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The College Football Playoff is reportedly undergoing a slight makeover.
The playoff made a major change from four to 12 teams last season, which brought with it some flaws.
Last season, the four highest-ranked conference champions had automatic byes and received the top four seeds. This year, the playoff bracket will be filled with straight seeding, with five spots still reserved for conference champions, according to ESPN.
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The College Football Playoff logo on the field at AT&T Stadium before the Rose Bowl between Notre Dame and Alabama in Arlington, Texas, Jan. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman, File)
“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,” CFP Executive Director Rich Clark said in a statement. “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.”
If the new format were put in last year, Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Penn State would all have had bye weeks. Instead, Texas and Penn State both had to play in the first round and won convincingly. The Longhorns beat No. 12 Clemson (15th in the country), 38-24, and then defeated No. 4-seeded Arizona State, which had a bye as the Big 12 winner but was ranked 11th in the country, in double-overtime.
A CFP helmet during a College Football Playoff news conference and media roundtable Nov. 19, 2022, at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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ASU would have played Ohio State in a matchup of the No. 11 and No. 6 seeds, while Boise State would have gone against Indiana in a battle between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds if straight seeding was used last season.
Instead, Boise State, the Mountain West winner, had a bye in the quarterfinals as the No. 3 seed but was routed in the Fiesta Bowl by Penn State, a No. 6 seed, despite being ranked third in the country. The Nittany Lions defeated No. 11 SMU, 38-10, in the first round.
All four conference champions lost in the quarterfinals.
No. 8 Ohio State wrecked every team in its path en route to a national title despite playing in the first round. However, the Buckeyes didn’t do themselves many favors with their seeding. They lost at home to Michigan to end the regular season. But they were ranked No. 6 by the committee despite their No. 8 seed.
The College Football Playoff national championship trophy Jan. 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
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This rule change now makes Notre Dame, an independent team that does not have a conference affiliation, eligible for a bye week.
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