Why the 2024 College Football Season Has Been the Wildest Ride Yet
By this time next week, the curtain will have been pulled back on the 2024 college football season. We’ll know who the conference champions are, which dozen teams made the final College Football Playoff cut, and which programs will be left clutching their spreadsheets of “what could have been.” Bowl destinations will be set, and the chaos of the regular season will give way to the high-stakes drama of postseason play.
But before we dive headfirst into the championship games, bowl matchups, and the College Football Playoff, let’s take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought us here. The 2024 college football season has been nothing short of a roller coaster—one with no brakes, unexpected twists, and a whole lot of weirdness. From Week 0 to now, it’s been a wild ride, and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
A Season of Surprises
Since the season kicked off three months ago, it’s been impossible to predict what would happen next. The journey has been filled with bizarre moments, like Nick Saban donning a Nittany Lion snuggie on College GameDay or a Cal Bear equipment manager stepping in as a makeshift Hardy Nickerson. And let’s not forget the viral moments, like Arizona State fans prematurely storming the field with one second left on the clock. (Yes, really.)
But the surprises didn’t stop there. This was the year when Army and Indiana—programs with a combined 271 years of football history but only 10 bowl wins—were in the College Football Playoff conversation deep into November. It was the year when conference realignment turned the sport on its head, with the Bay Area joining the Atlantic Coast Conference and Texas and Oklahoma bringing their Southwest flavor to the SEC. Suddenly, UCLA at Rutgers wasn’t just a weird matchup—it was a conference game.
New Faces in Championship Games
The upcoming conference championship games are a perfect snapshot of this season’s unpredictability. League newcomers like Texas, SMU, Oregon, and Arizona State are all playing for titles, facing off against conference stalwarts like Georgia, Clemson, and Iowa State. The Big Ten title game pits Oregon, with its flashy uniforms, against Penn State, whose idea of an alternate uniform is adding a stripe to their pants. It’s a clash of old and new, tradition and innovation, and it’s exactly what makes this season so fascinating.
Preseason Favorites? Not So Fast
If you thought the preseason favorites would dominate, think again. Ohio State, Utah, Florida State, Memphis, Texas State, and Liberty—all expected to contend for conference titles—didn’t even make it to their championship games. The Big 12 nearly ended in a seven-way tie for first place, which, let’s be honest, feels like a tradition at this point.
And the Heisman Trophy race? It’s been turned on its head. Preseason favorites like Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and SEC quarterbacks Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck, Jalen Milroe, and Jaxson Dart have been overshadowed by players like Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward, and Travis Hunter. Only Jeanty will be onstage for championship weekend, but the race remains wide open.
Flag Planting and Field Storming
Speaking of surprises, this season brought back the art of field storming, with fans rushing the field like it was the 1990s all over again. But the real head-scratcher? The sudden trend of flag planting. Florida State and Florida’s postgame scuffle over a planted flag was just one example of this bizarre new tradition. Is this a TikTok trend we missed? Either way, it’s clear that emotions are running high this season.
The Power of Football
Amid all the chaos, this season also reminded us of the power of football to bring people together. When Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the East Coast, college football programs like Appalachian State and East Tennessee State became beacons of hope, using their stadiums as hubs for relief efforts. It was a poignant reminder of the community and resilience that this sport fosters.
What’s Next?
As we head into the postseason, one thing is clear: 2024 has been a season like no other. It’s been unpredictable, entertaining, and full of surprises. Will this level of parity and excitement last? Who knows. But for now, let’s enjoy the ride and see where this roller coaster takes us in 2025. After all, not knowing what’s around the next bend is what makes college football so special.
Originally Written by: bill hofheimer
