2024 FBS Playoff Early Schedule Difficulty

[Argonut]

This is the recalculated Early Schedule Difficulty values for the playoff field based on actual 2024 records of their first 3 opponents. The scoring values are found in the 2024 SEC Early Schedule Difficulty thread in General Discussion category of forum.

In 2023 the national champion Michigan (6) played Washington (7) in the final after they beat Alabama (14) and Texas (12). The easiest early schedule team won it all and I’m very interested to see if this repeats in 2024, In D2 the easier schedule team has won the title game twice as much going back to 2000.

In 2023 both Michigan and Washington mudstomped (20 or more points) at least two of their first three opponents. In 2024, Ohio State, Indiana and Tennessee mudstomped all three of their first three opponents. Penn. State, Texas, Georgia and Clemson mudstomped two of their first three opponents and the rest of the field only managed to mudstomp one of their first three.

First Round Bye

Arizona State (8)
Oregon (13)
Boise State (12)
Georgia (12) M

First Round

(13) Clemson M v. Texas (9) M

(7) Tennessee M v. Ohio State (10) M

(9) SMU v. Penn. State (9) M

(8) Indiana M v. Notre Dame (12)

[MooseLodge]

On the other hand...Ohio State didn't even play a road game until later October, and lost to an unranked team at home. Texas didn't play an SEC conference road game until late October, and it was at Vanderbilt, which they nearly lost. Notre Dame lost at home to the 6th place team in the MAC. How exactly do you make the playoff with that on your resume? If you are Notre Dame, it's not a problem.

Meanwhile, had it not been for some egregious assists by the officials in the last 5 minutes of the game, Georgia would have lost at home to an unranked GA Tech, who took them to 8 overtimes.

As usual, the SEC and Big 10, as well as Notre Dame, are over-rated. That starts with the pre-season polls and stays that way every season.

[Argonut]

First Round Results

The home teams won all the games with 3 of 4 mudstompers winning and the hard and easy schedule teams both winning 2 games,

Second Round

Oregon (13) v. Ohio State (10) M

Boise State (12) v. Penn. State (9) M

Texas (9) M v. Arizona State (8)

Notre Dame (12) v. Georgia (12) M

Second Round Results

The easier schedule teams won two games, the harder schedule team won one game and one game was between equal value teams. Three of four of the mudstompers won again and all four of the first round winners won again.

Semifinals

Ohio State (10) M v. Texas (9) M

Penn. State (9) M v. Notre Dame (12)