Jan 19, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; A College Football Playoff logo helmet at a press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

College Football Playoff to Introduce New & Improved Seeding Format in 2025

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated May 23, 2025 2:31 PM ET

The 12-team College Football Playoff in its initial format lasted all of one season, and rightfully so.

The seeding for the playoff was all out of whack, as you had Boise State getting the No. 3 seed and securing a first-round bye due to being a conference champion. The top four seeds were awarded to the highest-ranked conference champions, meaning Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Boise State (Mountain West), and Arizona State (Big 12).

Yes, Boise State, which played virtually no one, was rewarded a first-round bye over ACC champion Clemson. Yes, the Tigers lost three games, but they won a Power Four championship. Others, such as Texas, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, were much more deserving of a bye, although they weren't conference champs.

That will change beginning in 2025-26.

The committee approved a change to the format that will call for straight seeding, so where teams are ranked by the CFP committee is where they will be slotted in the playoff. No more goofy graphics on College GameDay where the 9th-ranked team in the country is projected in the No. 4 spot, which just confused the hell out of everyone.

Don't get too used to this format, though. There is serious momentum gaining for a 16-team field, which could come into play as soon as 2026.