The College Football Playoffs will look a bit different this year.
On Tuesday, the CFP announced that the board of managers approved a model where the five highest-ranked conference champions will compete in a 12-team field this fall — a move that has been delayed for months. The new format assures — in most years — that conference champions from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC a spot in the play-off, as well as the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion. The top four teams will receive a first-round bye to the semifinals.
In order for the 5+7 format to be approved and rid the previous Pac-12, the vote had to be unanimous.
“This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022,” CFP Board of Managers chair Mark Keenum told CBS Sports. “I know this change will also be well received by student-athletes, coaches and fans. We all will be pleased to see this new format come to life on the field this postseason.”
While the future of college football’s postseason is determined for the next two years, the further future remains in question. The CFP is negotiating a new television contract for 2026 and beyond, and while reports suggest that the CFP entered a six-year contract extension with ESPN for $7.8 billion, a CFP Management Committee member disputed the claim.
The CFP noted that the first rounds will take place at either the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program. The four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games will be played in New Year’s Six bowls on a rotating basis; the 2024 quarterfinals include the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl, while semifinals include the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl.
