2021 FBS Season (American2006's One-Offs)

The **2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season** was the 152nd season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision. The regular season began on August 28, 2021, and ended on December 11, 2021. Postseason play began soon after.

The new system of post-season play involved a rotational format where the top 32 teams would all contend in postseason in a snake draft order. Playoffs where split into four brackets that would lead up to the Alamo Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. The top seed would select which stadium their bracket would play in, and then the second seed for their bracket, and so on. Alabama, with the first overall seed, selected the Peach Bowl. Michigan, with the second overall seed, selected the Cotton Bowl. Georgia, with the third overall seed, selected the Alamo Bowl and Cincinnati with the fourth overall seed selected the Fiesta Bowl. The winners of the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl would play in the Sugar Bowl and the winners of the Cotton Bowl and Alamo Bowl would play in the Orange Bowl. The winners of the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl would play in the Rose Bowl for the national championship. The large championship bracket was meant to deter a plethora of bowl games and to increase parity. After this season, it also had the affect of shortening the standard CFB season to nine games, although teams that did not play in the previous years Championship bracket would play in "Week 0"

The most highly anticipated bracket was the Alamo Bracket, in which fans expected (and recieved) a matchup of Georgia and Ohio State, in which Georgia emerged victorious by a field goal. Additionally, Georgia's overtime win over Clemson reached millions of viewers. However, the most watched games as well as the most competitive where in the Fiesta Bracket. Anticipated was a matchup between (4) Cincinnati and (5) Notre Dame. However, in the second weekend, BYU beat Cincinnati on a last second go-ahead touchdown pass while Pittsburgh and Notre Dame played one of the greatest games in recent history, with Kenny Pickett breaking Patrick Mahomes single-game passing yard record in throwing for 834 yards (15 more than Mahomes). Pittsburgh played BYU in a thriller of a game that same the Cougars emerge victorious out of the gunslinging competition between Pickett and BYU QB Jaren Hall.

## Seeding

1. Alabama (Peach)
2. Michigan (Cotton)
3. Georgia (Alamo)
4. Cincinnati (Fiesta)
5. Notre Dame (Fiesta)
6. Ohio State (Alamo)
7. Baylor (Cotton)
8. Ole Miss (Peach)
9. Oklahoma State (Peach)
10. Michigan State (Cotton)
11. Utah (Alamo)
12. Pittsburgh (Fiesta)
13. BYU (Fiesta)
14. Oregon (Alamo)
15. Iowa (Cotton)
16. Oklahoma (Peach)
17. Wake Forest (Peach)
18. NC State (Cotton)
19. Clemson (Alamo)
20. Houston (Fiesta)
21. Arkansas (Fiesta)
22. Kentucky (Alamo)
23. Louisiana (Cotton)
24. San Diego State (Peach)
25. Texas A&M (Peach)
26. UTSA (Cotton)
27. Wisconsin (Alamo)
28. Utah State (Fiesta)
29. Minnesota (Fiesta)
30. Air Force (Alamo)
31. Penn State (Cotton)
32. Fresno State (Peach)

## Peach Bowl Bracket

The Peach Bowl, chosen by No. 1 Alabama, hosted the bracket between Alabama, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Wake Forest, San Diego State, Texas A&M, and Fresno State.

First Weekend

* **(1) Alabama** vs. (32) Fresno State
* (8) Ole Miss vs. **(25) Texas A&M**
* **(9) Oklahoma State** vs. (24) San Diego State
* **(16) Oklahoma** vs. (17) Wake Forest

Second Weekend

* **(1) Alabama** vs. (16) Oklahoma
* (9) Oklahoma State vs. **(25) Texas A&M**

Peach Bowl Classic

* **(1) Alabama** vs. (25) Texas A&M

## Cotton Bowl Bracket

The Cotton Bowl, chosen by No. 2 Michigan, hosted the bracket between Michigan, Baylor, Michigan State, Iowa, NC State, Louisiana, UTSA, and Penn State.

First Weekend

* **(2) Michigan** vs. (31) Penn State
* (7) Baylor vs. **(26) UTSA**
* **(10) Michigan State** vs. (23) Louisiana
* (15) Iowa vs. **(18) NC State**

Second Weekend

* **(2) Michigan** vs. (26) UTSA
* **(10) Michigan State** vs. (18) NC State

Cotton Bowl Classic

* (2) Michigan vs. **(10) Michigan State**

## Alamo Bowl Bracket

The Alamo Bowl, chosen by No. 3 Georgia, hosted the bracket between Georgia, Ohio State, Utah, Oregon, Clemson, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Air Force.

First Weekend

* **(3) Georgia** vs. (30) Air Force
* **(7) Ohio State** vs. (27) Wisconsin
* **(11) Utah** vs. (22) Kentucky
* (14) Oregon vs. **(19) Clemson**

Second Weekend

* **(3) Georgia** vs. (19) Clemson (OT)
* **(7) Ohio State** vs. (11) Utah

Alamo Bowl Classic

* **(3) Georgia** vs. (7) Ohio State

## Fiesta Bowl Bracket

The Fiesta Bowl, chosen by No. 4 Cincinnati, hosted the bracket between Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, BYU, Houston, Arkansas, Utah State, and Minnesota

First Weekend

* **(4) Cincinnati** vs. (29) Minnesota
* **(5) Notre Dame** vs. (28) Utah State
* **(12) Pittsburgh** vs. (21) Arkansas
* **(13) BYU** vs. (20) Houston

Second Weekend

* (4) Cincinnati vs. **(13) BYU**
* (5) Notre Dame vs. **(12) Pittsburgh**

Fiesta Bowl Classic

* (12) Pittsburgh vs. **(13) BYU**

## Sugar Bowl

(1) Alabama was favored over (13) BYU by 17 points in the game. BYU won the coin toss and choose to receive. After rushing for two yards on first down and a three yard pass on second down, BYU looked poised for a 3-and-out. However, Jaren Hall connected with an Offensive Lineman for a 88 yard touchdown pass, a play that ranks among the Cougar's best. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young responded in kind, with a 5-play touchdown drive. The shoot-out began, with the game being tied at 28-28 at halftime. However, the drive that would be best remembered would start at the Cougar's 34 yard line. With 1:02 left in the game against one of the nation's best defenses, the Cougars rallied to burn up 0:53. Down 49-49, the Cougars choose to go for the two point conversion. The play itself burned up the remaining nine seconds plus many more, as Jaren Hall scrambled back to the 40-yard-line to avoid a game-ending sack before connecting for a 26-yard pass, which was followed up with 14 yards on the ground. In the upset of the century, (13) BYU beat (1) Alabama 50-49 to go to their first opportunity at a national title since 1984.

## Orange Bowl

After beating out (7) Ohio State in a close matchup, (3) Georgia faced (10) Michigan State, who upset their rival (2) Michigan, who they also beat in the regular season. The Orange Bowl took place the day following an exciting Sugar Bowl matchup, and the Orange Bowl's winner would be favored to win the national championship. Georgia took an early 17 point lead, 24-7, only for Michigan State to score 21 unanswered going into the half. Both teams struggled to find paydirt in the second quarter, with a Georgia field goal being the only addition to the score. Michigan State scored a touchdown to start to fourth quarter to lead 35-27. In a 6:23 drive, Georgia managed a touchdown, but it failed to convert for two points. With only 2:14 left, Georgia was down 35-34. All Michigan State would need to do would be hold onto the ball. However, Michigan State's first play, the Georgia defense managed to punch out the ball and recover the fumble on their own 46-yard-line. With 1:43 remaining in the game, Georgia managed two first downs to kick a field goal to lead 37-35. However, they muffed the kickoff and allowed Michigan State to score a safety, tieing the game at 37-37. Michigan State began the drive on their own 25-yard-line, however Georgia managed a Pix-6 as the clock expired to score 43-37.

## Rose Bowl (Championship Game)

The University of Georgia (3) and Brigham Young University (13) where the final two teams in the playoff bracket in title contention. The game was played in neither Atlanta, Georgia, nor Provo, Utah, but in Pasadena, California, in the Rose Bowl stadium where all future championship games where to be played.

The University of Georgia finished the regular season at #3 nationally, behind #1 Alabama and #2 Michigan. However, in the Cotton Bowl Classic, Michigan lost to #10 Michigan State, one of two upset in the four qualifying bowl games. #1 Alabama lost to Brigham Young in the Sugar Bowl, leaving Georgia the highest ranked team remaining. Georgia beat Air Force, Clemson, Ohio State, and Michigan State to make its way to the national championship game.

Brigham Young University finished the regular season at #13 nationally. Outside of its first win in the Fiesta Bowl Bracket, all of BYU's wins where upsets. BYU beat Houston, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Alabama to make its way to the national championship game.

This was a unique national championship game as neither team was the champion of their conference. Georgia lost to Alabama in the SEC Championship game, and BYU was an Independent.

Betting heavily favored the Georgia Bulldogs to win, however, it was expected to be close. BYU recieved the first possession and translated it into a touchdown. Georgia responded in kind. However, after the defenses settled in, the only other score in the half would be a field goal by Georgia halfway through the second quarter.

Coming out of the half down 10-7, BYU managed to score a touchdown to lead 14-10. Georgia responded with a field goal to trail 14-13. BYU had a promising drive but was stopped at Georgia's 34 yard line. The Field Goal was Wide Right. Georgia managed to make something of its next drive to take the lead 20-14. BYU responded with a touchdown but missed the PAT. With four minutes left in the game, Georgia burned out the clock to score a game-winning field goal to win 23-20.

This was Georgia's first championship since 1980. Had they won, it would have been BYU's first championship since 1984.