What A 12-Team College Football Playoff Could Look Like

TJ Inman

The current four-team College Football Playoff format ends after the 2023 season. Beginning next year, college football will have a 12-team playoff. There are still a few details to be worked out, but the format most believe will be adopted is as follows: the top four teams get a bye, with seeds five through twelve having first-round games at on-campus sites. The higher seed would host each first-round matchup, and the winners would advance to the waiting top four seeds in the quarterfinals. The plan is to pick the six highest-ranked conference champions and the six highest-ranked teams at large.
What would the bracket look like if the 12-team playoff was in place for this college football season? If results for the remainder of this season were to play out as expected, who would get a bye? Which teams would be hosting first-round games?
Seed | Team |
1-seed | Georgia Bulldogs (SEC Champion) |
2-seed | Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten Champion) |
3-seed | Florida State Seminoles (ACC Champion) |
4-seed | Oregon Ducks (PAC-12 Champion) |
There would be an argument about what to do with the PAC-12 and Big 12, as Texas and Oregon would have one loss and be conference champions. Oregon gets the nod with a better win over the Texas Longhorns in the conference championship game.
The first-round games would be fascinating on-campus matchups.
Seeds | Teams |
12-seed at 5-seed | Tulane (AAC Champion) at Texas (Big 12 Champion) |
11-seed at 6-seed | Louisville (at-large) at Ohio State (at-large) |
10-seed at 7-seed | Penn State (at-large) at Washington (at-large) |
9-seed at 8-seed | Missouri (at-large) at Alabama (at-large) |
The Texas Longhorns don’t get the first-round bye but get to host the Tulane Green Wave in Round 1. Louisville would be 11-2 if they won out in the regular season and then lost to Florida State in the ACC Championship Game. They would travel to 11-1 Ohio State, the best at-large team in the field. Penn State would be 10-2 and travel to 12-1 Washington, while Missouri would round out the bracket at Alabama. Those are conference foes, but they have not played in 2023, and the Tigers would be 10-2, with the Crimson Tide sitting at 11-2 after a loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
This season is the last one where hypothetical brackets will be required. Whether you love or hate it, the 12-team playoff begins next season.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
LATEST VIDEOS
MORE ARTICLES

NCAAF · 7 hours ago
Heisman Hopefuls: Milroe Leads Early Contenders for 2024 Heisman
Zack Cook

NCAAF · 8 hours ago
Making the Case for All 4 Heisman Trophy Finalists
Zack Cook

NCAAF · 8 hours ago
Sugar Bowl Showdown: Texas vs. Washington Predictions
Sportsgrid-Staff

NCAAF · 8 hours ago
Ranking the Top 10 Quarterbacks in the Transfer Portal
John Canady

NCAAF · 9 hours ago
Rose Bowl Rumble: Michigan vs. Alabama Showdown
Sportsgrid-Staff

NCAAF · 10 hours ago
Top 5 Offensive Stars Powering the Texas Longhorns’ CFP Charge
John Canady

NCAAF · 10 hours ago
PAC-12 Power Rankings Tiers
TJ Inman

NCAAF · 11 hours ago
Big 12 Power Rankings Tiers
TJ Inman

NCAAF · 11 hours ago
ACC Power Rankings Tiers: Florida State Stands Alone
TJ Inman

NCAAF · 13 hours ago
CFB National Championship Odds: College Football Playoff Edition
Zack Cook