College Football Playoff Board approves new playoff format

CFB moves forward with a new 5-7 format.

We all know the college football landscape is about to change dramatically. It’s already begun to shift with the new era of NIL and the transfer portal, but now, the four team College Football Playoff is set to expand to 12 teams in 2024-25.

Originally, the plan was for the playoff to be set up in what was referred to as a 6-6 format. The six highest ranking conference champions would receive automatic bids, and then the next six highest ranking teams would also receive an at large bid.

However, with conference realignment really coming into effect this season and the Pac-12 dying out, the CFP Board has been under a lot of pressure to amend the playoff format.

Finally, on Tuesday, they did just that, approving a new 5-7 format for the new 12 team playoff.

Now, the five highest ranking conference champions (likely the SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 and a group of five champion) will receive automatic bids and seven teams will receive an at large bid.

This is how the College Football Playoff bracket will look like this season:

• Top four seeds receive first round byes (all conference champions).
• Teams seeded 5-12 will play and the lower seeded team will host (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7, No. 9 at No. 8).
• The No. 5 seed will not necessarily be the fifth conference champion.

This will be the first time we see an extended playoff in college football and the first time we’ll see playoff games played on campus’ (only in the first round).

I know there are a lot of differing opinions on whether or not this change was necessary, but I personally am really looking forward to it. Even if it’s the top four seeds that make the playoffs more often than not, it gives more teams a chance, and years like this past one, I think it would’ve been pretty chaotic.