We now have seen faculty soccer groups again into the Faculty Soccer Playoff, dropping their final regular-season or convention title sport and nonetheless incomes a spot within the four-team subject.
This occurred to Alabama in 2017 after dropping the Iron Bowl and to Ohio State after it misplaced to Michigan in 2022. That was the identical season TCU of the Massive 12 turned the primary group to lose its convention championship sport (to Kansas State) and nonetheless get in. In all these circumstances, that loss was the group’s solely loss.
Now with a 12-team CFP, backing into the Playoff has an entire new that means. you, Ohio State (10-2). Miami (10-2), too.
What we discovered concerning the Faculty Soccer Playoff within the final full weekend of the common season is we have now a reasonably good concept of who shall be within the Faculty Soccer Playoff heading into championship weekend.
GO DEEPER
Faculty Soccer Playoff 2024 projections: What now for Ohio State after Michigan upset?
Taking part in for a bye
No. 2 Ohio State’s faceplant in opposition to Michigan opened the door for No. 4 Penn State to achieve the Massive Ten Championship Sport in opposition to No. 1 Oregon. Facet notice: Congratulations to the Geese (12-0) for being the one FBS group to get by means of 12 video games unscathed.
The matchup is about 🦁🦆
Early ideas on who will win the B1G title sport?#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/F5josIsL2T
— Massive Ten Soccer (@B1Gfootball) November 30, 2024
The Nittany Lions (11-1) and Geese look to be safely into the bracket, with the winner getting a bye. Worst case for the Geese is internet hosting a first-round sport. Penn State may fall all the best way out of a internet hosting spot, relying on how different championship video games work out.
The SEC has an identical scenario with No. 7 Georgia (10-2) going through No. 3 Texas (11-1), which clinched a spot after beating rival Texas A&M. We doubt the committee will punish Georgia for reaching the championship sport, although it will be within the Bulldogs’ greatest curiosity to not get blown out by the Longhorns.
GEORGIA. TEXAS.
THE REMATCH FOR A TITLE. 🏆#SECChampionship pic.twitter.com/xpIiXZ65Rk
— Southeastern Convention (@SEC) December 1, 2024
Coming off that nice escape in opposition to Georgia Tech on Friday night time in eight OTs, Georgia doesn’t need to give the choice committee any cause to rethink Alabama or Mississippi, each of which beat the Bulldogs.
Winner will get in, loser goes dwelling
A wild Massive 12 race ended considerably routinely. All of the favorites received this weekend, placing No. 18 Iowa State (10-2) and No. 16 Arizona State (10-2) within the convention title sport. We’ll see what the penultimate rankings say Tuesday, however the committee has not been overly form to the Massive 12, which suggests solely the winner will make the sphere as one of many 5 highest-ranked convention champions.
Solar Devils. Cyclones.
🏆
📍 Arlington, Texas.
📅 12.7.24
📺 ABC🎟️🔗: https://t.co/O7OY7wQRck pic.twitter.com/K5FENUTn1U
— Massive 12 Convention (@Big12Conference) December 1, 2024
Identical goes for the Mountain West, the place No. 11 Boise State hosts No. 22 UNLV on Friday night time. The American Athletic Convention will argue for Military (10-1) if it beats Tulane in that title sport, however the Cadets failed their Notre Dame take a look at badly and performed one of many weakest schedules within the nation.
🏈 Highlights from UNLV’s 38-14 win over Nevada!#MWFB | #BEaREBEL | #MWPathToThePlayoff pic.twitter.com/gUUX1K6wBB
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) December 1, 2024
An attention-grabbing race has developed between the Mountain West and Massive 12 for the No. 4 seed and bye.
Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos (11-1) have held that spot within the final two rankings, comfortably forward of the highest-ranked Massive 12 group. How a lot the Massive 12 can shut the hole — if in any respect — is one thing to look at Tuesday.
The Broncos beat Oregon State 34-18 on Friday. On Saturday, Iowa State knocked off No. 24 Kansas State 29-21 and Arizona State thumped Arizona 49-7.
UNLV additionally being ranked — with two victories in opposition to Massive 12 groups — makes it appear unlikely that the Massive 12 title sport winner will slingshot previous Boise State if the Broncos win. And the Rebels will in all probability have a very good case to make an enormous leap ahead in the event that they win on the Blue Turf.
Bid-stealer
Clemson had a bizarre day.
The Tigers misplaced 17-14 to rival South Carolina, with Cade Klubnik throwing a brutal interception within the waning moments when Clemson (9-3) was in place to tie it with a brief subject aim.
South Carolina holds off Clemson for its sixth-straight win‼️ pic.twitter.com/UOTr9dGWAv
— ESPN Faculty Soccer (@ESPNCFB) November 30, 2024
However the Tigers did get the assistance they wanted to earn a spot within the ACC Championship Sport when Syracuse rallied from 21-0 down within the first half to beat No. 6 Miami 42-38.
“Hey, Dabo Swinney, congrats. I bought you in, child!” Orange coach Fran Brown stated.
The Tigers will face No. 9 SMU (11-1). The Mustangs seem safely within the subject it doesn’t matter what occurs in Charlotte, N.C. Win the convention, earn a bye. Simple.
Clemson has no path with a loss however shouldn’t have an issue being one of many 5 highest-ranked convention champions if it wins the ACC. Whether or not that’s adequate to get a top-four seed and a bye is iffy.
But when Clemson is in together with SMU, then one other group wanting good for an at-large spot proper now’s getting bumped.
Protected
Ohio State’s newest loss to Michigan was the worst one but throughout this four-game skid in The Sport.
Nonetheless, the second-ranked Buckeyes (10-2) are in a gaggle that appears safely into the bracket regardless that they received’t play championship weekend.
No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) closed the season with 10 straight victories. The Combating Irish can’t earn a bye as a result of they’re not in a convention however should not have any bother getting the first-round dwelling sport that they’ve been pointing towards because the finish of final season.
Whether or not the Irish are seeded No. 5, 6 or 7 shall be decided by the convention title video games.
No. 8 Tennessee (10-2) worn out an early deficit and beat Vanderbilt 36-23 on Saturday, giving the Volunteers a reasonably stress-free week of ready to search out out if they are going to go on the street or host a first-round sport.
As for the Buckeyes, being in place to again into the Playoff gave the impression to be no comfort for dropping to Michigan once more.
“I’m not there proper now, fairly actually,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day stated when requested about resetting for a doable playoff run. “Nonetheless making an attempt to digest every thing that simply occurred, and I bought a locker room full of men who’re simply devastated.”
GO DEEPER
Meet 2024 Ohio State, the unhappiest Playoff group in faculty soccer historical past
Kinda secure
As we stated, if Clemson wins someone is getting bumped.
Who shall be that somebody?
How about Miami? The Hurricanes already handed the Tigers their spot within the ACC title sport. The Canes had a number of nice escapes early within the season however closed the 12 months dropping two of 4. On the intense aspect, dropping one-score video games to Georgia Tech (7-5) with Haynes King and at Syracuse (9-3) is nothing to be ashamed of.
The Canes don’t have a bunch of wins in opposition to extremely ranked groups, however the resume seems to be higher than anticipated with Tech, Louisville (8-4), Duke (9-3) and Florida (7-5) all closing properly.
“This group received 10 soccer video games in opposition to some actually good groups,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal instructed reporters after the loss to Syracuse.
What about Indiana?
This committee appears unlikely to show away an 11-1 group, with its solely loss at Ohio State, however the truth stays that outdoors of the Buckeyes, the one group the Hoosiers performed that completed above .500 was Michigan (7-5).
Hey, Ohio State couldn’t beat the Wolverines at dwelling and Indiana did. In order that’s one thing.
Each the Hoosiers and Hurricanes ought to turn out to be huge SMU followers.
SEC on the bubble
The committee hasn’t proven a lot curiosity in giving these three-loss SEC groups the good thing about a doubt, however the firm line is each week the group begins with a clean sheet of paper, so we must be open-minded to an enormous shift.
The new group is No. 15 South Carolina, which closed the season with six straight victories.
“If the committee’s job is to choose the 12 greatest groups, you inform me?” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer stated.
Mockingly, South Carolina’s case will get even higher if Clemson wins the ACC, however Clemson successful the ACC additionally clutters the checklist of at-large groups by including SMU.
The opposite problem South Carolina has is losses to the 2 groups ranked straight forward of it: No. 13 Alabama and No. 14 Mississippi.
“Properly, I feel everybody’s conscious of our schedule, and I don’t know the precise stats, however I do know we beat 4 Prime-25 groups all year long. And I don’t know what number of, if anybody, has achieved that,” Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer stated.
It’s truly three since LSU dropped out. Nonetheless, victories in opposition to Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina are good. These losses to Oklahoma and Vanderbilt? Each completed 6-6.
Absolutely, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey could have one thing to say about it, however his opinion doesn’t rely.
(Photograph of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers working the ball in opposition to Clemson’s T.J. Parker: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Photos)
