Changes Coming to the 12-Team College Football Playoff; How it Impacts South Carolina

The 12-Team College Football Playoff is set to move to a straight seeding model in 2025; which will reward the selection committees top four teams with a first round bye, per ESPN's Heather Dinich.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reports that CFP executives met on Thursday to approve a change in how the 12 teams in the playoff format will be seeded in 2025. The executives voted "unanimously" to place team's based on the selection committees rankings, not conference winners.

In it's current format, the selection committee chose the 12 best teams for the playoff field. The top four conference champions are given the top four spots in the field with a first round bye. That is no longer the case. This changes only the 2025 season for now as the 2026 season is expected to see major changes to the playoff format with possible expansion incoming.

How will this affect the South Carolina Gamecocks? Should the Gamecocks find themselves ranked in the top 12 by season's end, winning a potential conference title wouldn't guarantee them a bye in the first round. South Carolina could win the SEC and still find themselves playing round one at home or possibly on the road.

On the flip side, South Carolina could possibly lose the SEC Championship game and, based on their record, could still be awarded with a first round bye. It will all be up to how the committee ranks the top four slots of the field.

Coming off a 9 win season, expectations are high in Columbia. On the outside looking in last season, South Carolina has an opportunity to break through in 2025.