Image Courtesy: College Football Playoff
On Thursday the College Football Playoff Management Committee, including 10 FBS conference commissioners and the Director of Athletics at the University of Notre Dame, “voted unanimously to modify the seeding and bye policies of the 12-team Playoff for the 2025-2026 season.”
Now, the new policy guarantees the five highest-ranked conference champions a spot in the Playoff. But, there will no longer be a bye for the four highest-ranked champions. The bracket will now “be seeded directly based on the final ranking of the CFP Selection Committee, with the four highest ranked teams receiving a first-round bye.”
If one or more of the five highest ranked conference champions are ranked outside of the top 12, that team would move up to the 12th seed, 11th seed, or higher based on the number of conference champions outside of the top 12 in the final rankings.
Executive director of the College Football Playoff Rich Clark said that “After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment.” In addition, “This change will continue to allow guaranteed access to the Playoff by rewarding teams for winning their conference championship, but it will also allow us to construct a postseason bracket that recognizes the best performance on the field during the entire regular season” Clark continued.
Everything else will remain the same for the College Football Playoff during the upcoming season. The rankings of the teams will continue to be done by the selection committee. Teams ranked 5-12 will play in the College Football Playoff First Round with the higher seed hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher seeded institution (12. @ 5., 11. @ 6., 10. @ 7., and 9. @ 8.). “The four highest ranked teams will be assigned to Playoff Quarterfinals bowls on Selection Day in ranking order and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships” (such as the Big Ten’s close relationship with the Rose Bowl).
The college football season begins with week 0 on Saturday, August 23.
