The Behemoth: Ultimate Guide to College Football 2024

The start of the 2024 College Football season is just around the corner.

Just over a week from now, the most consequential College Football season ever will kick off. A revamped 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) and unprecedented conference realignment guarantee a tumultuous yet memorable season. But it will still be the same product that annually generates captivating storylines on and off the field.

The college football landscape has entered uncharted territory. The Power 5 is now the Power 4 with the dissolution of the Pac-12. Power 4 conferences have gained many new members, while Oregon State and Washington State are just trying to survive. These conferences have also ditched in-conference divisions in favor of having their two best teams square off in their respective conference championship game.

Moreover, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies remain minimally regulated. Recruiting battles mimic auctions, with schools bidding for the services of top transfers and high school recruits. Recruiting websites like On3 have even adapted to post NIL valuations on each player. College head coaches need to wear more hats than ever: they need to tailor recruiting pitches to transfers and high schoolers while also considering what to offer financially.

Even with all that said, the 2024 College Football season promises to be among the most exciting to date. Old rivalries remain and new ones will blossom, thus giving fans the chance to explore new destinations in the future. A team with a favorable schedule thanks to division-less conferences could find themselves in the CFP picture come December. NIL has ensured that rosters of elite programs are saturated with top talent, leading to epic clashes of titans. Most notably, a Group of 5 (G5) underdog will get an automatic bid to the CFP, giving America an underdog to root for.

The release of the preseason AP Poll gives us a good idea of the teams to watch going into the season. But within The Behemoth, you will find everything you should know prior to the 2024 College Football season.

Table of Contents

• Page 1: New College Football Format
• Page 2: On-Campus Playoff Games??
• Page 3: Conference Realignment
• Page 4: New to FBS
• Page 5: Head Coaching Changes
• Page 6: Hardest and Easiest Schedules
• Page 7: Neutral Site Games
• Page 8: 10 Most Important Non-Conference Games
• Page 9: Rivalry Watch
• Page 10: Conference Frontrunners
• Page 11: Legitimate National Championship Contenders
• Page 12: 10 G5 Underdogs
• Page 13: Impact Transfers
• Page 14: 10 “True” Freshmen to Watch
• Page 15: Heisman Favorites
• Page 16: NFL Talent to Know

New College Football Playoff Format

After years of pressure to expand, the 2024/25 edition of the CFP will be the first year with 12 teams. A committee of 13 will select the 12 teams using their stated criteria shared with ESPN: “The selection committee’s task will be to select the best teams, rank the teams for inclusion in the playoff and assign the teams to the playoff sites.” The CFP also shares on their website that they place emphasis on winning conference championships, strength of schedule, head-to-head outcomes, and comparative outcomes featuring common opponents. As seen last year with Florida State, unavailability of key players or coaches will effect a team’s selection in rare cases.

The five highest ranked conference champions will automatically qualify for the CFP, with the highest ranked four of those five earning the top four seeds and a first-round bye. Those top four seeds will most likely go to the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12. That last automatic qualifier will go to the highest ranked champion of a G5 conference: the Mountain West, American, Sun Belt, MAC, or Conference USA. The next seven highest-ranked teams will receive “at-large” bids. Here are some other important things to note about seeding:

• There is no minimum ranking requirement for the five conference champions. With that said, theoretically an unranked team could serve as a bid-stealer, similar to March Madness, assuming they make a conference championship game.
• A Group of 5 conference champion could acquire a first-round bye as long as they are ranked higher than one Power 4 champion.
• Any team that is not awarded a first-round bye will have to win four straight games to win the National Championship. This means teams could play an unprecedented total of 17 games.
• Independents (like Notre Dame) cannot earn a first-round bye.
• The selection committee’s rankings and seedings are NOT THE SAME THING.

The selection committee will determine the CFP field on December 8, 2024 with the conclusion of all conference championship games. This is how the schedule will play out from there:

• First Round: December 20 & 21, 2024
• Quarterfinals: December 31, 2024 & January 1, 2025
• Semifinals: January 9 & 10, 2025
• CFP National Championship: January 20, 2025

On-Campus Playoff Games??

Yes, you read that right. For the first time ever, college campuses will have the opportunity to host first-round CFP games. There will be four on-campus matchups on December 20 & 21, 2024 featuring the 5 seed vs. 12 seed, 6 seed vs. 11 seed, 7 seed vs. 10 seed, and 8 seed vs. 9 seed. The host team of each matchup will play either at their home stadium or at a facility capable of fitting the CFP committee’s requirements.

This in and of itself could lead to some very intriguing storylines. Some teams may have to travel across the country for their first-round matchup. Possible regular season rematches could be played at either the same venue or a different one. A G5 school could wind up hosting a powerhouse program. Most notably, visiting teams could find themselves battling harsh winter elements on the road that could have significant impacts on each game.

Whatever the circumstances, on-campus CFP games will foster a never-before-seen environment in College Football. The features of each campus’s geography and stadium could provide unique advantages. Teams competing for those at-large bids will be praying they avoid a true road game; a game whose result could end or extend their season.

Conference Realignment

The dust has finally settled after unprecedented conference realignment spelled the demise of the Pac-12. Oklahoma and Texas’s move to the SEC started a domino effect that led to USC and UCLA deciding to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. The Pac-12 was never able to recover from losing the Los Angeles TV market, as it left them with little bargaining power in TV deal negotiations. Lack of confidence in the direction of the conference left its remaining members to jump ship, leading to the Pac-12’s dissolution.

This ultimately has led to a number of teams in new conferences going into the 2024 season. Not only are the former Pac-12 teams in new places, but ones who made themselves appealing to the Power 4 conferences are also starting anew. Here is a roundup of all the movement:

• ACC: Up to 17 total teams with the additions of Cal, SMU, and Stanford
• AAC: Remains at 14 total teams with the addition of Army
• Big Ten: Up to 18 total teams with the additions of Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington
• Big 12: Up to 16 total teams with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah
• Conference USA: Up to 10 total teams with the addition of Kennesaw State
• Independents: Notre Dame, UConn, and UMass remain independent. UMass will join the MAC after the 2024 season
• MAC: Remains at 12 teams with no changes
• Mountain West: Remains at 12 teams with no changes
• Pac-12: Down to 2 total teams after losing 10
• SEC: Up to 16 total teams with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas
• Sun Belt: Remains at 14 total teams with no changes

It’s worth noting that Oregon State and Washington State, the two remaining Pac-12 teams, are playing a schedule full of Mountain West competition. This may hint that both are on the cusp of joining the Mountain West.

New to FBS

The Kennesaw State Owls will be playing their first FBS season in 2024 after only starting their football program in 2015. Head coach Brian Bohannon has patrolled the sidelines for the Owls since the beginning. They’ll start their FBS campaign in Conference USA after a 3-6 season in 2023.

Head Coaching Changes

29 head coaching changes were made whether it be from retirements, firings, or coaches moving to the NFL. In the interest of time, let’s highlight the Power 4 head coaching changes:

• Alabama: Kalen DeBoer was hired from Washington after Nick Saban’s retirement
• Arizona: Brent Brennan was hired from San Jose State
• Boston College: Bill O’Brien was hired from his job as Ohio State offensive coordinator
• Duke: Manny Diaz was hired from his job as Penn State defensive coordinator
• Houston: Willie Fritz was hired from Tulane
• Indiana: Curt Cignetti was hired from James Madison
• Michigan: Sherrone Moore was promoted from offensive coordinator
• Michigan State: Jonathan Smith was hired from Oregon State
• Mississippi State: Jeff Lebby was hired from his job as Oklahoma offensive coordinator
• Northwestern: David Braun was hired from his interim head coach position
• Syracuse: Fran Brown was hired from his job as Georgia defensive backs coach
• Texas A&M: Mike Elko was hired from Duke
• UCLA: Deshaun Foster was hired from his job as the LV Raiders running backs coach
• Washington: Jedd Fisch was hired from Arizona

Hardest and Easiest Schedules

Strength of schedule, aside from flat out winning, is the most important part of a team’s CFP resume. It’s the reason why some teams get preferential treatment from the CFP committee even though they may have an extra loss or two. But with the elimination of divisions in the Power 4 conferences, it opens the door for different schools to get favorable schedules and make a run to their conference title game. For example, Rutgers in 2024 will avoid playing Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, and Iowa. There are bound to be many more examples in this format like that. Here are the teams with the most favorable and least favorable schedules in 2024:

Neutral Site Games

Neutral site games offer College Football fans an opportunity to pack unique venues and even visit different countries. Since 2014, there have been College Football games played in the Bahamas, Australia, China, Japan, and Ireland. The latter, Ireland, will host its ninth CFB game in a Week 1 matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech. Here are other Power 4 neutral site games to consider watching or even attending:

• Week 1: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland
• Week 2: Georgia vs. Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA | LSU vs. USC at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV
• Week 3: Tennessee vs. NC State at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
• Week 4: Washington vs. Washington State at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA
• Week 5: Arkansas vs. Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
• Week 7: Texas vs. Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX
• Week 8: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA
• Week 9: Notre Dame vs. Navy at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ
• Week 10: Florida vs. Georgia at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL
• Week 13: Army vs. Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY
• Week 14: Army vs. Navy at Commanders Field in Landover, MD

10 Most Important Non-Conference Games

Scheduling (and winning) great non-conference matchups can make or break a college football team’s season. Some schools use non-conference matchups as tune-ups to prepare for their conference schedule. But as previously stated, strength of schedule matters. Especially with the 2024 season being the first with 12 seeds to fight for. Scheduling at least one great non-conference game is a great measuring stick for how your team stacks up versus unfamiliar competition. These are the games that will shape the conference hierarchy for the CFP committee:

• Honorable Mention: North Dakota State at Colorado, August 29 at 8 pm ET
• #10: Clemson at Georgia, August 31 at 12 pm ET
• #9: Florida State at Notre Dame, November 9 at 7:30 pm ET
• #8: Alabama at Wisconsin, September 14 at 12 pm ET
• #7: Colorado at Nebraska, September 7 at 7:30 pm ET
• #6: USC at LSU, September 1 at 7:30 pm ET
• #5: Tennessee at NC State, September 7 at 7:30 pm ET
• #4: Penn State at West Virginia, August 31 at 12 pm ET
• #3: Notre Dame at Texas A&M, August 31 at 7:30 pm ET
• #2: Miami (FL) at Florida, August 31 at 3:30 pm ET
• #1: Texas at Michigan, September 7 at 12 pm ET

Rivalry Watch

The Game. The Red River Shootout. Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. Bedlam. Catholics vs. Convicts. The best rivalries in College Football can be identified by a seemingly unrelated word or phrase. But to fans of teams who participate in those aptly named rivalries, hearing those nicknames can trigger warm feelings or PTSD depending on the year you mention it. Some rivalries in College Football don’t have catchy nicknames but can stir up equivalent emotional responses.

Moreover, with so much conference realignment, there is much potential for new rivalries to develop. The best way for a rivalry to blossom is for both teams to have expectations coming into their matchup. In 2024, these are the in-conference games and rivalries that will shape the 2024 season:

Conference Frontrunners

Going into the 2024 season, here are the odds leaders to win each Power 4 conference according to FanDuel as of 8/14/2024:

Legitimate National Championship Contenders

Despite the CFP expansion, the critique remains that there are only a handful of teams every year that can actually win a National Championship. Past editions of the CFP, more often than not, featured one-sided blowouts that were over by the 4th quarter.

Teams that contend need to have at least one elite unit on either side of the ball. On the opposite side of the ball, that unit needs to be either elite itself or good enough to keep them in the game. The head coach either needs to be an ingenious tactician or masterful motivator, with skilled coordinators to complement. Most of all, these teams need blue chip talent and depth capable of making impact plays. These are the teams that fit that description:

Georgia Bulldogs #1 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Georgia will not miss a beat going into 2024 considering they return 15 starters from last year’s team that barely missed the CFP. Projected first round quarterback Carson Beck will lead the way offensively. You can also count on Georgia’s defense to be one of CFB’s elite units under the direction of head coach Kirby Smart.

Ohio State Buckeyes #2 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Not only does Ohio State successfully recruit blue chip talent, they had three of the biggest transfer portal additions in quarterback Will Howard, running back Quinshon Judkins, and safety Caleb Downs. Combine those additions with a stacked roster on both sides of the ball and a new, innovative offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly, and the sky is the limit for the Buckeyes in 2024.

Oregon Ducks #3 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Oregon should not have much trouble adapting to life in the Big Ten. They’ll be propelled by a high-powered offense featuring top transfer Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, two track stars at wide receiver in Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson, and an elite offensive line. They are rebuilding on defense, but they seemingly added enough talent to be a good/great unit.

Texas Longhorns #4 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – The Longhorns are ready to make another run at a title with the return of Quinn Ewers behind their stout offensive line. There are questions on both sides of the ball as to how the pieces will fit, but there is enough talent in Austin to compete in every game of their inaugural SEC campaign.

Alabama Crimson Tide #5 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Don’t sleep on the Crimson Tide. Alabama may have lost head coach Nick Saban, but they hired a proven winner in Kalen DeBoer as his replacement. Alabama’s offense will be one of College Football’s best units led by quarterback Jalen Milroe and arguably the best o-line in the nation. There are questions on defense, but DeBoer may be able to mitigate those deficiencies like he did at Washington last year.

Ole Miss Rebels #6 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Lane Kiffin has somewhat quietly strung together three consecutive winning seasons. The 2024 version of his Rebels should be his best yet. Led by quarterback Jaxson Dart and an elite cast of skill position players, Ole Miss has the firepower to score almost every possession. And they finally may have the defense to match, adding some elite talent to their front 7.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish #7 in AP Poll and Coaches Poll – Scoff all you want, this 2024 version of Notre Dame features at least ten players who will eventually be playing on Sundays. All signs point to the Irish having possibly a top 5 defense in the country. All that transfer quarterback Riley Leonard and the offense need to do is find ways to manufacture points. If so, Notre Dame will find themselves firmly in the CFP picture, with possibly a home playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium.

10 G5 Underdogs

America loves an underdog. In every season of College Football, there is always one or two overlooked programs that hang around the Top 25. Think UCF in 2017, Cincinnati in 2021, or James Madison just last year. In 2024, a G5 team will have the opportunity to prove they belong on the national stage via the fifth CFP automatic bid. As previously mentioned, the highest ranked G5 conference champion will get that chance. Here are the 10 with the highest odds of doing so according to FanDuel as of 8/14/24:

1. Boise State Broncos (Mountain West) +400
2. Liberty Flames (Conference USA) +440
3. Memphis Tigers (American) +500
4. Tulane Green Wave (American) +1100
5. Texas State Bobcats (Sun Belt) +1300
6. UTSA Roadrunners (Conference USA) +1300
7. Appalachian State Mountaineers (Sun Belt) +1400
8. USF Bulls (American) +2000
9. UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (Sun Belt) +2000
10. Fresno State Bulldogs (Mountain West) +2500

Impact Transfers

These transfers will have an instant impact on the 2024 College Football season:

10 “True” Freshmen to Watch

Fresh out of high school, “true” freshmen rarely see the field unless injuries pile up or their team is involved in a blow out. But in rare cases, there are true freshmen who hit the ground running in College Football. Here are 10 I believe could have that type of first impression:

• Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah “JJ” Smith – the #4 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola – the #11 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman – the #5 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons – the #12 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams – the #3 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV – the #1 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Florida edge rusher LJ McCray – the #10 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton – the #19 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown – the #13 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN
• LSU defensive tackle Dominick McKinley – the #17 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class according to ESPN

Heisman Favorites

Will this be the year that a position other than quarterback wins the Heisman Trophy? According to oddsmakers, it’s a firm no.

Going into the 2024 season, here are the odds leaders to win the Heisman Trophy according to FanDuel as of 8/14/2024:

Here are some sleepers to know:

NFL Talent to Know

College Football also serves as the main pipeline for entry into the NFL. Going into the 2024 season, there are plenty of players who have already caught the eyes of the NFL and their scouts. Here are five of the most NFL ready prospects to watch this season (these are of draft eligible players, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs for example is not yet draft eligible):