Essentially the most chaotic School Soccer Playoff choice course of within the historical past of the occasion — given it’s the first 12 months of the 12-team bracket — concluded Sunday, although there was little debate as to which program would earn the No. 1 seed. Regardless of taking part in to the wire within the Massive Ten Championship Recreation on Saturday evening, Oregon (13-0) finally completed the 2024 season undefeated and captured the highest spot within the playoff making its return to the postseason subject for the primary time in a decade.
Recent off a win within the SEC Championship Recreation, Georgia (11-2) earned the No. 2 seed with Mountain West champion Boise State (12-1) and Massive 12 champion Arizona State (11-2) rounding out the highest 4 seeds — all convention title holders receiving first-round byes as a part of the brand new 12-team format.
Clemson (10-3), the lone Energy 4 champion to not obtain a bye, picked up the No. 12 seed and can open the primary spherical taking part in at No. 5 seed Texas (11-2). All first-round video games might be held on the websites of the lower-seeded groups positioned greater within the remaining CFP Rankings.
Rounding out the first-round matchups, No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2) will host No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2), No. 6 seed Penn State (11-2) welcomes No. 11 seed SMU (10-2) and No. 7 seed Notre Dame (11-1) will see No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1) come to city.
SMU was finally chosen because the final at-large workforce over Alabama (9-3), which didn’t compete in convention championship weekend and was finally deemed by the CFP Choice Committee to have suffered worse losses that overshadowed its higher wins.
Let’s check out the 12 groups that make up the primary expanded School Soccer Playoff.
2024-25 School Soccer Playoff bracket
* Automated bid | ^ First-round bye | ~ First-round host
CBS Sports activities design
No. 1 seed Oregon*^ (13-0): Returning to the playoff for the primary time because the inaugural subject (2014-15), the Geese accomplished an undefeated common season with notable wins at residence over Ohio State and Illinois and over Penn State within the Massive Ten title recreation.
No. 2 seed Georgia*^ (11-2): Winners of two out of the final three nationwide titles, the Bulldogs had hiccups with highway losses at Alabama and Ole Miss however picked up ranked wins over Clemson, Texas, Tennessee and the Longhorns a second time within the SEC title recreation.
No. 3 seed Boise State*^ (12-1): School soccer’s unique postseason Cinderella, the Broncos notably put their program on the map profitable the 2006 Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma. This marks Boise State’s first CFP bid with its one loss this season coming to Oregon, 37-34, again in Week 2.
No. 4 seed Arizona State*^ (11-2): Thirty-four-year-old coach Kenny Dillingham’s squad went 11-1 when beginning quarterback Sam Leavitt completed video games, and ASU picked up 4 ranked wins, together with a dominant 45-19 victory over Iowa State within the Massive 12 Championship Recreation. The Solar Devils gained 11 video games for the primary time since 1996 and can enter their first playoff.
No. 5 seed Texas~ (11-2): The SEC runner-up will search its first nationwide championship since 2005 regardless of dropping to Georgia twice this season. The Longhorns are again within the playoff for the second straight 12 months in search of their first victory within the occasion.
No. 6 seed Penn State~ (11-2): It was comparatively straightforward work for the Nittany Lions exterior of their two hardest opponents, Ohio State and Oregon; they misplaced every recreation by a landing however took the Geese to the wire Saturday evening. Penn State will play in its first playoff after believing it was snubbed from the 2016-17 subject.
No. 7 seed Notre Dame~ (11-1): Making their third CFP look, the Preventing Irish are again within the subject for the primary time since 2020-21. Notre Dame is in search of its first nationwide title since 1988 and can get its probability regardless of having the worst loss within the 12-team subject (vs. Northern Illinois).
No. 8 seed Ohio State~ (10-2): Wanting poised to beat a regular-season loss and get a second shot on the Geese, it was as an alternative the Buckeyes sitting residence on convention championship Saturday following a loss to rival Michigan of their regular-season finale. Ohio State is making its sixth CFP look in search of it first win because the inaugural four-team subject in 2014-15.
No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2): Making their playoff debut, the Volunteers’ loss to the Bulldogs was excusable, however a defeat at Arkansas early within the season stands as maybe the second-worst within the subject. Tennessee was a simple inclusion as a two-loss SEC workforce, however it might want to show itself if it hopes to succeed in the Promised Land for the primary time since 1998.
No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1): The underdog story of the 12 months, the Hoosiers went from 3-9 final season to 11-1 with a playoff bid in 12 months 1 below Curt Cignetti. Whether or not Indiana’s blistering offense can run by means of the CFP subject stays to be seen, however it dominated most opponents aside from the one ranked workforce it confronted, Ohio State, a recreation during which it fell 38-15 on the highway. IU is competing for its first nationwide title.
No. 11 seed SMU (10-2): Essentially the most controversial choice within the subject, the Mustangs’ high quality of total play gained out. SMU did have ranked wins over Louisville and Pittsburgh, however losses to BYU and Clemson (within the ACC Championship Recreation) have been deemed high quality sufficient to present the Mustangs a shot on the title. Of their first 12 months within the ACC, SMU has an opportunity to win its first nationwide championship since 1982.
No. 12 seed Clemson* (10-3): In by the pores and skin of their enamel, Dabo Swinney’s bunch toppled SMU within the ACC title recreation on Saturday to clinch an automated bid as the one three-loss workforce within the subject. The Tigers have a CFP pedigree, after all, making six straight appearances with title nationwide title wins in 2016 and 2018. Clemson earned a bid to the playoff for the primary time since 2020.
The 2024-25 School Soccer Playoff subject could also be set, however these 12 groups are usually not the one ones that matter coming into postseason. Try CBS Sports activities’ dwell bowl video games bulletins protection in addition to the complete 2024-25 bowl schedule.
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