Which college football team will make its playoff debut this season? A total of 13 schools have made the CFP, and there was at least one new participant in each playoff with the exception of 2020.
We’re still a long way from parity. Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Georgia and Notre Dame have combined for 25 of 32 possible playoff appearances since its inception in 2014.
Michigan and Cincinnati were first-time teams in 2021, and they joined fellow one-timers Oregon, Washington, Florida State, LSU and Michigan State.
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Which schools could inject some new blood into the College Football Playoff this year? Sporting News takes a closer look:
Texas A&M
The Aggies have the fifth-best national championship odds, according to Sports Interaction. Jimbo Fisher has built a talented roster with four straight top-10 recruiting classes, including the top class according to 247Sports.com in 2022. Haynes King, Max Johnson and Conner Wiegman must resolve the quarterback battle. The schedule has non-conference beef with Miami and Appalachian State home games, and cross-over games with South Carolina and Florida won’t be easy. Texas A&M proved it could beat Alabama last season, but the pay-back game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 8 won’t be easy. Still, the Aggies are in position to make their run now. We said the same thing last year: Even with a loss, the Aggies could slip in the playoff with an 11-1 record.
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Utah
The Utes have been knocking on the door the last few seasons. Utah nearly made the CFP in 2019 before losing in the Pac-12 championship game, and they won 10 games last season and made the Rose Bowl Game for the first time in program history. The Utes showed they can run with Ohio State in a 48-45 loss, one in which quarterback Cam Rising left with an injury in the fourth quarter. Rising is back, and running back Tavion Thomas returns after rushing for 1,108 yards and 21 TDs last season. Teamed with Micah Bernard, the Utes will have a dominant rushing attack. The opener at Florida could be the strongest statement to the CFP committee, and the Holy War with BYU is not on the schedule. Utah must find a way to avoid a hiccup in Pac-12 play.
Baylor
The Bears won the Big 12 championship in Dave Aranda’s second season. Baylor did that with an inside-philosophy that has created depth on the offensive and defensive lines. Blake Shapen won the starting job at quarterback, and the Bears do have to replace their top two running backs and receivers. Still, Aranda was able to retain coordinators Jeff Grimes and Ron Roberts. The schedule isn’t easy with trips to BYU, Oklahoma and Texas, so this pick could be a year early. The fact Aranda didn’t entertain other coaching offers means the program is here to stay.
USC
USC was on this last year and promptly finished 5-7. A lot has changed. Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to become the new coach, and sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams followed. The Trojans also added Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison from Pittsburgh and Oregon leading rusher Travis Dye via the portal, and expectations are high for a program that won its last Pac-12 championship in 2017. The Pac-12 schedule features road games at Stanford, Utah and UCLA, and it all builds to the regular-season finale against Notre Dame in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Riley did make the CFP in his first season with Oklahoma. Can he pull off the same magic act at USC?
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Ole Miss
Now, imagine if Lane Kiffin leads Ole Miss to the playoff before the Trojans get there, especially this season with former USC quarterback Jaxson Dart. Kiffin worked the portal, and TCU transfer running back Zach Evans, a former five-star Georgia commit, could be a breakout performer in the SEC once and for all. The Rebels have won nine in a row at home, and Alabama and Auburn – teams that beat Ole Miss last season – visit Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this season. The road schedule is tough, with Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas. A crossover game against Kentucky is the toughest game on the first half of the schedule. The Rebels could be in the CFP conversation when Alabama comes to Oxford, Miss., on Nov. 12.
