Why College Football Playoff seeding format is unlikely to change next season

ATLANTA — A seeding structure change to the College Football Playoff format is unlikely to gain the necessary support without compromise, multiple commissioners told Yahoo Sports this week.

Eliminating the format’s rule designating the top four seeds — and first-round byes — only to conference champions has been discussed as a possible shift after the first year of the 12-team playoff, as Yahoo Sports reported in early December. However, unanimity among the 11 members of the CFP Management Committee — the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director — is required to make any format changes in time for the 2025 playoff.

Commissioners of the Big 12 and Mountain West — the chief benefactors of the bye rule this year — as well as the ACC say they are open to discussing the matter, but expressed skepticism in making changes so soon into this version of the expanded playoff.

“I’m open to a healthy discussion on the topic,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark told Yahoo Sports. “I certainly have a point of view that will be expressed in the room, but I do not have the appetite to give up any financial reward that comes with a bye.”

There is a sizable financial incentive tethered to those receiving a first-round bye: $8 million. Teams advancing to the playoff each receive $4 million. Those playing in quarterfinals — the four first-round winners and the four top seeds — receive another $4 million.

Changes after one year of data “seem a bit quick,” Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez said.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips referred to similar professional playoff formats that uses an automatic bye structure for teams that win divisions or conferences, such as the NFL. He cited one of the most recent regular season games in which the Detroit Lions played the Minnesota Vikings. The…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-17 20:00:00

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