College football is reportedly changing a rule that completely derailed the Tennessee Vols' season in 2024

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated May 22, 2025 11:37 AM ET

A major rule change is reportedly coming to college football for the 2025 season.

And it's a rule change that the Tennessee Vols would've benefited from last season.

According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, the College Football Playoff is expected to use a straight seeding model in 2025.

Last season, the four highest ranked conference champions received first-round byes.

As a result, Tennessee, which was ranked No. 7 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, was forced to play on the road in the first round. As (bad) luck would have it, the Vols played the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.

Tennessee was throttled by the eventual national champs, losing 42-17 in a game that was never close.

NEWS: CFP executives are expected to adopt a straight-seeding model for this season’s College Football Playoff, @RossDellenger reports

Here’s how last season would’ve looked⬇️https://t.co/a533hB94GU pic.twitter.com/OJ398uEGSK
— On3 (@On3sports) May 22, 2025

If the College Football Playoff had used a straight seeding model last season, Tennessee would've hosted SMU in Neyland Stadium.

SMU lost 38-10 on the road to Penn State in the first round of the playoff last season.

I don't think hosting a playoff game in the first round would've led to Tennessee winning the natty last season (Ohio State was clearly the best team in the sport), but the Vols' 2024 season certainly would've been viewed a lot differently had the program hosted (and won) a home playoff game last December.

An official decision on playoff seeding should come later on Thursday.

CFP executives are expected to meet in a few hours to discuss straight seeding for the 2025 playoff and there is momentum for an approval today, as @CBSSports reported last week. https://t.co/a77wPv38NI
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) May 22, 2025