In 2024, the College Football Playoff Committee introduced a brand new playoff format after using the four-team playoff bracket since 2014. This change will bring the four-team playoffs to a twelve-team playoff.
The 2024-2025 playoffs featured the Clemson Tigers, SMU Mustangs, Indiana Hoosiers, Tennesse Volunteers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions, Texas Longhorns, Arizona State Sundevils, Boise State Broncos, Georgia Bulldogs, and Oregon Ducks.
The first round would see many dominant performances with a Texas win over Clemson 38-24, Ohio State over Tennessee 42-17, Penn State over SMU 38-10, and Notre Dame would round out the first round with a win over Indiana 27-17.
The quarter finals would go on to see some more games that wouldn’t be as competitive but also some games with a good bit of thrill. The Texas Longhorns would take on Arizona State in what would look to be a dominant win for Texas, but Arizona State would surge back and send it to overtime where they would unfortunately fall short losing 39-31.
The rest of the game would be less competitive as Ohio State would dominate Oregon in a rematch from earlier in the year in the Rose Bowl by a score of 41-21, Penn State would hold off Boise State and Ashton Jeanty with a score of 31-14, and Notre Dame would take down Georgia 23-10.
In the semifinals Penn State looked golden to make the national championship game, dominating most of the game until the fourth quarter where quarterback Riley Leonard and wide receiver Jaden Greathouse would shine bright, allowing kicker Mitch Jeter to kick the game winning field goal ending the Nittany Lions season with a score of 27-24
The Ohio State Buckeyes would take on the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl as many people doubted them for the first week they were favorites to win their playoff game. Although it would not be an easy game for the Buckeyes as Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning, Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Colin Simmons, and Jaydon Blue would give them some issues.
Although the freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith was relatively quiet in the game after exploding in the first two games of the playoffs, it would allow many of his teammates to have big performances like receivers Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate with catches in big moments and running back Quinshon Judkins punching in two touchdowns along with his running back pair TreVeyon Henderson with a huge 75-yard screen for a touchdown.
Texas would march down the field on the Ohio State defense looking to tie the ball game 21-21, but after multiple stops defensive end Jack Sawyer would strip the ball from Quinn Ewers and return it 83 yards for the game sealing scoop and score for a touchdown to secure the win for the Buckeyes 28-14.
The national championship had finally come after many weeks of anticipation, but nobody expected a matchup between Ohio State and Notre Dame with the Buckeyes being heavy favorites in this game; and they would start off hot.
Although they allowed Notre Dame and Riley Leonard to march down and score, they would quickly get their own strike with quarterback Will Howard throwing a touchdown to Jeremiah Smith. Notre Dame would not score for the rest of the half, but Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins would score two of his own before halftime.
However, Riley Leonard and Jaden Greathouse would have other plans as they would try to make a late surge to come back but would not be enough as Will Howard and Quinshon Judkins would keep the hammer down and the Ohio State Buckeyes would go on to be your 2024 national champions by a score of 34-23.
