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Welcome to the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
In anticipation of the first four-round postseason in college football history, we’re counting down our predicted playoff field as the season approaches. The top five conference champions in the CFP selection committee’s rankings will make the playoff and the rest of the field will be filled out by seven at-large teams.
Who will lift the national championship trophy on Jan. 20 in Atlanta?
Previous previews: Nos. 13-25
No. 12 Boise State
Last season in 100 words
The Broncos got off to a sluggish start a season ago. Boise State was blown out in the season opener at Washington and then lost at home to UCF. A loss at Memphis dropped the team to 2-3 and Boise State needed a late surge to get back to .500.
That late surge came as the team changed coaches. Andy Avalos was fired in November as the Broncos were 5-5 following a win over New Mexico. Boise State won its final two games of the season under interim coach Spencer Danielson to make the Mountain West title game. There, the Broncos beat UNLV.
Why Boise State can make the playoff
We think the Broncos have the best chance of any Group of Five team to make the playoff for a few reasons. Liberty has a great chance to go undefeated in Conference USA again, but the Flames’ blowout loss to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl a season ago may cause the selection committee to value schedule strength more than it did in 2023.
Ashton Jeanty and the Boise State Broncos clock in at No. 12 in our Yahoo Sports college football preseason rankings. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
The American Athletic Conference could also prove to have too many contenders at the top. Teams like Memphis, Tulane and UTSA all enter the season with playoff hopes. But it’s easy to see the AAC winner going 10-2 or even 9-3 because of how much parity…
Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/college-football-preseason-rankings-no-12-boise-state-stands-atop-group-of-five-field-134648297.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-13 13:46:48
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