Rust vs. rest: Extra time off or potentially losing edge brings another worry for CFP coaches
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, center, along with quarterback Quinn Ewers, left, and the rest of the Longhorns, after beating Texas A&M in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Sam Craft]
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — As if FBS coaches didn’t have enough to worry about, the expanded College Football Playoff brings something new: Rust vs. rest. The 12-team bracket has four first-round byes for the top four seeds. That’s a welcome break for teams that began practicing in early August. It’s also plenty of downtime to lose the edge that got you into the field in the first place. Football coaches in divisions outside the FBS have dealt with first-round byes for a decade or more. The consensus is to have a strong plan to make your situation work for your players.
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Georgia head coach Kirby Smart speaks with officials during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mike Stewart