To ensure the biggest game in college football went smoothly, the playing surface at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, was replaced with new turf days before the CFP championship game between Alabama and Clemson.
Home to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, Levi’s Stadium has been under fire for its slippery turf over the years, most recently with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll describing the field as “really lousy” after players struggled to maintain footing during a matchup with the 49ers on December 16.
In a report by the Washington Post, CFP executives decided to take no chances and put in a new field prior to the big game, with West Coast Turf providing the new surface.
It is reported that the new surface, which is 2in deep and weighs 24 lb/ft², was grown on a farm located 30 minutes from the stadium and delivered on 22 trailer trucks. Just 24 hours after the Redbox Bowl between the Oregon Ducks and Michigan State Spartans took place at Levi’s Stadium, the West Coast Turf team had installed the new playing field.