Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

Dark Horse Teams to Make 12-Team College Football Playoff

by Joey House - 8/22/2024

Dark horse teams to make the College Football Playoff Brett Gabbert Miami Ohio

The 2024 season marks a transformative era in college football, with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams. This change brings unprecedented excitement as fans eagerly anticipate which underdog teams will rise to the challenge. A Group of Five team is now guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, giving mid-major programs a chance to showcase their talent and resilience. As the landscape of college football evolves, these teams are ready to make their mark and potentially secure a coveted playoff berth. It's a given that traditional powerhouses like Georgia and Ohio State will make the playoffs in college football. Still, with the new playoff format, it's a sure bet that a "Cinderella" team will also crash the party.

Doc’s Sports offers college football expert picks for every game on our college football predictions page.

Liberty Flames (13-1 record in 2023)

Returning Starters: 14 (6 offense, 8 defense)

Odds to make CFP: +375

Odds to win National Championship: +50000

Season Win Totals: Over 10.5 (-140) Under 10.5 (+110)

With an appearance (and thorough 45-6 thrashing by Oregon) in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl, Liberty is gearing up for another audition to play Cinderella. Since entering the FBS, first as an independent in 2018 before moving to Conference USA in 2023, the Flames have never had a losing season (they went 6-6 in their inaugural FBS campaign). In his second year as head coach, Jamey Chadwell's offense welcomes back two 1,000-yard rushers. Fifth-year senior running back Quinton Cooley had a standout 2023 season, rushing for an impressive 1,401 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns, ranking 7th nationally in both categories. Junior quarterback Kaidon Salter also had an outstanding season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns while throwing for 2,876 yards with 32 TDs and just six interceptions. However, Liberty's schedule is a cause for concern. They have the 131st toughest schedule out of 134 teams in the country. While they can't help their conference's strength (or lack thereof), Liberty didn't do themselves any favors by stacking up a nonconference "Murderer's Row" of Campbell, East Carolina, and Massachusetts. Even though their toughest game is against Appalachian State from the Sunbelt, when your conference is the weakest in the FBS, you need to bolster it with a tougher foe than App State. Even though they have the shortest odds of the Group of Five, there is better value with one of the other teams to follow.

Boise State Broncos (8-6 in 2023)

Returning Starters: 17 (6 offense, 11 defense)

Odds to make CFP: +400

Odds to win National Championship: +50000

Season Win Totals: Over 9 (-150) Under 9 (+125)

Boise State was Cinderella before Liberty was even in the FBS, having run the iconic "Statue-of-Liberty" play in the Broncos' shocking 43-42 defeat over #7 Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. A head coaching change towards the end of the season sparked the lethargic 5-5 Broncos, who finished the regular season 3-0 before losing to UCLA in the LA Bowl. Junior running back Ashton Jeanty had 1,916 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns en route to earning fourth-team All-American status last year. With senior honorable mention All-American defensive end Ahmed Hassanein anchoring a stop unit that features 11 previous starters, expectations are higher than the 2,695-foot altitude of Albertsons Stadium, the home of the blue "Smurf Turf" that Boise State plays their home games on. Liberty should take notes on how Boise State schedules out-of-conference football games. The Broncos have a competitive nonconference slate, with trips to Georgia Southern and Oregon to open the season. They're also among the handful of Mountain West teams to play Oregon State and Washington State. Going north of their nine-win total, which I expect them to do, will put the Broncos in great shape to make the expanded CFP. At +400, Boise State is a definite "Buy Now" team.

Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (11-3 in 2023)

Returning Starters: 12 (6 offense, 6 defense)

Odds to make CFP: +2200

Odds to win National Championship: +150000

Season Win Totals: Over 8 (+100) Under 8 (-120)

Coming off the heels of their first double-digit-win season in 13 seasons, some of the Redhawks faithful say this year's edition is the best since Ben Rothlisberger was tossing touchdowns for the Red & White. That's an interesting comparison, as the 6th-year QB, Brett Gabbert, ranks right behind Big Ben on Miami's all-time passing yards. The offense will rely heavily on the arm on this "Super Senior," as both leading running backs have departed. The receiving corps also lost its top producer but should be a deeper group this season with the return of their top tight end. However, if the Redhawks hope to get their Cinderella dance ticket punched, it will come from a defense that was the best in the MAC last year (and 8th-best in the nation), giving up just 15.9 points a game. Miami's hosting Cincinnati on Week 3 and their subsequent visit to South Bend the following week gives the Redhawks' schedule the out-of-conference legitimacy required to pass the "schedule eye-test." If Miami can pull off a mild upset in Week 1 against Northwestern (they're currently 4-point underdogs) and give the Fighting Irish a good fight, a nine- or 10-win Redhawks team will get serious consideration over an 11-1 Liberty team that played nobody. At +2200, Miami (Ohio) is a fantastic longshot to take a flyer on to play Cinderella this post-season.

Get college football picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Most Recent College Football Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers