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PROTEST PLAYOFF 2023: Data and Analysis

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The final 16-team 2023 playoff bracket
The final 16-team 2023 playoff bracket | Courtesy Bracket HQ

In which BracketCat analyzes a variety of data from the 2023 16-team playoff simulation and draws conclusions.

The 2022 College Football Playoff 16-team field will be unveiled at noon Sunday.

Today, I have just a “few” tables for your digestion. Below, you will find:

  • Final playoff bracket and game results
  • What the final AP Poll might have looked like after this playoff
  • The top 5 winners and losers from expanding the 4-team field into a 16-team field (IMHO)
  • A running tally of real and mythical champions and national runners-up, for comparisons
  • Appearances and win-loss records of all conferences (both pre- and post-2023 realignment), coaches, seeds, and teams in the Protest Playoff (all cumulative)

If there’s anything else you’d like me to track in these, just let me know!

Final Playoff Bracket and Results

Final 2023-24 Associated Press Poll (with final game result)

  1. Michigan (17-0) — beat Washington 26-14 in the National Championship
  2. Washington (16-1) — lost to Michigan 26-14 in the National Championship
  3. Texas (14-2) — lost to Washington 44-13 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal
  4. Florida State (14-1) — lost to LSU 41-13 in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal
  5. Georgia (13-2) — lost to Texas 52-23 in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal
  6. Ohio State (12-2) — lost to Washington 59-41 in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal
  7. Alabama (12-2) — lost to LSU 33-29 in the CFP first round
  8. Missouri (11-3) — lost to Michigan 52-27 in the Peach Bowl semifinal
  9. Oregon (11-3) — lost to Missouri 41-38 in the CFP first round
  10. LSU (11-4) — lost to Michigan in the Rose Bowl semifinal
  11. Ole Miss (10-3) — lost at Georgia 24-7 in the CFP first round
  12. Penn State (10-3) — lost at Ohio State 34-13 in the CFP first round
  13. Notre Dame (10-3) — beat Oregon State 40-8 in the Sun Bowl
  14. Oklahoma (10-3) — lost at Florida State 27-20 in the CFP first round
  15. Oklahoma State (10-4) — beat Texas A&M 31-23 in the Texas Bowl
  16. Louisville (10-4) — lost at Washington 38-14 in the CFP first round
  17. Arizona (9-4) — lost at Texas 45-35 in the CFP first round
  18. Tennessee (9-4) — beat Iowa 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl
  19. Kansas State (9-4) — beat NC State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl
  20. Clemson (9-4) — beat Kentucky 38-35 in the Gator Bowl
  21. NC State (9-4) — lost to Kansas State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl
  22. SMU (11-3) — lost to Boston College 23-14 in the Fenway Bowl
  23. Kansas (9-4) — beat UNLV 49-36 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl
  24. Iowa (10-4) — lost to Tennessee 35-0 in the Citrus Bowl
  25. Liberty (13-1) — lost at Michigan 40-10 in the CFP first round

Top 5 Winners of 16-Team CFP over 4-Team CFP/New Year’s 6

  1. LSU: A team with three regular-season losses was able to, upon being granted a second chance, avenge losses to Alabama and Florida State and nearly up-end the final champion.
  2. Missouri: Instead of slugging their way to a meaningless Cotton Bowl victory over a depleted Ohio State team, the Tigers upset Oregon on the road and get to battle Michigan.
  3. Florida State: Simply being included in the field probably would have been good enough for Seminoles fans, but a vengeance win for the 2000 team over Oklahoma? Chef’s kiss!
  4. Liberty: Sure they got blasted by Michigan, but supplanting vaunted Notre Dame for the final playoff bid? That’s the crowning achievement of the entire Liberty athletics program.
  5. Oklahoma: Might seem like a weird pick, but losing by one touchdown at undefeated Florida State has to be a better finish for Sooner Nation than what Arizona did to them.

Top 5 Losers of 16-Team CFP over 4-Team CFP/New Year’s 6

  1. Alabama: Instead of being grandfathered into the Final Four, they get exposed in Round 1.
  2. Oregon: Losing to an SEC team at home is not as satisfying as a Fiesta Bowl blowout win.
  3. Georgia/Ohio State: Repeat conference opponents in the same venues? Lame. It makes me want to redo this playoff next year, with a rule preventing such first-round matchups.
  4. The Big 12: For the second straight year, this is one of those years where the 4-4-2-2-1-3 model would have been beneficial to the beleaguered league, rather than the 5-3-3-2-2-1 we actually get. To make matters worse, the two representatives then left for the SEC in 2024.
  5. The Pac-12: Continued insult to injury for the dying league, which would have placed three teams in the field and now is guaranteed precisely zero while watching super leagues form.

Playoff Records

BracketCat’s Protest Playoff Archives

2024: Kickoff | Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data

2023: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC

2008: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange

2007: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data

2006: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data

2005: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data

2004: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data

2003: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data

2002: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data

2001: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data

2000: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data | Encore

1999: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data | Encore

1998: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data | Encore