With two undefeated Power 5 teams standing, there was some chatter that the old BCS system would have sufficed for 2022, and it is sort of hard to argue. But … what fun would that be? More games, more drama, more fun. Which is where we are headed in just two years.
Starting in 2024, there will be a 12-team playoff in place. The four top teams may still end up in the semifinals, but the field will give more teams realistic chances to make the single-elimination field late in the regular season and set up more win-or-go-home games in the postseason.
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What a 12-team playoff bracket would look like
A 12-team field would consist of the six highest rated conference champions and the six highest-rated at-large teams. The format would feature a first-round bye for the top four seeds and the first-round games to be held on campus. The top four seeds would be the four highest rated conference champions.
THE CASE FOR: Georgia | Michigan | Ohio State | TCU
So what would the bracket look like if the field was unveiled today?
Here would be the first-round matchups:
No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 TCU
Not a matchup you would associate with the College Football Playoff, but here we are – the Wave and the Frogs! And the winner would get three-loss Utah on a neutral field. This is what is known as a favorable draw. TCU would be strong favorites, although Vegas has not given Sonny Dyke’s club a ton of respect this year.
Winner plays: No. 4 seed Utah
No. 11 Penn State at No. 6 Ohio State
Rematch! Ohio State trailed at Happy Valley in the fourth quarter in late October before a 21-point outburst put things away for the Buckeyes. Penn State has played Ohio State closer than you would think in recent times. It would be another chance for James Franklin to gain on the Big Two in the Big Ten.
Winner plays: No. 3 seed Clemson
No. 10 USC at No. 7 Alabama
With a 12-team field, there would be no need for Nick Saban to make the rounds on Championship Saturday politicking for his team to get in. This would be a delicious quarterback matchup between last year’s Heisman winner (Bryce Young) and potentially this year’s Heisman winner (Caleb Williams). We’ll let Saban set the line for this game.
Winner plays: No. 2 seed Michigan
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No. 9 Kansas State at No. 8 Tennessee
The only previous meeting for these two was the 2001 Cotton Bowl, won by the Wildcats. Kansas State’s dramatic win over TCU earns it a spot in Neyland Stadium, where the Vols would be forced to start backup QB Joe Milton after Hendon Hooker’s injury. A very fun matchup, but the winner likely would not have much fun in the next round against Georgia.
Winner plays: No. 1 seed Georgia
Seeds for a 12-team playoff
The list of 1-12 would be as follows based on the committee's final Top 25.
No. 1 seed - Georgia (13-0)
Georgia capped its perfect regular season with a dominating performance in the SEC Championship game. The Bulldogs sprinted out to a 35-7 first-half lead and never let LSU within 18 points the rest of the way. The Tigers piled up some stats in catch-up mode, but doubt this Georgia defense at your own peril. The Bulldogs are a worthy No. 1 no matter what the size of the playoff field.
Fast Fact: Georgia trailed after the first quarter in just two games – Missouri and Georgia Tech.
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No. 2 seed Michigan (13-0)
The Wolverines put Purdue away in the second half for their second straight Big Ten championship, and they are looking more like a threat for the national championship than they did last season. Running back Donovan Edwards is looking just fine as RB1 in place of Blake Corum, and JJ McCarthy has shown flashes of his five-star ability. The national title drought may end.
Fast Fact: Michigan has outscored its opponents 280-74 in the second half this season. The 280 points is more than 29 FBS teams scored all season, including Big Ten members Rutgers and Northwestern.
No. 3 seed Clemson (11-2)
Dabo Swinney made the switch at quarterback from DJ Uiagalelei to Cade Klubnik, and the freshman showed what all the fuss is about in a rout of North Carolina in the ACC championship game. Klubnik finished 20-for-24 for 279 yards, one passing TD and one rushing TD as Clemson buried the Tar Heels 39-10. QB play has held Clemson back the past two years. The future looks bright with Klubnik.
Fast Fact: Since 2014, Clemson has lost two home games. Both losses (Pitt, 2016, South Carolina, 2022) were by one point.
No. 4 seed Utah (10-3)
Utah would have gone from on the fringe of consideration in the 12-team field to a first-round bye courtesy of its dominating Pac-12 title game win over USC. Quarterback Cam Redding led a Utah offense that overpowered the Trojans in a 47-24 win in Las Vegas. The Utes have won two straight Pac-12 championships and won at least 10 games for the sixth time under Kyle Whittingham.
Fast Fact: The Utes trail only Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee in point differential this season.
No. 5 seed TCU (13-0)
TCU has five second-half comebacks this season, but could not pull off its sixth on Saturday. The Frogs erased an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but came up a yard short on the first possession in overtime and lost 31-28. Quarterback Max Duggan has been clutch all season and Sonny Dykes has put himself in Coach of the Year consideration for turning around the Frogs in Year 1.
Fast Fact: TCU is the third team to reach the College Football Playoff despite losing its league championship game, joining Notre Dame (2020) and Georgia (2021)
No. 6 seed Ohio State (11-1)
Ohio State would go from sweating out the Selection Show to getting a home game in the 12-team format. The Buckeyes ran the table in mostly convincing fashion before getting punked by Michigan in the regular season finale. There is a ton of NFL talent on the squad and is a team that is a threat to win it all, no matter how many teams are in the field.
Fast Fact: Ohio State has had four one-score games in its last 56 regular-season games (including Big Ten title games).
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No. 7 seed Alabama (10-2)
No need for Nick Saban to spend his Championship Saturday politicking when he doesn’t have a game as he did Saturday with a 12-team field. The Tide would be comfortably in the field in the new format, and Bryce Young would get to pursue his first national championship. For whatever reason, Alabama never found its footing despite being nearly the unanimous preseason No. 1 team.
Fast Fact: Bryce Young threw for an average of 391.5 yards in Alabama’s two losses.
No. 8 seed Tennessee (10-2)
With a 12-team field in place, Tennessee would not be feeling (that) short-changed being ranked behind Alabama despite having the same record from the same conference and winning head-to-head. The Vols would get to prove themselves in the playoff. This season, that would be a challenge with the loss of star quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Fast Fact: Tennessee last finished a season ranked in the Top Ten in 2001, when Casey Clausen was the quarterback and Phil Fulmer was the head coach.
No. 9 seed Kansas State (10-3)
Kansas State barges into the 12-team bracket in thrilling fashion, knocking off TCU in overtime. The Wildcats avenged a regular-season loss to TCU and captured the Big 12 championship. Kansas State stopped TCU inside the 1 yard-line twice in overtime and recorded its fifth straight win.
Fast Fact: Chris Klieman became just the second KSU coach to win 10 games in a season, joining Bill Snyder, who did it eight times.
No. 10 seed USC (11-2)
The Trojans lost their shot at a bye by losing the Pac-12 championship game, but they stay in the field and have another chance to ride quarterback Caleb Williams. Lincoln Riley revived USC in Year 1, but work still needs to be done on the defensive side of the ball, which was the problem he ran into at Oklahoma. Still, the future is bring once again in Los Angeles.
Fast Fact: In four games against ranked opponents (Utah twice, UCLA, Notre Dame), Caleb Williams accounted for 15 touchdowns.
No. 11 seed Penn State (10-2)
Penn State was a solid third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Michigan. The Lions took care of everyone else on the schedule, beating their other Big Ten foes by an average of 23.9 points. Closing the gap on Ohio State, and now Michigan as well, has been the focus of this program for the past half decade-plus.
Fast Fact: Penn State has not beaten Michigan and Ohio State in the same season since 2008, when it finished the regular season 11-1 and lost to USC in the Rose Bowl.
No. 12 seed Tulane (11-2)
Tulane avenged a home loss to UCF in the AAC Championship game on Saturday with a 45-28 win and capped their improbable regular-season at 11-2 after going 2-10 last season. Quarterback Michael Pratt had a career-high 394 yards passing, 48 rushing yards and was responsible for five touchdowns. Tulane also owns a road win over No. 9 Kansas State and will finish ranked for the first time since its undefeated season in 1998.
Fast Fact: Willie Fritz’s 42 wins at Tulane are the most of any coach since 1926.
