Welcome to the final edition of the 2018 College Football Empires Map. Here are the rules:

To begin the season, each FBS team was given control of its surrounding territory. Each game that involves one or two teams with territory results in the winner claiming all of it. Results carry on week to week, so teams are always in the process of trying to regain or expand land. For more detailed rules, check out Week 1’s explanation.

Here’s the completed 2018 map after the season, with notes to follow from the latter half of bowl season.

Texas A&M annihilated the NC State attackers, defending its empire and finishing the season owning SMU, North Texas, and Kansas.

LSU handed UCF its first loss of the season and took control of the Knights’ realm.

Oregon defended its land against the Michigan State Spartans in a gruesome war of attrition.

Ohio State maintained its holdings and conquered several Washington territories.

Clemson became lord of the land, destroying Alabama and winning the 2018 College Football Empires map. (You’ll note Clemson didn’t actually come all that close to controlling the entire map. Scroll to the bottom for a sense of how long that process actually takes.)

Changes since the Playoff semifinal games

With the 2018 season finished, let’s take a look at which territories changed hands the most

Old Dominion, Colorado State, and Navy all had their territory conquered 11 different times this season, with Army soon consolidating all three and then passing them along, eventually to Clemson. Here were those paths:

Old Dominion -> Liberty -> Army

Colorado State -> Hawaii -> Army

Navy -> Hawaii -> Army

Army -> Oklahoma -> Texas -> Oklahoma State -> Baylor -> Iowa State -> Texas -> Oklahoma -> Alabama -> Clemson

The entire 2018 season in one GIF

Stats!

Territories

Clemson- 73 Ohio State- 26 LSU- 12 Oregon- 6 UNLV- 4

Counties

Clemson - 1629 Ohio State - 727 Oregon - 268 LSU - 261 UNLV - 96

Population

Clemson - 156,507,885 Ohio State - 77,360,611 LSU - 32,921,294 UNLV - 12,094,585 Oregon - 9,020,758

Land Area (sq. miles)

Clemson - 1,849,855 Ohio State - 718,743 Oregon - 454,000 UNLV - 218,548 LSU - 198,292

I’m also keeping the 2017 map going, since as you can see, it takes more than just one season to have one team completely take over. Here’s how 2017’s map looks after 2018:

Clemson followed up its semifinal expedition over Notre Dame with a victory over Alabama, cementing itself just behind Ohio State in land owned on the 2017 map.

North Dakota State won a second straight title, finishing with the same kingdom it started 2018 with.

LSU handed UCF its first loss since the creation of the 2017 Empires Map.

Ohio State defeated Washington in the Rose Bowl to finish the season as the leader on the 2017-2018 map.

With North Dakota State’s win over Eastern Washington, total consolidation in 2019 got much more difficult. Let’s take a look at one way it can happen:

North Dakota State loses to Delaware, who loses to Pitt, who loses to Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech must then win out until it plays Georgia.

Ohio State loses to FAU (yes, I know this is unlikely), who loses to UCF, who also loses to Pitt.

Clemson loses to Texas A&M.

Texas A&M and LSU win out until they play each other.

The SEC Championship between Georgia and the winner of A&M and LSU would then consolidate 2017-2019 to one team.

Consolidation looks unlikely to happen in 2019, but it is still a possibility. The Playoff could feature some consolidation, but North Dakota State doesn’t play an FBS team until 2020, so that land is likely stuck in the FCS until then — at least.