How Potential Playoff Changes Could Impact Arizona State

A potential Big 12 championship season could look much different for the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2025 - if the potential changes surrounding the College Football Playoff are to go through.

The debate surrounding how the Playoff should be formatted has been a topic of great interest for years now - with the SEC and Big 10 now pushing for a greater stake of equity in the tournament over the Big 12 and ACC.

Yahoo Sports college football insider Ross Dellenger believes that changes are indeed coming to the 2025 format - particularly when it comes to seeding.

"CFP executives are scheduled for a call today, where many of them expect to adopt a straight-seeding model for the 2025 playoff that would feature a financial compromise, sources tell Yahoo Sports."

The long story short? If Arizona State had played under the newly proposed format last season, they would have received an automatic bid - but would have had to make a trip to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the opening round of the tournament.

The lack of a guaranteed bye puts the Big 10 and SEC in optimal positions to secure all four of the coveted spots - even without a conference title, while a program such as Arizona State would be forced to play a first-round game on campus despite earning a conference title.

That could certainly be spun as unfair to programs that has been built up into an upper-tier team organically - Arizona State included.

The Sun Devils still face an uphill climb to make it back - as the Big 12 is expected to be improved this season, with teams such as Baylor looking to take a step forward.

Other talks that could come up in the future include the possibility that the format is expanded to 16 teams - where two automatic bids would go to Big 12/ACC schools, four would go to Big 10/SEC programs, and four at-large spots would be handed out.

At the end of the day, the Sun Devils must control their own destiny - including defeating upcoming opponent Mississippi State in week two of the season behind what should be a potent offense that is headlined by Heisman Trophy contender Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson.

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