Even the Hoosiers, Gamecocks, Cyclones, and Bobcats

I'm ready to take a break from the heavier stuff I've been writing about, so...here goes!

We've just entered the 2026 college football season...and, with that in mind, I'd like to share the results of my version of the 2024 NCAA Division 1-A football playoffs. (Thanks, Dave Koch Sports, for bringing out Action! PC Football.)

FIRST ROUND (seeding in parentheses): Arizona State (9) 49, Jacksonville State (24) 28/Iowa State (16) 48, Clemson (17) 24/BYU (13) 35, UNLV (20) 31/Miami (FL) (12) 55, Louisiana-Lafayette (21) 14/Tennessee (14) 59, Ohio (19) 31/Ohio State (11) 37, Alabama (22) 31/Marshall (18) 38, Memphis (15) 21/Syracuse (23) 38, Army (10) 35

SECOND ROUND: Oregon (1) 44, Arizona State 24/Iowa State 38, SMU (8) 24/Georgia (5) 31, BYU 24/Miami (FL) 49, Indiana (4) 40/Tennessee 42, Texas (6) 21/Ohio State 35, Notre Dame (3) 32/Penn State (7) 38, Marshall 24/Boise State (2) 34, Syracuse 17

QUARTERFINAL ROUND: Oregon 30, Iowa State 27/Miami (FL) 41, Georgia 34/Ohio State 35, Tennessee 14/Penn State 38, Boise State 24

SEMIFINAL ROUND: Miami (FL) 38, Oregon 30/Ohio State 30, Penn State 7

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Miami (FL) 42, Ohio State 28

PLAYOFF MVP: Cam Ward, Miami (FL) QB

The Hurricanes nabbed their third "shoulda-coulda-woulda" championship (they also won in 1992 and 2001)...and they got it done in a season where Indiana, Iowa State, Jacksonville State, and Ohio made it to the playoffs for the first time ever.

Can't wait to see how the 2025 D-1-A playoffs would've turned out!