5 teams poised to benefit the most under new college football playoff seeding model ft. Ole Miss 

The newly revamped College Football Playoff seeding model has been announced and will immediately go into effect for the upcoming 2026 College Football Playoff. Twelve teams will still enter the CFP, but instead of the top four league champions being seeded 1-4 and given byes, the top four teams, regardless of conference championship, will be given first-round byes.

The changes are thought to be a reaction to an unwieldy 12-team experience in the 2025 playoff. Boise State and Arizona State, ranked far below many of the teams seeded under them in the CFP, had first-round byes in the playoff. Each promptly lost, and the CFP ended with the No. 8 and No. 7 teams playing for the national title.

Under the new college football playoff seeding model, Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Penn State would have gotten byes to the second round. First-round battles like Clemson versus Texas and Tennessee versus Ohio State would have been avoided in favor of better later potential matchups.

But who will be helped by these changes? Here's a closer look at five teams immediately likely to benefit in 2026.

5 teams poised to benefit under new College Football Playoff seeding model

Notre Dame and Ohio State are two more teams that might benefit substantially from the new College Football Playoff seeding model. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

#1. Georgia

The Bulldogs are a CFP perennial and figure to have one of the best teams from the 2025 season. But the problem for the Bulldogs is that so will the rest of the SEC. Texas was a CFP semifinalist a year ago and with Arch Manning leading the Longhorns, Texas is the immediate favorite to win the SEC.

Under the old system, that would relegate Georgia automatically to playing a first-round game. But under the new system, the Bulldogs could lose the SEC title, but still put together an 11-2 or 12-1 season that could find them in the top four and thus earn a first-round bye.

#2. Ole Miss

The Rebels face essentially the same dilemma as the Bulldogs. The SEC is a thankless taskmaster, as witnessed by the Rebels missing the playoff a season ago. Indeed, Ole Miss's situation will be even better once the CFP inevitably expands to 14 or 16 teams, which could happen as soon as the 2027 CFP.

Finishing second (or maybe even third) in the SEC will no longer send a team to be shunted off to the back of the CFP. Lane Kiffin's Rebels could be the beneficiary.

#3. Ohio State

The Buckeyes had to work out of a No. 8 seed in last year's CFP because they lost out on the Big Ten race. Penn State is a massive threat to win the Big Ten. The good news for the Buckeyes is that the annual regular-season upset (be it Michigan or Penn State or maybe both) is not a CFP hindrance.

The Big Ten fits right in beside the SEC in the list of conferences in which the new seeding rules help. If Ohio State is unlucky enough to lose the Big Ten, they might not have to play an extra game this time around thanks to the new College Football Playoff seeding model.

#4. Oregon

The Ducks are the other likely suspect to emerge as a title contender from the Big Ten. A year ago, they won the league and got the early bye. It was Penn State who was unlucky and fell out of the bye range. But if Oregon slides to second or perhaps even third, they could still be in the CFP bye hunt again.

#5. Notre Dame

The biggest winner of the new College Football Playoff seeding model might be the Irish. Notre Dame literally could not claim a bye under the old rules. Now, the conference-less Irish need only to make the top four and their league championship status (or inability to claim one) becomes irrelevant.

Notre Dame had to work with a No. 7 seed to reach the CFP final last year, but now, they could also benefit from a first-round bye.

What do you think of the impact of the new College Football Playoff seeding model? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.