The midpoint of the 2024 season gives us the perfect chance to reflect and forecast.
What was rightfully billed as a historic season, because of mass realignment and the 12-team College Football Playoff, has blown away expectations so far. There have been thrilling games at the top, like Georgia-Alabama and Ohio State-Oregon. The nation's top team is a conference newbie in Texas, which has its eyes set on its first national title in 19 years. The season also has delivered stars such as Boise State's Ashton Jeanty and Colorado's Travis Hunter who don't play for blue blood programs, as well as Heisman-contending quarterbacks at powerhouses like Miami's Cam Ward and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel. Indiana and Vanderbilt are among the nation's best storylines, and so is Louisiana-Monroe. Army and Navy are 6-0 and 5-0, respectively, for the first time since 1945, and ranked in the same AP Poll for the first time since 1960. Other unbeatens include BYU, Pitt and Iowa State.
The playoff possibilities are plentiful, and not only in the SEC and Big Ten.
There's also a lot to look forward to, beginning in Week 8. The SEC will be front and center as top-ranked Texas hosts No. 5 Georgia, while South Dakota natives Kalen DeBoer and Josh Heupel lead their Alabama and Tennessee teams into a rivalry with plenty of CFP implications. Indiana will try to stay perfect against a Nebraska squad seeking bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016. The slate also includes sneaky good matchups like Miami at Louisville, Notre Dame at Georgia Tech and LSU at Arkansas.
As always, college football insiders Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg have been talking to sources to get their reactions to what unfolded last week, and the storylines to watch in Week 8.
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National title contenders
Which conference has benefitted most from realignment
Breakout coaches
This weekend's SEC matchups
Emptying the notebook