The College Football Playoff (CFP) management committee discussed the idea of a 14-team playoff just a day after the specifics of the newly introduced 12-team playoff was announced, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Thamel said that the 14-team College Football Playoff would come to fruition in 2026 if it were enacted. The current method that was announced for the 12-team playoff is the “5+7” method. This means that the five highest-ranked conference champions along with the seven highest-ranked at large teams will make their way into the CFP.
The “5+7” method could cause issues for the College Football Playoff and the CFP committee
The “5+7” method seems straightforward, but it could result in some weird scenarios that would make the CFP committee undergo scrutiny. Mississippi State Bulldogs President and Chair of the CFP Board of Managers Dr. Mark Keenum explained the reasoning for this method in an article from On3.
“This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022,” Keenum said in a statement. “I know this change will also be well received by student-athletes, coaches and fans. We all will be pleased to see this new format come to life on the field this postseason.”
If this were in effect for the 2023 season with the new conference alignment, which is necessary because the conference realignment is the reason for the “5+7” method as opposed to the “6+6 method that would’ve included the now defunct Pac-12, the Liberty Flames would’ve been made it into the College Football Playoff.
Not only would Liberty be in along with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, but they would’ve been in ahead of teams like the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Ole Miss Rebels and the Oklahoma Sooners.
The new format also means that Notre Dame cannot be higher than the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff
This new format also means that the highest seed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish can get, even if they are the No. 1 team in the country, is the No. 5 seed as the CFP committee will put the four highest-ranked conference champions as seeds one through four.
While the inability to get a bye might seem like a detriment at first, it actually would’ve been historically positive if this format were applied to years past. Not only would Notre Dame still not have to play a conference championship game effectively giving them the bye that they are “missing out” on, but they would also typically play a Group of Five conference champion.
The teams that they would’ve faced off against as the five seed in years past are as follows:
- 2014 – Boise State Broncos
- 2015 – Navy Midshipmen
- 2016 – Western Michigan Broncos
- 2017 – Memphis Tigers
- 2018 – Fresno State Bulldogs
- 2019 – Memphis tigers
- 2020 – Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
- 2021 – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
- 2022 – Tulane Green Wave
- 2023 – Liberty Flames
Notre Dame’s special treatment once again has many fans calling for them to join a conference.
Then get in a League! Simple. 👍
— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) February 20, 2024
Notre Dame needs to quit the games and finally join the ACC in football where they are in every other sport
— SF Bay = Sports Royalty (@SFSportsAndTech) February 20, 2024
A 14-team playoff has the ability to alleviate some of these issues, but there will inevitably be another slew of issues that arise.
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