…looks like they might have faced a lot of cold.

I typically don’t like much of the fodder from AL.com, but the linked article is worth a read. It hypothesizes what would have happened if the CFP as it will play out in 2024 were around for teams from 1998 forward.

One thing that I hadn’t put a lot of thought to, aside from additional home games for the 5-8 seeds and the additional wear and tear from a lengthy season extension is this: the weather.

Considering these would be played outdoors, take a look at what the first round would’ve looked like in 2016:

2016

Dates: Dec. 16-17

Games: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Western Michigan, No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Florida State, No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Colorado, No. 8 Wisconsin vs. No. 9 Southern Cal

Weather report: Madison saw the coldest and snowiest Friday-Saturday of the period observed, with 7.4 inches falling and a high temp of 18. Ann Arbor also got three inches of snow, while Columbus got 1.07.

Florida State and USC would’ve had to play not only in freezing temperatures, but in snow, no less. Definitely would favor the traditional Badger running attack and likely would’ve favored Michigan against FSU, as well.

Some other unique insights in the article includes which teams Georgia would’ve likely faced in some of the better years of the era. We would’ve faced LSU twice, and would’ve played Florida again…in 2007. Imagine Tebow and Meyer welcoming a chance during the same season to avenge the 2007 loss, and in Athens, no less. 2023 would have had Ole Miss returning to Athens just a while after getting throttled earlier in the season, but with hobbled players from the SECCG I wonder if the results would’ve been different.

Football in December…outdoors. Gotta love it.