The bracket is set for the 2024 College Football Playoffs, and the Big Ten Conference has four teams representing it.
As expected, newly crowned Big Ten champion and undefeated Oregon earned the top seed and a first round bye. Joining the Ducks are their opponent from Saturday, Penn State, who earned the sixth seed and will host 11th-seed SMU in the first round.
“And we’ll find out tomorrow whether it’s a home game in 16 inches of snow or whether it’s an away game on the road,” said Nittany Lions coach James Franklin following Penn State’s 45-37 loss to Oregon in Indianapolis. “We’ll be excited about whatever opportunity comes and
we’ll be prepared and ready because we have two losses this year, two top five teams. Had a chance to win both of those games. Learned a ton from it. Same thing tonight.”
“I’ll be honest, this is the furthest thing from my mind right now,” said Oregon coach Dan Lanning on Saturday regarding a statement earlier this year about his team being able to win it all. “I’m worried about tomorrow, I’m worried the next day, the next play. I think that’s how you
get there. If you start putting the end goal in sight — I don’t think it’s any secret what this team wants to accomplish — but you don’t get there by just looking at it. It takes work.
“I’m thinking right now, how can we improve and get better. And there’s a lot more we can grow from in that game in all phases. That’s where my focus is at. I think when you focus on the process, the rest takes care of itself.”
Ohio State earned the 8th-seed and will host 9th-seed Tennessee in the first round. Indiana clocks in at 10th and will travel to in-state rival Notre Dame, who earned the 6th-seed.
Georgia (2), Boise State (3) and Arizona State (4) round out the Top Four and receive first round byes. SEC runner-ups Texas earned the 5th-seed and will host Clemson, who sneak in at the 12th-seed following their last-second field goal over SMU to win the ACC championship on Saturday.
