Today marks the start of a new era in college football as the Georgia Tech vs Florida State season opener gets underway, promising heightened suspense due to recent changes in the sport. A new format for the College Football Playoff (CFP) will see 12 teams compete, with automatic bids being extended to the five highest-ranked conference champions. This exciting change follows a disputed decision last year when unbeaten Florida State was overlooked in favor of one-loss Alabama for the four-team Playoff.
Meanwhile, the defending champions, Michigan, face a challenging season after a controversial but victorious season in 2023 where they went 15-0 and won their first national title since 1997. However, with star J.J. McCarthy now playing in the NFL and Coach Jim Harbaugh having departed for Los Angeles Chargers, it will be a difficult task to replicate last year’s success. Add to this the formidable competition from Georgia and Ohio State, both favored to win the national championship, and it is shaping up to be a nail-biting season.
In terms of coaching, Nick Saban, the collegiate football veteran with a record of seven national championships, recently announced his retirement. His replacement at Alabama is Kalen DeBoer, an established coach who previously achieved an impressive 67-3 record at the University of Sioux Falls. Meanwhile, at Michigan, former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will be stepping up to manage the team in the wake of Harbaugh’s departure.
As for the Heisman Trophy race, following the departure of all four finalists from 2023 to the NFL, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Texas’ Quinn Ewers could be the main contenders for this year’s award. However, there is a possibility of a non-quarterback winning the award, with Colorado’s Travis Hunter’s unique performances on both sides as a wide receiver and cornerback making him a genuine contender.
The face of college football is changing off the field as well. Notably, the once-treasured Pac-12 conference, often dubbed as the “conference of champions,” has fragmented as major teams including USC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State have left to join the Big Ten and the Big 12. The remaining Oregon State and Washington State are effectively left in a duo, with their future still uncertain.
Finally, the long-time partnership between the SEC and CBS comes to an end, with ESPN and its networks exclusively showing the conference’s games after a $3-billion deal with the SEC and Disney in 2020. Meanwhile, CBS will now host the coveted 3:30 p.m. ET slot with the Big Ten. These and many other changes promise an exciting, transformative season for both players and fans of college football.
