Unraveling the Thrills of the 12-Team College Football Playoff

College Football's Season Finale

College football is heading into the home stretch, with each program having only a handful of games remaining. The race for the College Football Playoff is heating up, and teams are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for a championship. The four-team format, which has been in place since 2012, is about to give way to a 12-team extravaganza in 2024, promising even more drama and excitement.

The first College Football Playoff rankings release in early November marked the beginning of this thrilling journey. There will be a total of five reveals before the final 12-team playoff is selected in January. Tuesday, Nov. 19, is set to see the third release of these rankings, and fans are eagerly awaiting the updates.

The 12-Team Playoff Format

The new College Football Playoff format consists of 12 teams, with automatic bids going to the top four conference champions. These teams are automatically seeded 1-4 regardless of their playoff ranking. The remaining eight spots will be filled with at least six at-large bids and the two highest-ranked remaining conference champions. This ensures that at least one Group of 5 team makes it into the playoff field.

Let's take a closer look at how the seeding will work in the first round. The top four teams get a bye, while the No. 12 team takes on the No. 5 team, the No. 11 team faces the No. 6 team, the No. 10 team plays the No. 7 team, and the No. 9 team battles the No. 8 team. The quarterfinals will be equally intense, with matchups like the No. 1 team vs. the No. 8/9 team and the No. 2 team vs. the No. 7/10 team.

Top 12 Teams in the Latest CFP Bracket Poll

In the latest CFP bracket poll, Oregon leads the pack with a perfect 11-0 record. Ohio State and Texas follow closely behind with 9-1 records, while Penn State and Indiana also have impressive 9-1 and 10-0 records, respectively. Notre Dame, Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee*, and Boise State round out the top 12.

Tennessee's fate took a turn when Georgia defeated them on Saturday. The Bulldogs went from being the first team out to the last at-large team in the playoff, essentially swapping places with the Volunteers. This means that Tennessee missed out on a playoff spot, while Boise State and BYU secured automatic bids as the fourth and fifth highest-ranked conference champions.

First Four Teams Out

SMU, BYU*, Texas A&M, and Colorado make up the first four teams out. BYU's loss to Kansas over the weekend was significant, dropping them from No. 6 to No. 14. However, their status as the highest-ranked Big 12 team gives them a chance to make it into the playoff as the fifth highest-ranked conference champion.

Rest of the Top 25

After the top 12, the rest of the top 25 teams include Clemson, South Carolina, Army, Tulane, Arizona State, Iowa State, Missouri, UNLV, and Illinois. Each team has its own story to tell and is vying for a spot in the playoff or a high ranking in the final standings.

College Football Playoff Predictions

According to Bill Bender's latest CFP bracket projections after Week 12, Oregon remains at the top with a 11-0 record. Texas, Miami, and BYU also make the cut in the top 4. Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Boise State complete the top 12.

College Football Playoff Rankings Release Schedule 2024

Starting Tuesday night, a weekly ranking reveal show will be on ESPN. The time will vary as it moves around other sporting events on the network. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday, November 5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream; Tuesday, November 12 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream; Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream; Tuesday, November 26 at 8 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream; Tuesday, December 3 at 7 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream; and Sunday, December 8 at 12 p.m. on ESPN with a Fubo live stream.