Five teams that are dark horses for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoffs

These teams are all a stone’s throw from the No. 1 spot in their conference and are projected to have incredible seasons.

Each of them is expected to fall just short of a conference title in 2024 and they won’t earn automatic berths into the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoffs.

However, these teams could earn their chance at a national title with a good overall record and minimal losses to their non-conference (and, hopefully, highly ranked) opponents.

Here are five teams that could be dark horses for a spot in the 12-team CFPs this season:

No, the Iowa Hawkeyes are not going to be an offensive powerhouse all of a sudden in 2024.

BUT, Kirk Ferentz made improvements to the offensive line and skill positions to give the Hawkeyes' scoreboard a boost.

Not to mention, Iowa is expected to once again have one of the most dominant defenses in the Big Ten.

While the team may not keep pace with Ohio State or Oregon, Iowa has a chance at earning one of the 12 playoff spots.

Call me crazy if you want but the Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are going to be on a revenge tour (kind of similar to Taylor Swift's Era Tour) during the 2024 season.

Sanders has to redeem his abysmal performance from the 2023 season, where the Buffs finished with a 4-8 overall record, failing to reach a bowl game.

Colorado will most likely be neck and neck with teams like Kansas and Kansas State who were near the top of the Big 12 last year, and it may earn Sanders his chance at the CFPs.

Texas A&M is supposed to be good but not great this season. With powerhouse programs like Georgia, Alabama, and now Texas projected to dominate the SEC, the Aggies fall short of the top.

However, the Aggies host the Horns at Kyle Field and if Texas A&M, now led by head coach Mike Elko, can upset Steve Sarkisian's Texas squad, they may just earn a spot in the top 12.

Similarly, if Texas A&M can topple Notre Dame at the start of the season and LSU during conference play, the Aggies will have big wins in the strength of schedule argument.

Despite Mike Gundy's less-than-desirable offseason antics, the Oklahoma State Cowboys will be undeniably good in 2024.

While the Utah Utes may reign supreme by the end of the regular season, the Pokes wil be right near the top of the Big 12 and will more likely than not, have a good enough record to earn a CFP berth.

Last season, the Cowboys failed to capture the Big 12 title after falling to the Texas Longhorns in the conference championship game.

Most likely, the Florida State Seminoles or Miami Hurricanes will sit atop the ACC at the end of the 2024 regular season.

However, Virgina Tech has a good, no a great, chance at mixing things up when they visit the Canes and host the Clemson Tigers during conference play.

If the Hokies can pull of both of those wins and keep their heads above water throughout the rest of the season, they have a good shot at earning a CFP berth.

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