The college football landscape has undergone a major transformation in the past few years, with several teams switching conferences and creating new alliances. The most notable moves were Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, and Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten. These changes have raised questions about how the conference realignment will affect the College Football Playoff (CFP), which is set to expand from four to 12 teams in 2024. However, despite the conference shakeup, the 12-team CFP format will remain largely unchanged and will still provide a fair and exciting postseason for all teams.
The 12-team College Football Playoff format
The 12-team CFP format was approved by a unanimous vote in September 2023, after years of debate and research. The format will consist of the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large teams, selected and ranked by the CFP committee. The top four seeds will receive a first-round bye, while the remaining eight teams will play in the first round on campus sites. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be held at six rotating bowl games, while the national championship game will be at a neutral site.
The 12-team CFP format was designed to increase access, participation and excitement for college football fans, alumni and student-athletes. It will also create more meaningful games in the regular season and conference championship games, as every team will have a chance to compete for a playoff spot.
How conference realignment won’t affect the 12-team CFP bracket
The conference realignment will not have a significant impact on the 12-team CFP bracket, for several reasons:
- The 12-team CFP format does not guarantee a spot for any conference champion, unlike the previous four-team format that gave preference to the Power Five champions. Therefore, even if some conferences become stronger or weaker due to realignment, their champions will still have to earn their way into the playoff based on their performance and ranking.
- The 12-team CFP format allows for six at-large teams, which means that teams from any conference or independent status can still make the playoff if they are ranked high enough by the committee. Therefore, even if some conferences lose their best teams or gain new ones due to realignment, their remaining or new members can still have a shot at the playoff as at-large teams.
- The 12-team CFP format does not limit the number of teams from any conference that can make the playoff, unlike the previous four-team format that capped it at two per conference. Therefore, even if some conferences become more dominant or competitive due to realignment, they can still send multiple teams to the playoff as long as they are ranked among the top 12 by the committee.
The conference realignment in college football has created a lot of buzz and speculation about how it will affect the future of the sport. However, when it comes to the 12-team CFP bracket, the changes will not have a major impact on how the playoff is determined and played. The 12-team CFP format will still provide a fair and exciting postseason for all teams, regardless of their conference affiliation or strength.
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