The 16 Team Team NCAA Division I Football Playoff

Here is my 16 team college football playoff.  It is based on an article I wrote earlier this year with the 11 conference champions plus the five highest rated at large teams based on final BCS rankings (see, they can be good for something!).  I tried to fit games in for TV coverage, but its just for fun, so they may be unrealistic.

I will update these games with my picks as bowl season approaches and advance it all the way to a champion on Jan 9^th (which is the date of my championship game)!  I’d love to see your comments about possible winners & scenarios too!  The highest remaining seed will have first choice for its quarterfinal game location, with the options being any one of the four major bowl locations.

The # 1 seed overall is Alabama (SEC Champ).  They face the #16 seed and champion of the Sun Belt Conference, Troy.  As number 1 seed, Alabama had first choice of venue and chose the Capital One Bowl.  They will play their game on Dec 19^th at 11AM Eastern.  Following that game (approx 3:00ET), and also at the Capital One Bowl is #8 seed Ohio State (Big 10 Champ) vs. #9 seed Georgia Tech (ACC Champ).

The # 2 seed overall is Texas (Big 12 Champ).  They face the #15 seed and Conference-USA Champions, East Carolina.    The Longhorns chose to play at the Cotton Bowl and will face the Pirates at 10:00PM ET on Dec 20^th.  The 1^st game at the Cotton Bowl will feature 7^th seeded Oregon (PAC 10 Champ) against 10^th seeded Iowa (at large).  The Ducks and Hawkeyes kick-off at 6:00PM ET.

The 3 seed is Cincinnati (Big East Champ).   They face off against their neighbors from the north, the Central Michigan Chippewa (MAC Champ).  Perhaps wanting a later start or an extra day to prepare for round 2, the Bearcats chose to play at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.  They play on December 19^th at 10:00PM ET.  The first game in the double-header pits the 6^th seeded Boise State Broncos (WAC Champ) against #11 Virginia Tech (at large) in a 6:00PM ET game.

#4^th seeded TCU (MWC Champ), in the most difficult bracket, was stuck with the Outback Bowl as their only option.  They face at large opponent and 13^th seeded Penn State in an 11:00AM ET game on Dec 20^th.  The other half of this double-header features the only conference rematch and the only at large battle in the first round with 5^th seeded Florida taking on 12^th seeded LSU.  The game will be played at 3:00 PM ET.

Round two takes place on Dec 26^th & 27^th at the Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar Bowls!