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College Football Playoff Faces New Overhaul Push After Notre Dame Snub

Anger over Notre Dame's exclusion fuels new calls to rework selection and access.

Overview

  • ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit urged expanding the field to 16 teams and setting a higher qualification bar for Group of Five entrants, arguing expansion is the only reliable fix.
  • The Sporting News outlined 24- and 28-team formats with automatic bids allocated by conference and a provision reported to protect Notre Dame when ranked in the top 12.
  • An X-posted concept highlighted by OutKick proposed an 80-team league split into eight 10-team conferences, with league title games serving as de facto first-round playoff qualifiers and a championship at the Rose Bowl.
  • Criticism of the CFP committee’s opaque explanations intensified after Notre Dame was passed over for Miami despite higher prior rankings, with Tulane and James Madison securing berths ahead of higher-ranked teams under current rules.
  • Reporters say some athletic directors are discussing possible changes, including revisiting or replacing the selection committee, though no formal reforms have been announced.