A transformative era begins as the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams
In short: The 2024 NCAA Division I FBS season marked a massive shift in the landscape of American college football. Beyond a major expansion of the postseason bracket, the year saw historic individual achievements and a dramatic realignment of conference memberships that fundamentally changed the sport's structure.
The 2024 season was a landmark year for the postseason, serving as the inaugural season for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) system. This shift followed a period of intense conference realignment, most notably the departure of 10 schools from the Pac-12. This exodus saw teams like Oregon, USC, and Washington move to the Big Ten, while others like Arizona and Utah joined the Big 12, effectively stripping the Pac-12 of its autonomy and reducing the 'Power Five' to a 'Power Four' structure.
On the field, the season was defined by rare individual brilliance and the absence of perfection. For the first time since 2021, no major team finished the season undefeated. The Colorado Buffaloes' Travis Hunter made history by winning the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first player to play both cornerback and wide receiver and win the award since Charles Woodson in 1997. The season culminated in the Rose Bowl, where the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the undefeated Oregon Ducks with a score of 41–21 to claim the national title.
The NCAA also implemented significant regulatory changes to modernize the game. New rules included a two-minute timeout similar to the NFL, the ability for coaches to use helmet-based communications for one player, and the permission for teams to use up to 18 tablets on the sidelines for video review. Additionally, the NCAA eased transfer restrictions, allowing student-athletes to meet certain academic requirements and become immediately eligible for new schools, and removed cannabinoids from the list of banned drugs for football players.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-2024-ncaa-division-i-fbs-football-season.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Festivals & celebrations · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
