The College Football Playoff (CFP) is one of the highly anticipated events in the realm of American collegiate sports. It is an annual post-season tournament where the five highest-ranked conference champions receive an automatic bye. With the recent announcement of an expansion to 12 teams beginning in the 2024 season, the landscape of the CFP is set to undergo a significant transformation. Alabama Crimson Tide has made the most number of playoff appearances in college football as of January 2025.
The Current Format
As it stands, the College Football Playoff operates on a 12-team knockout bracket system as of 2025. Automatic bids are granted to the five highest-ranked conference champions whereas the rest of the seven teams will round out the 12-team format.
Selection Criteria in the Updated Format
In the 12-team playoff bracket, automatic bids will go to the five highest-ranked conference champions, with the rest of the spots filled by the subsequent highest-ranked teams. The top four conference champions will skip the initial round and receive an automatic bye, leaving the teams seeded 5-12 who will play each other in the first round.
Structure of the 12-Team Playoff
The initial round of the 12-team playoff will feature intriguing matchups between seeds No. 5 and No. 12, No. 6 and No. 11, No. 7 and No. 10, and No. 8 and No. 9. Notably, the first round will not be played at neutral sites, with the lower-ranked teams enjoying the advantage of hosting the games.
The quarterfinals will be introduced in the form of bowl games, with the matchups set without any reseeding. This means that the top-ranked team will face the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup, irrespective of any lower seeds remaining in the mix.
Key Bowl Games of the Expanded College Football Playoff
In the 2024 iteration, the quarterfinals will take place at the Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl, followed by the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl hosting the semifinals. In the 2025/-6 season, the Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl will take the spotlight during the quarterfinals, while the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will be the venues for the semifinals.
FAQs on College Football Playoff
A. The current format involves a 12-team knockout bracket system.
A. The expansion to 12 teams will continue for the 2024 and 2025 season.
A. Automatic bids will be granted to the five conference champions with the highest rankings, while the remaining positions will be occupied by other top-performing teams.
A. The initial round will feature matchups between seeds No. 5 and No. 12, No. 6 and No. 11, No. 7 and No. 10, and No. 8 and No. 9, with lower-ranked teams hosting the games.
A. The Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl will host the quarterfinals, followed by the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl in the semifinals for the 2024 edition.
