Teams can win College Football Playoff games due to COVID-related forfeit

The sports landscape appears to be changing by the minute these days as leagues scramble to keep from canceling games amid the recent massive rise in COVID-19 cases.

But for college football, a team can now actually advance to the national championship and win if its opponent has to forfeit a game due to an outbreak.

ESPN's Heather Dinich reported Wednesday that the new rules, which was put into effect this week, stipulate if "one team is able to play in the title game and the other can't because of COVID-19 -- and the game can't be rescheduled -- the team that can't play will forfeit and its opponent will be declared the national champion."

Dinich also reported the national championship game will be declared a "no contest" and vacated for the season if both teams are unable to play on the original or rescheduled date. The CFP National Championship game is currently slated for  January 10 in Indianapolis and can not be rescheduled any later than January 14.

No. 1 Alabama will face No. 4 Cincinnati in the CFP Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic while No. 3 Georgia will face No. 2 Michigan in the CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, both of which take place on Dec. 31 in preparation for the championship game on Jan. 10. 

CFP executive director Bill Hancock said in a prepared statement the revamped policy is necessary and "will better protect our students and staffs while providing clarity in the event worst-case scenarios result."