The College Football Playoff has officially undergone an expansion. After years of discussions, the committee in charge of the College Football Playoff has given the green light to a new format that includes 12 teams vying for playoff spots. This revised system will follow a “5+7” model, where five automatic bids are awarded to the conference champions with the highest rankings, while the remaining seven spots will be filled by at-large teams that are ranked next in line.
The decision to adopt the “5+7” model came after the Pac-12 conference faced significant challenges, leading to the near-collapse of the conference. Despite initial resistance from the Pac-12, the “5+7” model received unanimous support with an 11-0 vote. The Pac-12 had initially delayed the vote as it proposed a separate plan to continue distributing revenue to the remaining schools in the conference, namely Washington State and Oregon State. Although the Pac-12 will retain its Power Five conference status until 2025, there are no guarantees regarding the payment structure beyond that point.
While the situation remains unresolved, Schultz, a key figure in the discussions, did not block the expansion proposal. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, he expressed his belief that the “5+7” model would ultimately benefit the Pac-12 in the long term. Schultz emphasized that the Pac-12 would benefit from having more at-large bids, considering the loss of automatic qualification status. He stated, “Looking ahead, it is evident that more at-large bids will be advantageous for the Pac-12. In the long run, this is where we need to be. There is no doubt that, when considering what is best for our schools, the 5+7 model with additional at-large spots will clearly be more beneficial for the Pac-12.”
Furthermore, the agreement on the playoff structure also resolves the only remaining issue with the six-year contract extension between ESPN and the College Football Playoff. The deal, valued at approximately $1.3 billion annually, had been tentatively agreed upon the previous week, with one significant condition. ESPN had reportedly included a clause stating that they would withdraw from the deal if the College Football Playoff failed to reach an agreement on expansion terms.
The expanded playoff format will be implemented starting from the 2024 season. The initial round of games will be hosted at the home stadiums of the higher-ranked teams. Subsequent rounds will take place at neutral sites, utilizing existing bowl games such as the Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl.
According to the Source deadspin.com