College Football Playoff seedings modified ahead of 2025-26 bracket
By GRAHAM DUNN
THE 2025-26 College Football Playoff will have a different look, at least in how the teams are seeded.
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee, comprised of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and the director of athletics at the University of Notre Dame, voted unanimously to modify the seeding and bye policies of the 12-team Playoff for the 2025-26 season.
The new policy will guarantee the five highest-ranked conference champions a place in the playoff but will no longer include a bye for the four highest-ranked champions.
The 12-team bracket will now be seeded directly based on the final ranking of the CFP Selection Committee, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye. If one or more of the five highest-ranked conference champions are ranked outside the top 12, that team or teams would move up to the 12th seed, 11th seed, etc., based on the number of conference champions outside the top 12.
That’s good news for teams such as Notre Dame, which is not affiliated with a conference and was not eligible for a bye last year. But not so much for teams in “Group of Five” conferences, who have been seeded lower in previous playoffs.
“After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff. “This change will continue to allow guaranteed access to the Playoff by rewarding teams for winning their conference championship, but it will also allow us to construct a postseason bracket that recognizes the best performance on the field during the entire regular season.”
Last year, Mountain West Conference champion Boise State and Big 12 champion Arizona State earned top-four seeds and first-round byes as two of the four highest-ranked conference champions. The Broncos were ranked No. 9 and seeded No. 3, and No. 12-ranked Arizona State earned the fourth seed and final bye.
Had the seedings been based on highest rankings, the top four would have included No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Penn State.
The CFP first round is slated to begin Dec. 19-20 on college campuses. The quarterfinals begin Dec. 31 while the semifinals are Jan. 8-9. The national championship game will be played Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens.