​The first round of the College Football Playoff didn’t have a whole lot of drama as far as the games were concerned. The real drama occurred when fans and coaches of teams that did not make the playoff complained that their teams should have been in over the ones that made it. Anyone can whine and moan about who got in and who didn't, but the truth was played on the field for about 12 weeks, and the right 12 teams deserved to be in their spots. 

What I loved about the opening weekend of the College Football Playoff was the atmosphere of all four games being on campus. Yes, it was December, and it was cold in three of the games, but you can't deny the excitement displayed in South Bend, Happy Valley, Austin and Columbus. The opening weekend proves that December football on college campuses is better than any neutral site.

I am not surprised that all four home teams won. The biggest surprise was that all the games were not competitively close. Clemson performed the best from a losing standpoint, but it felt like Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas and Ohio State were going to protect their home fields from the get-go, and the visitors did not have a chance. I went 3-1 on picking the first round, and now it is time to start breaking down the quarterfinal games.

No. 6. Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State (Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz) – Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 6:30 p.m. CST on ESPN

After blowing out SMU in the first round, No. 6 Penn State returns to Arizona and the Fiesta Bowl. The Nittany Lions are 7-0 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl, including a national championship win in 1987. Their defense set the tone against SMU, scoring two touchdowns off interception returns. They look to ride their wave of momentum against the Broncos. Boise State is also undefeated in the Fiesta Bowl, going 3-0. Their biggest win occurred at the Fiesta Bowl, 43-42 over Oklahoma in 2007. The Mountain West champions will look to their star running back to lead the way over Penn State. Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy race, is having the greatest season by a running back in college football since Barry Sanders’ historic season in 1988. Jeanty currently has 2,497 yards and is less than 300 yards from breaking Sanders' record. He also leads FBS in scrimmage yards, rushing touchdowns and scoring. For Penn State to win the Fiesta Bowl, they must stop Jeanty and Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar has to play a better game than he did against SMU. Boise State has always been a great story and while Jeanty is a special player and will have a ton of success at the next level, I believe Penn State is more of a complete team than Boise State. Penn State is my pick.

No 5. Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State (Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl - Atlanta, Ga.) – Wednesday, Jan. 1st at Noon CST on ESPN

The most surprising team in the college football playoff is Arizona State. They were predicted to finish last in their first year in the Big XII conference, but they ended up in the Big XII Championship game and defeated Iowa State. The real test will come against a Texas team trying to prove they are the nation's best. Although the Longhorns did not beat Georgia twice in the regular season, they have looked like a contender throughout the season. I thought they played well against Clemson. The Longhorns’ defense must control Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo, and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers must continue to play well for Texas to move on to the semifinals. My concern for Arizona State and all the top four teams in the playoff is the long layoff. I think Texas will capitalize on Arizona State's long rest and dominate this game from start to finish.

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon (Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential - Pasadena, Calif.) – Wednesday, Jan. 1st at 4:00 PM CST on ESPN

The Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks gave us one of the best college football games of the season in October when Oregon prevailed 32-31 in Eugene, Ore. We all thought these two teams would meet again in the Big Ten Championship Game, but Ohio State lost to arch-rival Michigan on Thanksgiving Weekend, thus sending Penn State to take on Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. After their blowout win over Tennessee in the first round, the Buckeyes get their rematch against the Ducks in the "Granddaddy of them All." Oregon will lean on Heisman Finalist quarterback Dillion Gabriel, as they have all year long. The Ducks put up numbers against an excellent Buckeyes defense, but Oregon's defense did get exposed against an outstanding Ohio State offense. The biggest key for Ohio State is for quarterback Will Howard to play even better than he did against Tennessee and continue to limit the mistakes. This is a good matchup for Ohio State, and I believe it favors the Buckeyes over the Ducks, having played more recently. While Oregon is ranked No. 1 going into the playoffs and deservingly so, I can see this game being a shootout, and if Oregon can't limit the Buckeyes on defense, Ohio State can win this game. Oregon is good, but I think Ohio State will win this one.

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, La.) – Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 7:30 P.M. CST on ESPN

Notre Dame started the college football playoff with a win over in-state opponent Indiana. While the final margin was 10 points, the Irish were clearly the better team for much of the game. Now they take on the No. 2 and SEC champion Bulldogs in New Orleans. Georgia is coming off an overtime win over Texas in the SEC Championship game. Georgia's defense once again made plays by limiting Texas' offensive chances. One key factor in the game for Georgia is quarterback; as Carson Beck will not play for the Bulldogs due to an injury, he sustained in the SEC Championship game. Gunnar Stockton will make his first career start for Georgia. Stockton played well in relief, leading Georgia on a game-winning drive in overtime. Having that extra time to prepare Stockton for this game will be key in developing how the game will go for him and the Georgia offense. For Notre Dame, I thought quarterback Riley Leonard had a good game, but he would need his absolute best against an excellent Georgia defense in order for the Irish to move on to the semifinals. This could be a close, low-scoring game, as both teams have very good defenses. I think Georgia wins a very tight and good game.

by Eric Fulton
A new era for college football kicks off this weekend with a new format to determine a national champion. On Friday (Dec. 20) and Saturday (Dec. 21), there will be four games in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. Seeds 5-12 will play the first four games. Then, in late December, the top four seeds will play in the second round against the winners of the first round.

​The four teams with a bye for the first round of the College Football Playoff are Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State.

For this article, we will solely focus on the first-round matchups. 

​10. Indiana @ 7. Notre Dame – Friday, Dec. 20 at 7 pm (CST) - ABC/ESPN
A rare matchup between two in-state schools kicks off the inaugural 12-team playoff. Although these two in-state schools first played each other in 1898, Indiana and Notre Dame have met only 29 times, with the last meeting coming in 1991. Notre Dame has a record of 23-5-1 all-time against Indiana.  While the Fighting Irish is Indiana's big, powerful football school, the Hoosiers are having a special year, going 11-1 under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti. While Notre Dame is the heavy favorite, this would be the biggest win in program history for Indiana. As special a win as it would be for Indiana, I will have to go with the experience of Notre Dame.

11. SMU @ 6. Penn State – Saturday, Dec. 21 at 11 am (CST) - TNT/Max
SMU and Penn State will kick off the tripleheader of playoff games on Saturday in Happy Valley. Both teams lost their perspective conference championship games and are looking for a huge bounce-back. Offense will be key in this game, as both teams like to score. So, it could come down to whoever scores last. I like Penn State to defend Beaver Stadium's home grounds.

12. Clemson @ 5. Texas – Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3 pm (CST) - TNT/Max
The Tigers and Longhorns will square off in the battle of orange in Austin. Clemson, who won the ACC Championship, has been playing well behind quarterback Cade Klubnik as of late and will come into the matchup against Texas with a ton of momentum. Despite losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship game, the Longhorns are still an excellent team led by quarterback Quinn Ewers. While this game will be another close game early, I think Texas will pull this one out late in the fourth quarter and move on to the second round.

9. Tennessee @ 8. Ohio State – Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. (CST) – ABC/ESPN
This is the best matchup of all the first-round games in the College Football Playoff. These two teams have a rich tradition in college football. The Volunteers and Buckeyes could go on a deep run if they play well. If they won the Big Ten Championship, Ohio State would have had an inside track to have a higher seed, possibly the number one overall. However, the Buckeyes' loss to Michigan on November 30th was a significant cause for concern, thanks to their conservative style of play on offense. I expect a better game from Ohio State with the time off. However, I can see Tennessee go to Columbus and play exceptionally well, even though the game time temps will be around the 20s. I say Tennessee takes this one, and they will have a date against Oregon in the second round.

These four first-round games should be very exciting and fun to watch. The National Championship game will be held on Monday, January 21st, in Atlanta. 

​4. Cam Ward, Quarterback, Miami (FL)
Season statistics: 4,123 passing yards, 40 combined touchdowns (36 passing/4 rushing), 67.4% completion percentage

Ward, a transfer from Washington State, is the first Miami Hurricane named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy since Ken Dorsey in 2001. He would become the third Hurricane to win the Heisman Trophy (Vinny Testaverde won in 1986 and Gino Torretta won in 1992). He led Miami to 10 wins this season, but Ward’s chances of winning the Heisman Trophy might take a hit with the Hurricanes not playing in the College Football Playoff.

3. Dillion Gabriel, Quarterback, Oregon

Season statistics: 3,558 passing yards, 35 combined touchdowns (28 passing/7 rushing), 73.2% completion percentage

Dillion Gabriel may not have as many passing yards and total touchdowns as Cam Ward, but he has done something Ward did not do in 2024 by leading his team to the College Football Playoffs. Gabriel led the Ducks to the Big Ten Championship in Oregon’s first year in their new conference and finished the regular season undefeated and number one heading into the playoffs. He needs three more passing touchdowns to become college football’s all-time passing touchdowns leader. Gabriel would become the second Oregon Ducks player to win the Heisman Trophy (Marcus Mariota, 2014). If he finishes in the top three in the final voting, he will become the fifth Ducks player to achieve the mark.

2. Travis Hunter, Cornerback and Wide Receiver, Colorado

Season statistics: 92 catches, 1,152 yards, 15 combined touchdowns (14 receiving/1 rushing), 31 tackles, 11 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Having the ability to be a game-changer on both offense and defense is rare these days in football. Travis Hunter shows people that football players can still excel playing both ways. Michigan’s Charles Woodson was the last defensive player to win the Heisman in 1997. Alabama’s DeVonta Smith was the last wide receiver to win the Heisman in 2020. Hunter is a legit contender to win because of Colorado’s win total. The Buffaloes went 4-8 in Deion Sanders’ first year in 2023. This year, they went 9-3 and finished the regular season in the top 25. Hunter has been the biggest reason why Colorado is back on the college football map. Hunter would be the second Colorado player to win the Heisman (Rashaan Salaam, 1994) if chosen.

1. Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State

Season statistics: 344 carries, 2,497 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, 20 catches, 116 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdowns
 
The Boise State Broncos have been college football’s biggest underdogs for the past two decades. They have had decent players during that time. Quarterback Kellen Moore was the first and only Heisman finalist (2010) until Jeanty came into the picture in 2024.  Jeanty would be the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Alabama’s Derrick Henry won it in 2015. His 2,497 rushing yards in the regular season trail only Barry Sanders’ 2,628 yards in 1988 for most in a college football season.
Jeanty is my pick to win the Heisman because of his yardage and the fact that he is doing it at Boise State, not a school from a major conference. However, I would not be surprised if Hunter wins the Heisman because he has been great on both offense and defense. 

by Julian Spivey

Team of the Year: Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)
There’s only one dynasty currently in professional sports: the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have won three of the last five Super Bowls, including two in a row, and they’ve been to four of the previous five Super Bowls. Led by coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and defensive standout Chris Jones, this Chiefs squad has clinched a spot, in my opinion, as one of the five greatest teams in NFL history. And they’re poised to potentially add on this season with a current 11-1 record and have clinched a playoff berth already. Now, I understand they may not look like the best team currently in the NFL, but they always seem to find ways to pull out a victory, and that’s what winning teams do, even when they aren’t at their best.  

Athlete of the Year: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Over the last few years, my Athlete of the Year has been baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, who I’ve often called a unicorn because he can do everything. While Ohtani was undoubtedly a candidate this year, winning the National League MVP, my pick is another rare unicorn of sorts in sports – Nikola Jokic, three-time NBA MVP center of the Denver Nuggets. The guy can do everything on the basketball court and does it while looking like the least athletic guy on the court. I don’t understand it. But you can’t argue with all-time great numbers. This year, Jokic has the opportunity to do something that has never been done in NBA history – lead the league in scoring, rebounding, and assists. He’s currently 4th in scoring, second in assists and first in rebounding. More likely is the opportunity to join Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook as the only players to average a triple-double in a season. 

Coach of the Year: Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs)
Remember when people thought Andy Reid couldn’t win the big game? Now he’s a three-time Super Bowl-winning coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, including the last two consecutively. This year, he’s led his team to a ridiculous amount of come-from-behind or close last-minute victories to an 11-1 record, and there is still more than a month left in the season. There were certainly coaches who did a more surprising job in 2024, but I have to give it to the living legend. 

​Game/Event of the Year: USA vs. Serbia (Olympic Basketball Semifinal)
The most exhilarating sporting event I saw this year was the Olympic Men’s Basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia. Serbia was in control almost the entire game, with dominant performances from Bojan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jokic. They looked to stun Team USA, which is always considered close to a lock to win the Olympic Gold Medal with its roster of NBA All-Stars. Late in the game, Stephen Curry got hot, and when Curry gets hot, we’ve seen from history that it could be the death knell for the opponent. Curry went 12-19 from the field, including 9-14 from three, scoring 36 points and leading Team USA to a thrilling comeback and victory. Team USA would go on to win the Olympic gold medal in another tight matchup against the home country of France. 

Best Broadcaster: Rowdy Gaines & Lewis Johnson (NBC)
This year being an Olympic year reminded us all how great Rowdy Gaines is as an Olympic swimmer analyst. He has the perfect combination of enthusiasm (without being over-the-top) and knowledge of the sport; he’s a three-time Olympic gold medalist and likely would have won more had the U.S. not boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games.

I was so impressed by one particular moment from Lewis Johnson as a sideline reporter for the Olympic track and field events, in which he was widely hammered on social media for his performance, that I wrote an entire article about it in August. It may not have been popular among the masses when Johnson held the U.S. track and field men’s relay team to the fire, but as a journalist, it’s your job to get answers, and Johnson refused to back down. 

Legend of the Year: Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal, one of the three-headed monster with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic that dominated the greatest era of men’s tennis, hung up his tennis racket this year. Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles are the second most in men’s tennis history, behind Djokovic’s 24. His 14 French Open wins are the most in that tournament’s history and for any Grand Slam tournament in tennis history, clinching Nadal’s status as the greatest clay tennis player ever. He’s also one of only three men’s tennis players to win the Golden Grand Slam career, winning all four Grand Slam titles plus an Olympic gold medal (Andre Agassi, Djokovic). Tennis is going to miss Nadal.