PROTEST PLAYOFF 2023: Unveiling the Data and Insights
The 2022 College Football Playoff 16-team field will be unveiled at
noon Sunday
.
Today, I have just a “few” tables for your digestion. Below, you will find:
- Final playoff bracket and game results
- What the final AP Poll might have looked like after this playoff
- The top 5 winners and losers from expanding the 4-team field into a 16-team field (IMHO)
- A running tally of real and mythical champions and national runners-up, for comparisons
- Appearances and win-loss records of all conferences (both pre- and post-2023 realignment), coaches, seeds, and teams in the Protest Playoff (all cumulative)
If there’s anything else you’d like me to track in these, just let me know!
Final Playoff Bracket and Results
Final 2023-24 Associated Press Poll (
with final game result
)
-
Michigan (17-0)
— beat Washington 26-14 in the National Championship -
Washington (16-1)
— lost to Michigan 26-14 in the National Championship -
Texas (14-2)
— lost to Washington 44-13 in the
Sugar Bowl
semifinal -
Florida State
(14-1)
— lost to
LSU
41-13 in the
Orange Bowl
quarterfinal -
Georgia (13-2)
— lost to Texas 52-23 in the
Cotton Bowl
quarterfinal -
Ohio State
(12-2)
— lost to Washington 59-41 in the
Fiesta Bowl
quarterfinal -
Alabama (12-2)
— lost to LSU 33-29 in the CFP first round -
Missouri (11-3)
— lost to Michigan 52-27 in the
Peach Bowl
semifinal -
Oregon (11-3)
— lost to Missouri 41-38 in the CFP first round -
LSU (11-4)
— lost to Michigan in the
Rose Bowl
semifinal -
Ole Miss
(10-3)
— lost at Georgia 24-7 in the CFP first round -
Penn State (10-3)
— lost at Ohio State 34-13 in the CFP first round -
Notre Dame
(10-3)
— beat
Oregon State
40-8 in the Sun Bowl -
Oklahoma (10-3)
— lost at Florida State 27-20 in the CFP first round -
Oklahoma State (10-4)
— beat
Texas A&M
31-23 in the Texas Bowl -
Louisville (10-4)
— lost at Washington 38-14 in the CFP first round -
Arizona (9-4)
— lost at Texas 45-35 in the CFP first round -
Tennessee (9-4)
— beat Iowa 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl -
Kansas State
(9-4)
— beat
NC State
28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl -
Clemson (9-4)
— beat Kentucky 38-35 in the Gator Bowl -
NC State (9-4)
— lost to Kansas State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl -
SMU (11-3)
— lost to Boston College 23-14 in the Fenway Bowl -
Kansas (9-4)
— beat UNLV 49-36 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl -
Iowa (10-4)
— lost to Tennessee 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl -
Liberty (13-1)
— lost at Michigan 40-10 in the CFP first round
Top 5 Winners of 16-Team CFP over 4-Team CFP/New Year’s 6
-
LSU:
A team with three regular-season losses was able to, upon being granted a second chance, avenge losses to Alabama and Florida State and nearly up-end the final champion. -
Missouri:
Instead of slugging their way to a meaningless Cotton Bowl victory over a depleted Ohio State team, the Tigers upset Oregon on the road and get to battle Michigan. -
Florida State:
Simply being included in the field probably would have been good enough for Seminoles fans, but a vengeance win for the 2000 team over Oklahoma? Chef’s kiss! -
Liberty:
Sure they got blasted by Michigan, but supplanting vaunted Notre Dame for the final playoff bid? That’s the crowning achievement of the entire Liberty athletics program. -
Oklahoma:
Might seem like a weird pick, but losing by one touchdown at undefeated Florida State has to be a better finish for Sooner Nation than what Arizona did to them.
Top 5 Losers of 16-Team CFP over 4-Team CFP/New Year’s 6
-
Alabama:
Instead of being grandfathered into the Final Four, they get exposed in Round 1. -
Oregon:
Losing to an SEC team at home is not as satisfying as a Fiesta Bowl blowout win. -
Georgia/Ohio State:
Repeat conference opponents in the same venues? Lame. It makes me want to redo this playoff next year, with a rule preventing such first-round matchups. -
The Big 12:
For the second straight year, this is one of those years where the 4-4-2-2-1-3 model would have been beneficial to the beleaguered league, rather than the 5-3-3-2-2-1 we actually get. To make matters worse, the two representatives then left for the SEC in 2024. -
The Pac-12:
Continued insult to injury for the dying league, which would have placed three teams in the field and now is guaranteed precisely zero while watching super leagues form.
Playoff Records
BracketCat’s Protest Playoff Archives
2024:
Kickoff
|
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
NC
|
Data
2023:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
NC
2008:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Orange
2007:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Sugar
|
Data
2006:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Fiesta
|
Data
2005:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Rose
|
Data
2004:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Orange
|
Data
2003:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Sugar
|
Data
2002:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Fiesta
|
Data
2001:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Rose
|
Data
2000:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Orange
|
Data
|
Encore
1999:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Sugar
|
Data
|
Encore
1998:
Selection Sunday
|
Sweet 16 (1)
|
Sweet 16 (2)
|
Elite 8
|
Final 4
|
Fiesta
|
Data
|
Encore
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