By Aditya Nair
The current college football season is coming to an end. With several shocking upsets, this has been a very compelling season. Many thoughts remain on who will be the 2022-2023 NCAA college football champion.
As of mid-December, the best teams in NCAA college football were Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State, all holding spots as the top four groups. In addition, Penn State currently serves as a highlight of the season. For some time, the Penn State Nittany Lions were seen by football fans as a well-established and structured team. However, for the past four years, many people feel the Nittany Lions have not been playing at their best capability.
“They need to win games that matter the most in the long haul,” seventh grader Nicholas Melo said.
But in other ways, this year is a very notable year for Penn State. They have achieved the number eight spot in the rankings, putting them over Clemson and LSU. Not only is their record important, the team has led many fans into excitement. Some credit their offensive line, linebackers and running backs for the milestones Penn State has achieved this season.
There are also other teams that have seen success this season, such as Georgia and Michigan, who have both flourished in years past. Some people say that the reason why Georgia is playing well is due to the toughness of its players and for recruiting the biggest and most talented athletes. Michigan is also advancing because of their defense, which is ranked the best in the NCAA.
Along with the college championships, there are championships for each league. Clemson won the Atlantic Coast Championship on Sunday, December 4, against the North Carolina Tar Heels 39-10. There was also a Big 12 conference final where Kansas State won against TCU, serving as a big upset for the winning team.
As many fans predicted, Michigan was able to win against Purdue 43-22 in the Big Ten Championship that followed. Lastly, there was a Southeastern Conference championship game, which consisted of the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs. This was a high scoring and close game, but Georgia was able to come out on top 50-30.
For many teams, this has been a challenging season. Despite making the college football playoffs 11 times since 2009, the Alabama Crimson Tide did not make it this year. The team has had many weaknesses this season, such as their running game, which along with their offensive line has been very inconsistent. Additionally, many of their receivers have struggled with their passing games and running the correct routes. Lastly, their defense has been missing coverages and receiving penalties on both sides of the ball, which is said to be due to a lack of focus and discipline.
“The Tide were the kings of college football. They were unmatched. It’s surprising to see them not make the CFP,” sophomore Jacob Keiper said.
In the season’s end, the league is deciding to make new changes to the format of the game. For example, they are planning on changing the college football playoffs to a 12-team bracket tournament. Teams may benefit from this change because it may give them a better chance of winning.
“I think that the 12-team bracket is one of the better ideas the NCAA has developed over the years. It’s gonna make college football more exciting,” sophomore Charlie Vasquez said.
The CFP championship is coming up and fans are still not sure who will take it all home. Given their undefeated record, the probability goes to the Georgia Bulldogs winning, but as always, anything could happen.
Artwork by Ashwathi Chemban
The Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Pittsburgh Panthers and Michigan Wolverines compete in a plethora of games to come out on top in the CFP.