation that they belonged in the postseason and should be afforded a waiver.

Appalachian State, a traditional power in the Sun Belt, stumbled into Bridgeforth Stadium with a 6-4 record and little hope of qualifying for the conference title game.

But, there is something to be said about a program that has championship pedigree knowing how to win big games. The ‘Eers proved that to be true in this one.

App State’s defense silenced a normally prolific Dukes offense and got just enough from gunslinger quarterback Joey Aguilar to guide the Mountaineers to a 17-5 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Jordan McCloud’s team would not go silently, however, as JMU scored and converted for two points to force overtime with the score knotted at 20. But, after the App State defense held strong to force JMU into a field goal, Aguilar found a streaking Kaedin Robinson for a touchdown that sealed a win for the visitors and would eventually be what propelled App State to the Sun Belt title game.

The Dukes entered the day with all of the attention on them. They ended it by realizing that the Sun Belt still runs through Boone.

Honorable Mention: South Alabama over Oklahoma State (33-7)

Coach of the Year

David Braun, Northwestern

Northwestern was coming off a one-win season. The Wildcats’ long-time head coach had been fired over the offseason due to a hazing scandal. Players entered the transfer portal. The roster looked barren and the schedule projected to yield three or four wins at a maximum.

In stepped David Braun, who served as North Dakota State’s defensive coordinator for four seasons before taking on the same role with Northwestern in January of 2023. He was expected to be a one-year interim patch while the coaching search continued on. Losses to Rutgers and Duke early on pointed toward another hard-to-watch campaign.

Then, the magic began. The Wildcats pulled off an overtime win against Minnesota, narrowly lost to Nebraska before beating Maryland 33-27 and then finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak with victories over Wisconsin, Purdue and Illinois to reach seven wins. The reward was a date with Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, which Northwestern won 14-7 in a typically gutsy and hard-fought game.

Facing off-field turmoil, the loss of a cherished coach and a depleted roster, Braun and this Northwestern team showed incredible grit and determination in finishing above .500. Now hired into the full-time role, Braun has the keys to a Wildcats program that is eager to build off of the surprising success of ‘23.

Honorable Mentions: Neal Brown (West Virginia), Curt Cignetti (James Madison), Mike Norvell (Florida State), Jeff Brohm (Louisville), Jamey Chadwell (Liberty), Barry Odom (UNLV), Jedd Fisch (Arizona), Jon Sumrall (Troy), Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Chuck Martin (Miami, OH), Brent Key (Georgia Tech), Brent Brennan (San José State), Alex Golesh (South Florida)

Conference of the Year 

Pac-12

This one was a no-brainer. 

In its final season of existence as the league we have grown to love, the Pac-12 delivered a classic campaign. 

There was starpower, with Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Noah Fifita, Shedeur Sanders and DJ Uiagalelei forming the best group of quarterbacks within one conference that we have ever seen. 

There was parity, with Colorado beginning the season as one of the league’s best teams before falling off once the grind of conference play hit. Arizona emerged as one of the league’s best teams late in the season, while USC conversely fell off. Utah was as pesky as ever, Oregon State fielded one of the most complete teams in the league and UCLA chose to ride its defense, not offense, to a semi-successful campaign.

There were classic games, such as Oregon-Washington Rounds One and Two, USC and Arizona’s triple-overtime thriller, Utah’s clutch upset of the Trojans, Stanford’s miraculous comeback to take down Colorado, and an Apple Cup for the ages.

In the end, purple reigned over the conference, as we watched Penix and the Huskies handled Oregon in the final Pac-12 game ever to win a conference title. Washington then stunned the nation by handling Texas to a tune of 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl before running out of gas against Michigan in the title game. The league as a whole finished with a 5-4 record during bowl season.

Pac-12 After Dark will no longer exist. The league that brought us so many incredible moments, players, coaches and teams has an uncertain (at best) future ahead of it.

Regardless, we can all find some solace in the fact that the conference’s curtain call exceeded our wildest expectations.

Honorable Mentions: Sun Belt, SEC, Big Ten, MAC

Three Programs on the Rise

Missouri

Tigers fans expected a breakthrough in Eliah Drinkwitz’ fourth year at the helm, and they got it. Now, Mizzou is one of the most sought-after destinations for transfer portal players at all levels due to the success of guys like Theo Wease (OU), Ty’Ron Hopper (Florida) and Cody Schrader (Truman State). The Tigers have also become a known commodity in the national high school recruiting landscape, recently renovated a brand-new indoor facility, have future plans to remodel Faurot Field and sold out their final five games of the season. An athletic department led by Desiree Reed-Francois is committed to doing whatever it takes for Mizzou to be successful on a national level. The culture is strong, and plenty of players have already opted to return for the 2024 season when they could have gone to the draft. Add in the additions of guys like Toriano Pride Jr. (Clemson), Marcus Carroll (Georgia State) and Cayden Green (Oklahoma), and Mizzou has the making of a playoff-caliber roster in 2024. All of these signs and more point to the Tigers being a rising force in the SEC.

Arizona

Jedd Fisch led the Wildcats to a complete program turnaround through much-improved recruiting, an attractive offensive scheme, and an improved defense. Moving into a Big 12 that is losing Oklahoma (which Arizona just beat in the Alamo Bowl) and Texas, the conference crown figures to be open for the taking. Thus, Arizona has a great chance to get a jump on the division in its first season, even with Fisch leaving for Washington and Brent Brennan coming in from San José State to lead Arizona.

Oh yeah, and this guy also returns for the Wildcats in ‘24:

South Florida

At long last, the Bulls have appeared to find their head coach. Alex Golesh came over after working as the offensive coordinator at Tennessee and immediately brought high-powered offense back to Tampa after Charlie Strong and Jeff Scott just couldn’t get it right. Freshman quarterback Byrum Brown was phenomenal in ‘23 and is a piece to build around in the future, and the talent is there for this program to begin challenging for the AAC title relatively soon. 

And, USF is finally getting an on-campus stadium in 2027, meaning that there’s a shiny new venue to sell to recruits and fans alike in the near future. The dominant 45-0 win over Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl was a sign that the green and gold may be returning to its glory days.

Honorable Mentions: UTSA, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, Jacksonville State, UNLV, San José State, Texas State

Three Programs on the Decline 

There’s a handful to choose from here.

Wake Forest

Dave Clawson could have won coach of the year 20 times over for the work he has done in Winston-Salem, establishing a winning culture at a place where winning has generally come in small amounts. 

After all, Clawson has led the Demon Deacons to six bowl games in his 10 years with Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons had only been to 10 bowl games in their entire existence before then.

But, with Sam Hartman gone, 2023 was a rough time for Wake Forest. It finished last in the ACC with a 1-7 record. The Demon Deacons lost three games by single-digits…but also lost five games by 14+ points. The quarterback situation was rocky at best, and now two of them have entered the transfer portal. The normally efficient slow-mesh system faltered without stars at quarterback and running back, and the defense could not pick up the slack. With the transfer portal continuing to ravage this program and no promising young stars having emerged this season, it’s difficult to project how Wake Forest will fare in the next couple of years.

San Diego State

Similar to the Demon Deacons, San Diego State was one of the most consistent college football programs of the past decade, finishing with at least seven wins in every year since 2009 (not counting 2020). But, without a star running back to balance the offense, SDSU’s normally dormant passing attack could not shoulder the offensive burden. Perhaps the bigger surprise was the Aztecs’ defense, which allowed 26.8 points per game in one of its worst seasons of the past 10 years. Brady Hoke retired at the end of the season, and former Kent State head coach and Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis is set to take over the job. The young Lewis is a bright offensive mind and will be charged with putting more points on the board in San Diego.

Arkansas

With the backfield duo of KJ Jefferson and Raheim “Rocket” Sanders returning, all signs pointed toward the Hogs being just as competitive as they had been in years prior. But, injuries plagued Sanders throughout the season, the defense disappointed, and Sam Pittman’s group lost a whopping five games by a single score. Sure, you could flip some of those close defeats around and things may look a bit different, but a 48-10 loss to Auburn and a 48-14 loss to Missouri still stand as signs of a reeling program. Jefferson and Sanders have moved on in the portal, and the Razorbacks depth chart is full of holes to be filled. If Pittman can’t hit the portal heavily and find some new stars, then 2024 is sure to be another rough campaign for a team that always seems to face the toughest schedule in the country.

Honorable Mentions: East Carolina, BYU, Western Kentucky

Best First Season In A New Conference

Liberty

The entire top three of the Conference USA could make a claim to this one, but I have to give it to the team that finished atop the league.

The Flames of Liberty broke away from the ranks of the independents to move to the C-USA this season, and they took the conference by storm. Kaidon Salter starred as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback and combined with Wake Forest transfer running back Quinton Cooley to form the nation’s No. 1 ground attack. That is also in large part thanks to former Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell, who brought over his triple-option-esque offensive attack from Conway. The creative, run-first system paired perfectly with the Flames’ personnel, and it led to a flawless run through conference play.

The Fiesta Bowl result was less than desirable, but this was merely the beginning of something greater. With Chadwell at the helm, the Flames appear to be set to contend for conference titles year-in and year-out.

Honorable Mentions: New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, UTSA

The 2023 college football season brought us so much. We saw miraculous upsets, emergent stars, incredible parity, breath-taking games, countless heartwarming stories and a rivalry weekend that will go down in the history books. In the end, we were able to experience a unique playoff that featured Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama. The CFP semifinal games were each classics in their own right, and we were then able to bear witness as Michigan finally reclaimed its throne atop the sport’s highest mountain.

The 2024 college football season will begin a new era within the sport. The 12-team playoff will drastically affect how the regular season is perceived and will create a monstrous postseason event that will almost surely capture the nation’s sole attention in December/January. The movement of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten will attempt to combat the SEC’s additions of Texas and Oklahoma, while SMU, Cal and Stanford will aim to carve out a niché for themselves in the ACC. Oregon State and Washington State may just persist on their own in the Pac-12, and perhaps most importantly, James Madison will FINALLY be legally allowed to play in the postseason.

With such great change ahead, one wonders how college football will be affected, both positively and negatively. As of now, all we can do is ponder what the future holds and be glad that we were fortunate enough to watch yet another phenomenal season of this sport.

Thank you yet again, college football.

About the author

Parker Gillam
Website | Read more posts by this author

I grew up a Tennessee fan in Atlanta, and yes it was certainly rough to live amongst so many UGA fans. Oregon has also been a favorite team of mine for as long as I can remember. I currently attend the University of Missouri studying sports journalism. I also cover Mizzou's FB and MBB teams for Rock M Nation.

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