CLEMSON, S.C. — The newly expanded College Football Playoff (CFP) introduces a fresh challenge for coaches accustomed to preparing for just one or two games: the dilemma of rust versus rest.
The 12-team playoff bracket unveiled on Sunday showcases four teams—Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State—that have secured first-round byes. The playoff games for these top-seed teams are scheduled for December 31 and January 1.
Meanwhile, the first-round matchups will occur on December 20-21, featuring exciting games such as Clemson facing Texas, SMU against Penn State, Indiana clashing with Notre Dame, and Tennessee taking on Ohio State.
The CFP selection committee has given both sets of first-round teams an equal amount of preparation time. Clemson, Texas, SMU, and Penn State recently participated in championship games, while Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Tennessee last played on November 30.
As the teams enter the quarterfinals, the true effect of varying levels of rest will become apparent. The top four seeded teams anticipate a much-needed respite after a demanding season. Georgia’s head coach, Kirby Smart, highlighted the importance of this break during the SEC championship trophy presentation: “It means rest for a team that (SEC Commissioner) Greg Sankey and his staff sent on the road all year long. We get to take a little bit of a break and get ready for the College Football Playoff. This team needs some rest mentally, needs a little time off.”
However, these top-seed teams will encounter opponents who are riding a wave of momentum and have already experienced success in the playoffs. Pete Shinnick, head coach at Towson, notes that a bye week can alter a team’s dynamics. “You don’t stay the same during a bye week. Your team changes. You just hope it gets you better.”
Shinnick has firsthand experience with this. While coaching the Division II West Florida in 2019, he led the Argonauts to an upset victory over the top regional seed Valdosta State coming off a bye week, which initiated their surprising journey to the national championship. “We were a team of destiny, no doubt about it,” he reminisced.
He believes that elite teams like Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State, with extensive playoff experience, know how to maintain focus during breaks. For newcomers such as Boise State and Arizona State, adaptation will be essential. “It will be an adjustment,” he observed.
Some coaches dismiss the rust versus rest debate and concentrate on their championship aspirations. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, prior to his team securing their seventh CFP spot with a thrilling victory over SMU in the ACC championship, stated, “Are you asking me if I want to win a conference championship?”
Although byes are new to the CFP, uneven playoff bracketings have been a part of other NCAA divisions for years. Since 1978, the Championship Subdivision has organized a tournament, implementing a 12-team format in 1982 that mirrors this year’s CFP structure. The division expanded to 16 teams in 1986, 20 in 2010, and presently has 24 playoff teams as of 2013.
From 2013 through this season, excluding the COVID-affected 2020 season, only 18 out of 88 non-seeded teams managed to defeat FCS’s top eight seeded teams that benefitted from an additional week of rest. None of these 18 victors advanced past the semifinals.
Montana State head coach Brent Vigen, whose squad triumphed against UT-Martin 49-17 as the top overall seed in the FCS, recalls witnessing the positive impact of extra rest on North Dakota State’s championship runs during his tenure as an assistant coach. “It really allows you to reset in some ways, put the regular season behind you and certainly get healthier,” said Vigen.
During bye week practices, he emphasizes fundamental skills to ensure that the team stays sharp. “We go good (players) on good,” he said. “If you were just stone cold taking these weeks off, I think you’d be in trouble.”
Although South Carolina finished their regular season strong with a six-game win streak, they did not qualify for the playoffs. Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer expressed his concerns about losing out on bowl game experiences when discussing the CFP last month. “Let’s say you play on Saturday the first round. You’re going to leave on Friday, travel wherever you are. You play the game and if you lose your season’s over. That’s it. You don’t go to a bowl game.”
Vigen, previously an offensive coordinator at Wyoming, believes that the playoff format captures players’ attention much more effectively than the often-subdued wait for a bowl game. “You take multiple days off at a time,” he noted, referencing the lengthy breaks that can occur between regular-season games and bowl games.
For all participating playoff teams, Montana State’s Vigen emphasized the criticality of having a solid game plan to maintain focus and intensity. “You’re continually doing everything you can to keep your sword sharpened,” he said.
