Arizona State and Boise State hold key to saving current College Football Playoff format

Arizona State and Boise State losing decisively to Texas and Penn State, respectively, could end the current College Football Playoff. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger sounded the alarm on the Sun Devils and Broncos’ spots in this dire situation as he assessed all of the CFP’s future options.

“...the success in the playoff of football programs outside of (the Big Ten and SEC)  is so important,” Dellenger prefaced before saying, “Can the ACC, Big 12 and, perhaps even, the Group of Five make a dent in the perception (and maybe reality) that the SEC and Big Ten (Notre Dame too) are in another stratosphere? Can they do enough to strengthen their arguments related to opportunities in future playoffs?

“Left carrying the banner for college football’s other guys, the performances of Boise and ASU may impact arguments on future format changes.”

Arizona State will face a Texas team whose traditionally stout defense looked vulnerable against Clemson, ceding 24 points to a Tigers team that wouldn’t go away, but whose offense turned a corner after Quinn Ewers’ injury-riddled season.

Boise State, meanwhile, plays a Penn State program playing its best football right now, giving Oregon a run for its money in the Big Ten Championship Game and steamrolling SMU in the CFP’s first round. Of course, the Broncos came closer to defeating the Ducks, and it was at Autzen Stadium where BSU lost 37-34.

Given Arizona State and Boise State’s overreliance on the run game, more blowouts may be possible if Texas and Penn State overwhelm in the trenches. It’ll take heroic performances from Ashton Jeanty and Cameron Skattebo to stop the CFP’s second round from being as boring as the first round.