For the next three days, I’m doing a quick info on how 12 playoff teams arrived for their first annual extensive postseason. Here is Part 1 involving the road teams. This upcoming weekend of playoff football should be very exciting to tune into. Whether the games are great or awful, THE postseason is here.

12) CLEMSON (10-3)

Clemson wasn’t pretty and their performance was ugly, but luck was on their side probably three times. They got smoked by Georgia but won the next six games without much resistance. They lose to Louisville and South Carolina in two of the last five games that dimmed their playoff hopes. Miami’s loss gave Clemson one last mulligan to successfully (with luck) to make the playoffs. What a rollercoaster of a season, but they’re here no matter if they’re the overall seed or the last team to qualify.

Dabo Swinney said that he doesn’t need the transfer portal and uses NIL on his players and recruits in hopes of proving they can run the table without modern society’s suggestion. It bit them in the ass probably three times. However, they won the games they were supposed to win to make the playoffs. Everyone’s well aware of their defense and Phil Mafah being the center of this program, but Cade Klubnik is a wild card, the offensive line isn’t that good, and the receivers are prone to drops. Those create a recipe for disaster which cannot happen in the postseason.

Of all 12 playoff teams, Clemson arrives as probably the worst team because of offensive inconsistencies. If they solidify themselves at the right time, they are world beaters and National Championship contenders. Fans must hope Klubnik puts it together and plays elite football as a five-star quarterback should.

11) SMU (11-2)

Love or hate SMU because they deserved it more than Alabama, they’re here to stay and we’re here for the ride…even if it’s for one game. They went from suffering long term effects of the death penalty from the 1980s and onward to becoming relevant again since 2017.

Once SMU was good enough to compete for a conference championship, they took every measure possible to compete for it. They carried over their AAC success (and title) to the ACC. From the moment I watched that game in person in Week 0, they had something for sure while I was wrong the whole time. When Preston Stone was the projected starter to run the offense, projected backup quarterback Kevin Jennings led the team to an 11-2 record with an ACC title appearance in their first season as an ACC program. He’s a stellar quarterback who will play a huge roll in how far they go.

They could be considered a Cinderella team, but they’re ready for tougher competition. How they fare is up to them. Despite whatever the relevant record and strength of schedule is and blah, blah, blah, they defeated a couple of former ranked teams and fought hard for 60 minutes to be there. If they somehow make a deep run, they can fully put the death penalty history behind them for good.

10) INDIANA (11-1)

Where was Curt Cignetti when Indiana needed him? Well, a lot of trials and tribulations had to happen before the supposed savior of Bloomington, Indiana dawned upon them. Cignetti has a great history of success as coordinator and coach. He wasn’t BSing when he said “I win. Google me.” He also wasn’t BSing when he said that Purdue, Michigan, and Ohio State sucks. He went 2 of 3, but the latter may be mentioned by Michigan fans as an agreement. Cigs won everywhere, including Indiana in his first season, finishing the regular season with double-digit wins for the first time in history and setting a mark that the program and community aren’t used to and very hungry for that doesn’t involve basketball.

Coach Cigs, his James Madison transfers, and former Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke took their successes down to Indiana and immediately dominated the schedule that they were supposed to win. Before the season, they could’ve been underdogs in half of their games. Once it started, they were favored in every one of them except Ohio State. They literally wrecked 10 opponents in 12 games by double digits thanks to their defense, Rourke, Tayven Jackson, Justice Ellison, Ty Son Lawton, and a group of receivers.

Indiana could be another Cinderella that could make a run when people least expect it. It’s up to the roster to prepare for tougher competition against their in-state rival, Notre Dame. They are gritty, they don’t relent, and will put everything they have on the field, win or lose. Cigs created a culture and built his team on strong mentality and will. Don’t overlook the Hoosiers.

9) TENNESSEE (10-2)

The Volunteers had playoff expectations this season. Their five-star quarterback didn’t obliterate Iowa in a bowl game as proof he’s the future for nothing. Heck, they even improved on defense to where they only allowed 20 points twice since the year 2024 began (including a 2023 bowl against Iowa). Coach Josh Heupel built his roster and team to where they finally made the postseason after winning their National Championship back in 1998.

Hope and doubt were fluctuating, but Tennessee overcame it and won most of the games they were supposed to win. They even upset Alabama to leverage postseason positioning. So what if they lost to unranked Arkansas and Georgia, the Vols found the opportunity at the right time while not wasting their energy on playoff arguments. As for quarterback Nico Iamaleava, running back Dylan Sampson, and pass rusher James Pearce Jr., they will lead the Vols as far as they can.

For Tennessee to run the table in the postseason, they must go through Ohio State. There’s no other team to look forward to except them because this is a prove it game. If the Vols are for real, their offense must be ready for Jim Knowles’ Buckeye defense and environment (even if fans hate their own program and coach right now). It’ll be cold and overcast may be a factor if it comes to it, but this is where Tennessee will be mightily tested if they want to make a deep run.