A number of people have asked me about how the CFP will work in 2024 with the new 12 team format. A detailed description can be found from the NCAA. A shorter version, with some of my thoughts, is below. (Please note that the rules below still need approval by the universities.)
A poll is at the end asking your opinion of the various playoffs schemes that have been tried, including this new one.
(Author’s Note: Most of the diary below was posted to a note from the prior diary on this year’s playoffs. It is reposted below, as many readers don’t revisit the comments to a diary once they have read it.)
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12 Teams Total
6 Highest Ranked Conference Champions (Without saying so, this is supposed to mean the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and PAC Champions, assuming the PAC-12 continues to exist. Then, the highest ranked champion of the Group of 5, or the two highest depending upon the fate of the PAC 12.) Note that this doesn’t mean these 6 will be the top 6 seeds.
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4 Weeks of Games
1st Week: First Round — Teams ranked 5 thru 12 play, highest to lowest (5-12, 6-11, 7-10, 8-9). Top 4 teams get a bye. (One should expect some moaning and groaning from teams 5 and 6.)
2nd Week: Quarter-Finals — Top 4 teams play winners of 1st Weekend, highest to lowest (1-5/12, 2-6/11, 3-7/10, 4-9/10).
3rd Week: Semi-Finals — (1-5/12 plays 4-9/10; 2-6/11 plays 3-7/10)
4th Week: Finals — National Championship
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Dates for 2024:
1st Week: Friday, Saturday, Dec. 20 — 21, 2024
2nd Week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2024, Jan. 1, 2025
3rd Week: Thursday, Friday, Jan. 9 — 10, 2025
4th Week: Monday, Jan. 20, 2025
We get 2 more weeks of college playoff football. We don’t go cold turkey until the end of January.
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Where the Games Will Be Played:
1st Week: “Lower seed” chooses where to play the game per NCAA. (somehow finishing with a higher ranking means you don’t get to play at home, i.e. better to be ranked 9 than 8, unless NCAA means the seed with the lower number)
2nd Week: New Year 6 Bowl (but not on New Years)
3rd Week: New Year 6 Bowl
4th Weekend: Determined by bids made by prospective hosts
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Who Ranks the Teams:
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee. (Who else ?)
