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4d ago

College Football Playoff Adopts Straight Seeding for 2025

The management committee unanimously approved a new format granting byes to the top four ranked teams while retaining guaranteed spots for five conference champions.

The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy on display before the Ohio State Buckeyes National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on January 26, 2025.
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Overview

  • The College Football Playoff (CFP) management committee unanimously voted to implement a straight seeding model for the 2025 season.
  • Under the new format, the top four teams in the final CFP rankings will receive first-round byes, regardless of conference championship status.
  • Five highest-ranked conference champions will still receive guaranteed playoff spots, along with their $8 million financial commitments.
  • The change follows criticism of the 2024 format, where lower-ranked conference champions received byes but underperformed in the quarterfinals.
  • Future discussions about expanding the playoff to 14 or 16 teams are ongoing, with no decisions made yet for 2026 and beyond.