(Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
IRVING, Texas – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee voted unanimously to modify the seedling and bye policies of the 12-team Playoff for the 2025-26 season.
First round bye change
The new policy will guarantee the five highest-ranked conference champions a place in the Playoff but will no longer include a bye for the four highest-ranked champions. The 12-team bracket will now be seeded directly based on the final ranking of the CFP Selection Committee, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye. The new policy will guarantee the five highest-ranked conference champions a place in the Playoff but will no longer include a bye for the four highest-ranked champions.
If one or more of the five highest-ranked conference champions are ranked outside the top 12, that team or teams would move up to the 12th seed, 11th seed, etc., based on the number of conference champions outside the top 12th.
For reference, in the 2024-25 season, Oregon (1), Georgia (2), Boise State (3), and Arizona State (4) were the four highest-ranked conference champions. As a result, these four received a top four ranking and a bye week for the first round of the 12-team playoff.
CFP policy that remains
• The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee.
• The teams ranked 5-12 will play in the CFP First Round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.).
• The four highest-ranked teams will be assigned to Playoff quarterfinal bowls on Selection Day in ranking order and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships (for example: if the highest-ranked team is from the Big Ten, that team would be assigned to the Rose Bowl Game).
• The No. 1 seed would receive preferential placement based on geography for the Playoff Semifinal site assignment.
CFP Bowl game order
Further details, including Playoff First Round dates and times, will be announced later this year. The 2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule following the first-round includes:
Playoff Quarterfinals
December 21, 2025
- The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
January 1, 2026
- Capital One Orange Bowl
- Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
- Allstate Sugar Bowl
Playoff Semifinal
January 8, 2026
- Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
January 9, 2026
- Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
2026 College Football National Championship
January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET
What they’re saying:
Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff, spoke about these policy changes and why they were implemented.
“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,” said Clark. “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.”
About the College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The CFP Selection Committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the season, and the 12-team bracket will be seeded directly based on that final ranking, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye. The teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the CFP First Round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the College Football Playoff.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
