The College Football Playoff selection committee has revised how it will seed teams for the 12-team field for the upcoming season.
The committee will no longer grant an automatic top four seed to the four highest ranked conference champions. Instead, seeding will revert back to its old format for those spots with the top four seeds being selected by the committee based on the overall record, resume, and bodies of work from each team.
It will be a straight seeding model in which more discretion will be given to the College Football Playoff selection committee. It will reward teams who win top out of conference games with conference success and conference championships also figuring prominently into the decision-making process.
The top four seeds will still get bye into the quarterfinals. Clemson made the CFP once again last season, but did not earn one of the top four seeds as it was ranked below the top four seeded conference champions. The Tigers fell in a hard-fought opening round game at Texas.
Clemson Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns Highlights | 2024-25 CFP First Round
In addition to the change to a straight seeding format, there will also be financial implications to the change. Currently, the top four seeds make $8 million dollars: $4 million each for making the play-offs and for appearing in the quarterfinals. That is expected to stay the same this year, but in 2026 a new revenue sharing model will be put in place though details have yet to be released.
The change to the 2025 College Football Playoff was approved unanimously on Thursday by The Management Committee, the 10 FBS conference commissioners, and Notre Dame’s athletic director.
