The future of the College Football Playoff appears to be changing once again — slightly.
While 12 teams will still crack the new playoff format beginning in 2024, the top five ranked conference winners are expected to get automatic bids and seven others will receive at-large bids, Yahoo Sports reported Friday. Previously, the format was expected to give automatic bids to the top six ranked conference winners, with six schools getting at-large bids.
The four-team College Football Playoff was first implemented for the 2015 season. To date, no team has cracked the playoff with more than one loss, and no team from the Pac-12 or Big 12 conferences has won the playoff.
Furthermore, the Pac-12 has been ravaged by conference realignment over the last two years, as it’s set to lose all but two schools (Oregon State and Washington State) after this season. The AAC has lost several schools, as well, including Cincinnati, which cracked the 2021 College Football Playoff, Houston and UCF, who are all in their first season in the Big 12.
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The SEC, ACC and Big Ten are the only conferences with schools that have won the College Football Playoff. Entering Week 11 of the 2023 season, the Pac-12 and Big 12, two of the five traditional power five conferences, wouldn’t have a team in the College Football Playoff.
All playoff games (2015-present) have been played at neutral sites. While the semifinal round will still feature neutral site games, the initial rounds of the 12-team playoff will see games played on college campuses.
The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston, home of the Texans.
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