Now that the dust has settled and we have our final rankings and playoff schedule, it’s time to take a look at all of the shocking moments from this season. Read on for six surprising takeaways from this year’s college football season.
1. The Pac-12 Took a Hit
The Pac-12 was down this year. Only one Pac-12 team managed to hang on to a spot in this year’s top 25, though one unexpected team did eventually make the list. The Oregon Ducks started the season in the 12 spot and dropped to 15 by year-end.
This finish comes as a huge shock, considering that four Pac-12 teams sat on the list going into Week One of the season. USC, ASU, and UCLA all fell off the list, while Utah was the surprise of the season, hopping onto the Top 25 in Week 12 and finishing in the 10 spot.
Meanwhile, though the Big Ten had an up and down season, they ended up having more top 25 teams than any other conference (four). With Michigan powering themselves to a number two finish and a shot at a national title, the Big Ten continues to impress.
2. There Were Some Crazy Upsets
The 2021 season was the year of crazy college football upsets. We saw some huge names fall from grace, including the three-time defending national champions Alabama Crimson Tide. While they still finished in the top spot, Alabama fell as far as five in the ranking after Texas A&M upset them in Week Six.
Not only that, but we also witnessed the rise of teams like Baylor and Notre Dame to new heights as they beat out powerhouses such as Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma State for their rightful places in this year’s top 25 rankings.
3. The Playoff Committee Finally Got It Right
This year, we saw a long-awaited shift in college football’s playoff committee rankings. For years, many teams have felt that they were ranked unfairly or missed out on chances to compete for championships because their ranking didn’t reflect their true talent. This year, however, the playoff committee finally got it right—for the most part.
We saw teams like Ohio State and Texas A&M miss out on a chance to compete in the playoffs because of poor early season performances. The only team to go undefeated, Cincinnati, squeaked in with the bottom seed.
4. Players Started Cashing in on NIL
As the new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules took effect, we saw college football players ink deals. Some of the biggest deals were signed by players like Alabama’s Bryce Young, whose reported deals could earn him $1 million. And most of his deals were signed before he’d even started a game!
Now, after Young was named AP College Player of the Year, those deals seem to have worked out for both sides. This is a huge shift in college football, as players are now able to start profiting off their own likenesses.
With players now able to profit off their personas, some worried that this would unfairly tip recruiting toward bigger name schools and programs. However, so far this doesn’t seem to be the case, as many of the top recruits are still choosing their schools based on personal preferences and not financial incentives. So while powerhouse programs like Alabama can point to their highly visible brand, other schools seem to be doing just fine.
5. The Transfer Portal Made Waves
The college football transfer portal has been a huge talking point this year, just three years into its creation. Like the new NIL laws, the portal was created to benefit student-athletes and give them a greater say in their college playing career and earning abilities.
The transfer portal has become the new trend in college football recruiting. This is because it allows players who are not satisfied with their current team or roster opportunities an easy way out of one school and into another where they can compete for a starting spot. Now, coaches and players alike grapple with the implications that the portal will have on their teams.
Perhaps the biggest name on the transfer list right now is Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler. Once a favorite for this year’s Heisman trophy, Rattler is likely to seek greener pastures out West after a disappointing season.
6. Coaches Played Musical Chairs
After a wild season, one of the biggest surprises was the whirlwind of coaching changes. Within an 8-day span, we saw some of the biggest names in college football coaching change teams. These included Lincoln Riley (from Oklahoma to USC), Brian Kelly (from Notre Dame to LSU), and Brent Venables (from Clemson to Oklahoma).
While it’s not uncommon for coaches to move around every few years, this year seemed particularly unusual given how successful many of these coaches were this season. This game of musical chairs is also likely to ripple to the NCAA transfer portal and high school students de-committing from teams based on coaching changes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this year’s college football season was full of surprises. As the playoffs begin, it will be interesting to see which teams make it to the championship game and which ones are sent home packing.