The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff will feature five automatic bids and seven at-large bids after the CFP Board of Managers voted unanimously on Tuesday to tweak the access formula for the expanding postseason tournament. The move will grant guaranteed access to the sport’s top five conference champions as college football moves into a new era following the splintering of the Pac-12. The format will stay in place at least over the course of the next two seasons as the CFP negotiates a new television contract for 2026 and beyond.
“This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022,” CFP Board of Managers chair Mark Keenum said. “I know this change will also be well received by student-athletes, coaches and fans. We all will be pleased to see this new format come to life on the field this postseason.”
Previously, the format was set to be 6+6 with the top six conference champions gaining guaranteed access. But when the Pac-12 imploded last year while essentially leaving college football with just four power conferences, CFP leaders returned to the drawing board.
The CFP Management Committee approved the 5+7 model in November, putting the final decision in the hands of the Board of Managers, which is meeting this week in Texas.
A 5+7 format still leaves the door open for a non-power conference team to make the CFP on an annual basis as the sport transitions to a de facto “Power Four” comprised of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. Had the CFP opted to keep the 6+6 model, it would have assured two bids to teams from outside the power conference structure.
Mirroring the original intent
Staying with the…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-playoff-unanimously-approves-5-7-model-as-12-team-format-begins-in-2024-season/
Author : David Cobb
Publish date : 2024-02-20 17:28:15
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