College Football Playoff expansion in 2024 opens the door for more teams to contend for national championships, and it benefits some programs more than others. Schools like Tennessee and Penn State, which regularly stand on the verge of conference titles but have yet to break through during the playoff era, could make their debuts in the new 12-team field sooner rather than later.
One of the benefits of a larger postseason field is that more teams will be in the conversation late in the season, and a bigger chunk of November games will carry playoff implications. Handfuls of teams figure to have high stakes on the line when they take the field towards the end of the regular season.
In addition to the Vols and Nittany Lions, there is a hefty group of first-time playoff candidates for the 2024 season that includes up-and-coming programs, sleeping giants and perennial conference championship contenders.
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Below are eight teams that could make their CFP debuts as early as this season.