So yesterday, the College Football Playoff committee announced that they were looking to move to a possible 12 team playoff in the coming seasons. This is an amazing thing for schools like UCF and other AAC teams because it will now give them a path to the playoffs and give more opportunities to the smaller schools.
The proposal does not include guarantee spots for conference champions but rather saving 6 spots for the highest-ranked conference champions and then 6 highest ranked other teams determined by the CFP Committee.
There would be no limit on the number of participants from each conference and there would be no automatic qualifier.
When the committee meets next Thursday and Friday they must all agree on the idea first in order for it to be put in place. 4 of the 10 people who have to agree are the ones who jointly drew up the proposal, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsley, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick, and Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson.
When asked about the proposal and what roadblocks might come up American Athletic Commissioner Mike Aresco had this to say “it has a really good chance of developing a consensus”. “I think it is hard to attack it” said Aresco. “I think it is a well-thoght-out plan.
I really like the equalization concept that all FBS have a shot”. “I don’t think in that sense that it has any flaws or weaknesses that would come to mind.
Under the proposal, the 4 highest ranked conference champions will get byes, teams 5-12 would play each other at the higher ranked teams stadium.
The Quarterfinals and Semi-Finals would be played in bowl games and the National Championship would still be at a neutral site.
The biggest thing about this is under this proposal even if Notre Dame finished as number 1 overall they would not be able to earn a seed of higher than 5.
Again, keeping in mind that the selection committee’s seeding is different because the “top 4 is the highest CONFERENCE Champions”.
If this were to pass on Thursday or Friday of next week then it will be presented to the CFP board of managers on June 22nd.
No time frame has been indicated for implementation on this proposal, when asked they said that would be decided at the president’s meeting later in June.