Two of the College Football Playoff’s participants have made significant investments in their training facilities to ensure that this season’s appearance is not their last.
TCU recently announced it would begin a new project to renovate and expand its athletic facilities to the tune of an estimated $40 million.
The project — spurred on by a $10 million donation from the Jane & John Justin Foundation — will include:
- Modernization of the existing 20,000-square-foot Bob Lilly Performance Center.
- The Football Performance Center with 20,000 square feet of strength and conditioning space, conference rooms, and technology centers.
- The Restoration and Wellness Center, which will be open to all TCU student-athletes, will focus on accelerating recovery and preventing injury.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2024.
As a private university, TCU, which makes its playoff semifinal debut Saturday at 4 p.m. ET against Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, has an enrollment of just over 10,000 students — at least a third of the size of each of the other three playoff schools.
Training a Champion
In the other playoff semifinal, defending-champion Georgia also boasts new football facilities.
The SEC power unveiled new expansion and renovation to its Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall in May — an $80 million project that yielded a new locker room, lounge area, nutrition bar, barbershop, and state-of-the-art weight room.
The Bulldogs begin their title defense Saturday at 8 p.m. ET against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl.