CFP Expanding to 12 Teams

[CoKane]

To the extent this leads to do-nothing, highly compensated, "non-profit" bowl execs getting tossed aside, I say great.

I do hope they think about what to do with the remaining bowl games though, so they don't become complete afterthoughts any more than they already are.

Bowl games are already total afterthoughts to coaches and players

 

[simply1]

I’m surprised more people here aren’t happy about this. It has to be better than the current 4 team playoff for the Big12 and this gives 6 spots to conference champs. There were also some quotes from the SEC commissioner not long ago asking why they would give any spots at all to conference champs and why not just make it all the top 12 (or top 16, etc) regardless of conference results. This strikes me as almost a best case outcome for the Big12 (and Pac12, ACC, etc) compared to the other options that were on the table.

Are we sure the 6 auto bids are still included? Everything I’ve read said that was in the original implementation, but those details aren’t available in the new agreement.

 

[Clonedogg]

What would the seedings have been last year? Wouldn't the Big12 have had 3 teams, OU/OsU/Baylor?

Edit: Nope Im wrong...
View attachment 102374

It would of been.

6 conf champs:
Alabama
Michigan
Cincy
Baylor
Utah
Pitt

6 at-large:
Georgia
ND
OSU (buckeye)
Miss
OsU (pokes)
MSU

 

[RealisticCy]

With 6 at-large bids, how many games would Notre Dame have to lose to not get in?

 

[theshadow]

College Football Playoff Board of Managers Votes to Expand Playoff to 12 Teams - College Football Playoff

Six Highest-Ranked Conference Champions Along with Six At-Large Teams Format to Begin for the 2026 Regular Season, Unless Earlier Implementation is Possible IRVING,

collegefootballplayoff.com

Here are the specs....

The board approved the following:

1. The 12 teams will be the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
2. The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
3. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
4. The other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
5. The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
6. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
7. The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
8. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
9. With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
10. The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
11. First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.

 

[trevn]

I miss the days when computers chose the championship game.

 

[MartyFine]

College Football Playoff Board of Managers Votes to Expand Playoff to 12 Teams - College Football Playoff

Six Highest-Ranked Conference Champions Along with Six At-Large Teams Format to Begin for the 2026 Regular Season, Unless Earlier Implementation is Possible IRVING,

collegefootballplayoff.com

Here are the specs....

The board approved the following:

1. The 12 teams will be the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
2. The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
3. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
4. The other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
5. The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
6. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
7. The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
8. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
9. With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
10. The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
11. First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.

This is great for the Big 12 in terms of playoff access…

 

[simply1]

Playoff access is critical piece to keeping guys like Campbell and recruits I think.

 

[Alswelk]

Personally thought 8 was the right number from the beginning - 4 slots with 5 "power" conferences was always set up to bait realignment shenanigans.

A less charitable interpretation might involve some conspiratorial thinking about murdering a conference (read: ours), but I might be entering tin foil hat territory with that.

I have no problem with expansion to 12 - it would've been GREAT for us in 2020.

 

[Clonedogg]

I miss the days when computers chose the championship game.

Nice subtle avatar plug.

 

[trevn]

Playoff access is critical piece to keeping guys like Campbell and recruits I think.

I agree. There are so many unknown variables right now with realignment, NIL, etc that I'm surprised a move like this was made, but I've got to think at least in the short run it's a positive thing for us. Reasonable access to the playoff is an absolute must for us.

 

[simply1]

I miss the days when computers chose the championship game.

I also miss those days, fellow human.

 

[CloneGuy8]

This appears to be very good news for the Big 12. Agree with the poster that talked about missing the computers; hopefully that is part of this new format.

 

[BMWallace]

College Football Playoff Board of Managers Votes to Expand Playoff to 12 Teams - College Football Playoff

Six Highest-Ranked Conference Champions Along with Six At-Large Teams Format to Begin for the 2026 Regular Season, Unless Earlier Implementation is Possible IRVING,

collegefootballplayoff.com

Here are the specs....

The board approved the following:

1. The 12 teams will be the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
2. The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
3. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
4. The other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
5. The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
6. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
7. The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
8. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
9. With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
10. The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
11. First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.

Interesting. If I am reading this correctly, teams #1-4 get to bid on their semi-final site, then the committee will reseed/assign the matchups based off the results of the first round of games?

Also, point #4 leaves open the option of host teams opting for a neutral site game. For instance, Cincinnati could play at Paul Brown instead of Nippert. Or USC could choose to play at SoFi instead of the LA Coliseum.

 

[JRE1975]

With this locked up, why do we need to go past 12 members in the Big 12?

 

[cyclones500]

Interesting. If I am reading this correctly, teams #1-4 get to bid on their semi-final site, then the committee will reseed/assign the matchups based off the results of the first round of games?

Also, point #4 leaves open the option of host teams opting for a neutral site game. For instance, Cincinnati could play at Paul Brown instead of Nippert. Or USC could choose to play at SoFi instead of the LA Coliseum.

So it wouldn't be straight 1 vs. 8/9, 2 vs. 7/10? Instead re-seeded after round 1?

I read the guidelines briskly so I might have missed that.

 

[Big_Sill]

Agree this appears to be very good news for big 12 in the near term. I suspect the SEC and Big 10 are gambling / thinking that the big 12 / Pac 12 / ACC become "1 bid leagues". Which is how they will get 3 teams each in the playoffs.

 

[CysDoc]

Also, this confirms neither the Pac 12 or Big 12 really has a shot at dying. Even if we raided the Pac they still have an auto bid to lure in SMU or MW teams ecen if the payouts end up similar

Guess we need to find out how an auto bid can be stripped but today is a fantastic day for the sport overall

I don't think so, top 6 conference champs not power 5 champs and highest G5

 

[cyclones500]

I think this would have been 2021 bracket — assuming it’s seeded by playoff ranking for 5 thru 12 (i.e., league champs don’t automatically get positions 5&6) ... (this would assume each open-round couplet is locked into position w/ first-round bye team, but @BMWallace noted above it might be re-seeded(?))

1 Alabama (aq)
8 Ole Miss vs 9 Oklahoma State

4 Baylor (aq)
5 Georgia vs 12 Michigan State

2 Michigan (aq)
7 Ohio State vs 10 Utah (aq)

3 Cincinnati (aq)
6 Notre Dame vs 11 Pitt (aq)

(aq) = automatic qualifier


Question: Would committee have option to swap seeds one line to avoid rematch (esp within conference) prior to quarterfinal round? E.g., Ohio State & ND (or maybe ND & Georgia) in this case? (If it's reseeded, that could be moot for the most part).

 

[Big_Sill]

With this locked up, why do we need to go past 12 members in the Big 12?

Interesting point, I have no idea what the best option is. Seems like the big12's new goal would to have the 2nd (or maybe the 2nd and 3rd) best team in the top 12. I'm not sure what number of teams best accomplishes this.