The playoff committee has selected college football's final four. Fans across the country will be rooting for their favorite team, or team they believe can win the national title. However, one team might not have made it to college football's final four without one exceptional athlete from the state of Idaho. This football player had the choice of every major college football program in the country but chose to leave the Gem State to play for one of college football's winningest  programs.

Georgia, Michigan, TCU, and Ohio State are loaded with talent. Although only one has Idaho's best recruit who is from Gooding, Idaho. Colston Loveland is a former four star recruit who played tight end last year at Gooding High School. He now plays tight end for the nation's second ranked team the Michigan Wolverines.

How Popular Was Colston Loveland?

Wolverines Wire / USA Today described the demand for Mr. Loveland:

"Gooding, Idaho native, Colston Loveland, did manage to rise above the pack, rated a four-star recruit, the top player in the state, and the No. 10 tight end in the country in the 2022 class. He had an offer from the Broncos in Boise, but also got the attention of Alabama, Auburn, and LSU, with the three SEC powerhouses issuing him an offer."

The six foot five two hundred and thirty pound tight end has been a welcomed addition to the Wolverines. He's played in every one of Michigan's games this year scoring two touchdowns both on passes over forty yards.

Why Michigan? What about Alabama or Boise State?

Mr. Loveland told Wolverines Wire that the culture of Michigan along with the academics felt like the right place for him. One Idaho college saw his potential during his sophomore year in high school. He shared that the coaches at Michigan made him feel like he was at home in Idaho.

Loveland's Bright Michigan Future

MazenBlue says that there could be a bigger role for the tight end next year.

"His teammates love him, head coach Jim Harbaugh loves him, and in all probability he’s going to be Michigan’s TE1 next year. Donovan Edwards recapped Loveland’s touchdown against Purdue in hilarious fashion, saying he Mossed both Purdue defenders."

It's one thing for players to love another player, but what about Michigan Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh. The coach one of the harshest evaluators of talent. He played for legendary Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler. The former Michigan Wolverine was known as 'Captain Comeback' during his playing days in the NFL.

Coach Harbaugh began his college coaching career before becoming the head coach of the NFL's San Fransisco 49ers. The team came within one play of winning the Super Bowl against the coach's brother John Harbaugh.

“The way the freshman, Colston Loveland, is playing, I think just everybody sees it. This player is gonna be really good. Probably the longer takes him to figure out how good he’s gonna be, the better off he’ll be. He’s just got that mindset. You can tell him, ‘good job.’ And he’s like, ‘thanks.’ It’s nothing that’s going to his head. Just does it the way he’s supposed to be doing it. I noticed that about him when I went to recruit him in Gooding, Idaho. Great town, genuine, down-to-earth, good people everywhere. They really hadn’t — nobody had really seen a Colston Loveland-type athlete and football player. They don’t come around, they don’t come along every year.

Michigan will take on TCU in the college football playoff. Don't forget to look for Idaho's own number eighteen representing the Gem State.

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