CFP Seeding Changes Could Be Coming. Is Expansion Next?

The College Football Playoff appears likely to make format changes to the second iteration of the 12-team bracket in 2025—and eventually green-light further expansion potentially as early as 2026.

Following joint meetings between the Big Ten and SEC in New Orleans on Wednesday, the commissioners of the two most powerful conferences in college sports made it clear they would like to alter how the CFP seeds teams, after the inaugural tournament had several oddities.

“We’re in favor of going to a straight seeding, where there’s no difference between rankings and seeding like we had this year,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said. “We’re in support of that for next year.” The SEC’s Greg Sankey agreed: “I’m prepared to vote for a seeding change, but it has to be unanimous.”

How We Got Here

The format of the 2024 CFP was quite complicated. After the CFP selection committee decided on its final rankings at the end of the regular season and conference championship games, it wasn’t simply the top 12 teams that filled out the bracket. 

Instead, the four highest-ranked conference champions (Oregon, Texas, Boise State, and Arizona State) received the top four seeds and first-round byes. While Oregon and Texas held the top two spots, Boise State was ranked No. 9 and Arizona State No. 12.

No. 16 Clemson also received an automatic qualification as ACC champion, which led to No. 10 SMU (which lost the ACC championship game) controversially receiving the final bracket spot ahead of No. 11 Alabama.

Any changes to the format for 2025 would require approval from the CFP management committee, which consists of 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director, as well as the board of managers, comprising 11 university presidents and chancellors.

However, in 2026, power will shift to the Big Ten and SEC, which will have the majority of control on decision-making from then on under the CFP’s new contract.

Bigger Is Better?

Sankey and Petitti wouldn’t go into much detail about growing the CFP beyond 12 teams, but adding two or four more teams to the mix seems likely. 

“I think there will be expansion,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said. 

Further expansion could bring a number of other changes, like multiple automatic bids for the Big Ten and SEC, and the addition of more on-campus home games for the CFP’s top seeds.