The conversation around a 24‑team College Football Playoff has moved from speculation to serious discussion, with the ACC and Big 12 throwing their weight behind a format that could soon replace the current four‑team model. If the expansion comes to pass, the door will swing open for programs that have historically hovered on the playoff periphery but have left fans wondering what might have been.
Underdog Teams That Could Have Reshaped the Playoff
Every season, a handful of teams finish the regular slate with records that suggest they belong among the elite, yet a single misstep or a narrow loss keeps them out of the conversation. Imagine a tournament where those near‑misses are given a chance to rewrite their narratives, potentially altering rankings, coaching legacies, and even the cultural story of the sport.
The 2000 Michigan Wolverines came agonizingly close to a playoff spot. In a 23‑20 loss at No. 14 UCLA, the Wolverines missed three kicks, including two fourth‑quarter field goals that could have swung the outcome. That narrow defeat, coupled with a talent‑laden roster, makes Michigan a textbook example of a team that might have seized a playoff berth in a larger field.
A decade later, the 2019 Iowa Hawkeyes displayed a similar pattern of near‑misses. They dropped games to Michigan and Penn State by a combined 12 points, yet they answered with a dominant 49‑24 victory over USC in the Holiday Bowl. Their blend of resilient defense and high‑octane offense suggests that a playoff invitation could have turned those close losses into a different kind of legacy.
The 2013 Texas A&M Aggies took a different route, compiling eleven games with at least 40 points, including a 52‑48 shootout win over Duke in the Peach Bowl. Their high‑scoring, never‑say‑die attitude exemplifies how an expanded bracket could have rewarded teams that thrived in offensive fireworks rather than being penalized for a single stumble.
Other programs that fit the underdog mold include the 2006 California Golden Bears, who rode the legs of Marshawn Lynch and DeSean Jackson, the 2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers, whose defense surrendered just 10.4 points per game, and the 2023 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who opened the season with wins over three top‑20 opponents. Each of these squads demonstrated that talent and momentum can coexist, even when the schedule does not align perfectly with playoff expectations.
The 2015 Baylor Bears averaged 48 points and 616 yards per game, dismantling top‑10 foes Oklahoma State and North Carolina by double digits. Meanwhile, the 1999 Mississippi State Bulldogs boasted the SEC’s best scoring defense, allowing only 13.1 points per game, and the 1998 Air Force Falcons captured their first outright WAC title with a balanced attack that kept opponents to 14.2 points. More recently, the 2024 Iowa State Cyclones started the year with seven straight victories and capped the season with a 42‑41 Pop‑Tarts Bowl win over Miami, a result that underscores how close‑game resilience can translate into playoff‑ready confidence.
If a 24‑team format had been in place during any of these seasons, the ripple effects would have been profound. Not only would the bracket have featured a broader tapestry of storylines, but the very act of inclusion could have reshaped coaching philosophies, recruiting strategies, and the financial landscape of college athletics. The teams listed above, each with its own brand of grit and brilliance, illustrate the kind of unpredictable excitement that a larger playoff promises.