College Football Playoff Teams Get Chilled to the Bone - Can They Handle the Frostbite?

Besides first-round games at on-campus sites, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff also serves up something now for this postseason: cold-weather northern venues as opposed to bowl games in warm, sunny climates. Whether that provides a home-field advantage for sixth-seeded teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes or Michigan Wolverines remains to be seen.

College football players are about to face an old-school challenge: cold weather. As the playoffs get underway, teams are trading in their flip flops for warm, insulated cleats and heavy, layered clothing to battle the freezing temperatures in the northern United States.

Typically, college football teams don’t have to worry too much about frostbite and hypothermia during games, given that many bowl games take place in sunny, warm climates. However, the expanded playoff system changes all that. For teams that are used to playing in warm weather, the prospect of taking on teams in the cold can be a daunting one.

“We know it’s going to be cold,” said one coach. “But we’re not going to let that be an excuse for us not to perform at our best. We’ve got this.” However, that remains to be seen as the weather conditions will undoubtedly play a role in the outcome of the games.

While the home-field advantage is one thing, there are many other factors to consider when it comes to cold-weather games. Wind chill, for instance, can severely hinder a quarterback’s ability to throw, while the icy turf can make it a challenge for players to get enough traction on the ground. In addition to these factors, cold-weather games require more physical effort from the players, which can lead to fatigue.

Players from southern teams that are accustomed to warm weather may struggle to adjust to the cold. They may experience reduced flexibility, numbness, or even loss of coordination due to the frigid temperatures. It’s not just the players who have to adjust; the footballs also behave differently in the cold.

The good news for visiting teams is that they don’t expect the weather to hinder their performance significantly. As one player put it, “It’s a mental thing. We know we can adjust to the cold. We just need to keep grinding and trust our training. If we execute our game plan, the temperature won’t be an issue at all.”

That's easier said than done, though. Whether or not visiting teams will be able to overcome the challenges associated with cold-weather football remains to be seen. Those challenges can only add to the excitement of this year’s College Football Playoff.