The greatest month in all of sports has arrived, and the beautiful symphony of comparisons and contradictions is upon us.
Now we’re talking about a multiple team tiebreaker in the SEC, a juicy fait accompli for getting tricked into a nine-game conference schedule.
We’re talking about the bonafides of two-loss SMU, because if Notre Dame can’t beat Miami on Saturday, the Irish are desperate for any semblance of a College Football Playoff resume win — and SMU arrives in South Bend later this month.
Or an overwhelmed freshman backup quarterback at Ohio State, and how in the world are the Buckeyes going to win three of four in November to secure a spot in the CFP?
Or a three-loss SEC team (take your pick) reaching the CFP before two-loss UCLA. Or the viability
of one-loss Wake Forest, which could lose two games this season — both to Miami.
Or can the Big Ten get more than two teams in the CFP?
We're talking about Utah’s chances this week to potentially eliminate bitter rival BYU from the CFP race — even though Notre Dame and BYU could finish with identical 10-2 records and BYU has the head-to-head win.
It is Notre Dame, after all. The greatest, most awesomest, television darling of them all. And everybody said, Amen.
You know when we stop talking about these delicious CFP scenarios? Next year.
Because when the CFP expands to 24 teams beginning next season, who cares about Notre Dame’s schedule? They’ve won 10 games, they’re in.
Who cares about Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey. He may as well be Mr. Lahey, Ohio State is not missing the playoff, Ricky.
So Michigan struggled to put away the worst Rutgers team in years (imagine the depth of that statement), who cares? Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr keeps getting quality reps, and it’s a process in the 24-team CFP world.
What are you going to do, fire Kyle Whittingham after one season?
Three-loss Illinois — which last month gave Purdue its first conference win since 2023, and last weekend beat a truly awful Maryland team with a field goal on the last play of the game — could still lose another game and reach the 24-team CFP.
Florida doesn’t have a functioning offense, and another humbling loss to Georgia last weekend doesn’t mean anything. Nor do ugly blowout losses to Missouri and South Carolina. The three-loss Gators can sustain another loss and reach the 24-team promised land.
And speaking of South Carolina, ya’ll can forget about running Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer. Even if he is the worst winner, and worst loser, in the sport.
The Gamecocks are hot, baby. Get Georgia at home on Nov. 21, and even with an ugly loss, can find a way to the CFP. All they’d need is a win over the worst SEC team (Arkansas), and wins over — are you ready for this? — two teams still in the hunt for the 24-team monstrosity heading our way.
That would be Texas A&M and Clemson.
Look how much better the sport becomes when everyone has a chance!
For the love of all things everyone gets a trophy, nearly half of the ACC is still in play with a 24-team playoff. Except Duke.
There’s precedent after last season. Duke can win a conference championship, and they’re not getting in, pal.
Four-loss Penn State, which just won its first Big Ten game by beating Purdue, would need November wins over Washington, Minnesota, Rutgers and Maryland and — voila — they’ve got a CFP argument with the rest of the 14 Big Ten teams that control their destiny for at least eight wins.
Yeah, baby. Fire up that 24-team playoff in 2027. Get it cranking, and watch those four-loss teams battle for a chance at one of those precious 24 spots.
From the November to remember, to the November of pretenders.
It’ll be the greatest, most awesomest television event of all.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Enjoy the greatest month in sports before 24-team CFP ruins it
