The College Football Playoff is evolving, as Sunday marked the unveiling of the new 12-team format designed to crown a national champion. The selection committee has placed top-seeded Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State into the top four slots, each receiving a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
This expansion from four to 12 teams allowed the committee to pick the five highest-ranked conference champions, alongside seven additional at-large selections. Only the four top-ranked conference champs earned the coveted top-four seeds and byes, which ultimately led to a difference between the committee’s final top-25 rankings and the playoff seedings.
Here’s how the 12-team bracket shaped up according to seedings:
1. Oregon (13-0)
2. Georgia (11-2)
3. Boise State (12-1)
4. Arizona State (11-2)
5. Texas (11-2)
6. Penn State (11-2)
7. Notre Dame (11-1)
8. Ohio State (10-2)
9. Tennessee (10-2)
10. Indiana (11-1)
11. SMU (11-2)
12. Clemson (10-3)
Leading up to the bracket reveal, expectations ran high as many favored teams secured their conference championships. Notably, Clemson pulled off a thrilling upset over SMU with a last-second field goal to claim the ACC title, complicating the at-large candidacy of SMU against other teams like Alabama. Remarkably, despite the defeat, SMU made the playoff bracket, marking a significant victory for the Mustangs and excluding the highly-regarded Alabama team.
Committee chair Warde Manuel noted that there was intense discussion regarding the merits of SMU versus Alabama, ultimately favoring SMU based on their performance against a formidable opponent.
In the words of former Alabama coach Nick Saban, there may be a shift in strategy for teams looking to improve their standings. He suggested that playing stronger schedules could be the key to securing spots in future playoffs.
The first round of the playoff is set to begin on December 20-21, featuring matchups hosted at the higher-seeded team’s location. With the top four seeds receiving a bye, the initial matchups for the playoffs are:
– Clemson at Texas
– Indiana at Notre Dame
– SMU at Penn State
– Tennessee at Ohio State
Winners from these first-round games will progress to the quarterfinals held at prestigious bowl locations on December 31 and January 1, leading up to the semifinals on January 9-10. The championship game is scheduled for January 20, to be hosted at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
As college football embraces this expanded playoff format, fans can look forward to an exciting season filled with competitive matchups and the opportunity for more teams to vie for the national title, increasing the thrill and unpredictability of the championship chase.