Monday, October 12, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

CFP Meetings End With No Major Changes to 12-Team Playoff—for Now

The College Football Playoff is exploring potential format changes for next season, as well as 2026 and beyond. However, nothing has been agreed to yet.

Jan 21, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark speaks during the CFP National Championship Host Committee handoff press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The College Football Playoff’s annual spring meetings concluded without any major decisions about changing the format of the expanded, 12-team postseason bracket.

The CFP management committee—made up of FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua—met in Dallas Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning to discuss standard logistical and financial operations for the upcoming season, as well as ideas about how the Playoff could further evolve.

However, no big changes were agreed to this week, CFP executive director Rich Clark told reporters in Dallas on Thursday afternoon.

One idea that has seemingly had momentum this offseason is shifting to straight seeding, as opposed to the inaugural bracket, which gave the top four seeds (that come with first-round byes) to the highest-ranked conference champions. This past season, No. 9 Boise State received the third seed, and No. 12 Arizona State got the fourth seed.

That change and any other could still be made ahead of the 2025 season, as the CFP leaders are set to meet again in June. 

Ahead of this week’s meeting, a source told Front Office Sports that they expected things to remain status quo this year, before big changes come in 2026, since the CFP format for that season and beyond has not yet been set.

Other potential format changes in future years include more automatic qualifiers for the Big Ten and SEC, expanding to 14 or 16 teams, and more on-campus home games.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; NBC broadcast analyst Mike Tomlin before the game between Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Opinion

The Tomlin Effect? NFL Analysts More Blunt Than Ever

Rex Ryan is the latest ex-coach to break from the fraternity.
ESPN

Disney Stacks Super Bowl LXI Lineup With Even More Alt-Casts

Disney adds to its cross-platform coverage of the upcoming NFL title game.

Kentucky Will Pay LSU $500K SEC Field-Storming Fine

The SEC changed its fine policy ahead of the 2025 football season.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/9/26 – MLB’s 154-Game Pitch, NFL Bets on SCOTUS, Shaq Says Barkley Isn’t Leaving

0:00

Featured Today

Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Cubs behind the scenes
October 6, 2026

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III (14) rushes during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium

James Madison Joins the American Before Sun Belt Exit Fees Rise

JMU’s move beats a pending vote on higher Sun Belt exit fees.
Marina Williams-Walter Cronkite Sports Network
October 10, 2026

ASU Hockey Home Opener Marred by Player Collapse Fallout

ASU’s hockey home opener featured more absences amid an ongoing investigation.
October 10, 2026

Belichick, UNC Score Biggest Win Yet After Rocky Offseason

Belichick’s revamped UNC roster is beginning to show signs of progress.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
October 9, 2026

Georgia-Alabama Braces for Hurricane, Trump Won’t Attend

Alabama banned tailgating and all outdoor activities on campus before noon.
Mar 29, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers mens basketball head coach Will Wade looks on against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
October 9, 2026

LSU Finally Reveals 10-Player Roster in Will Wade’s Exhibition Return

The game offered a glimpse into which LSU players are eligible.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning talks to Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola on the sideline as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
October 9, 2026

How Oregon Beat College Football’s ‘Impossible’ Backup QB Market

Dylan Raiola will get the first start of his Oregon career on Saturday.
Jan 20, 2026; Miami, FL, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark during the CFP host committee handoff press conference at Marriott Marquis Miami. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
First at FOS
October 8, 2026

CFP Director Supportive of 24 Teams, Endorses College Sports Bill

Rich Clark said a potential 24-team Playoff would be “spectacular.”