Pac-12 To Change Championship Game Format for 2022 Season

The NCAA announced Wednesday that FBS conferences now have the chance to determine their championship game format. In response to this, the Pac-12 changed their setup for the conference’s championship game.

Beginning in the 2022 season, the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage will be the two teams playing in the Pac-12 championship. This change was voted unanimously by the football coaches, athletic directors and board of directors in the conference.

Previously, the winners of the Pac-12 north division and the Pac-12 south division played in the championship game. Now, divisions will not be a determining factor for the championship game participants.

The conference stated that if this change would have happened sooner, then five of the last 11 championship games would have resulted in different matchups.

“Our goal is to place our two best teams in our Pac-12 Football Championship Game, which we believe will provide our conference with the best opportunity to optimize CFP invitations and ultimately win national championships,” George Kliavkoff, the Pac-12 Commissioner, said, via the conference’s press release. “Today’s decision is an important step towards that goal and immediately increases both fan interest in, and the media value of, our Football Championship Game.”

The 2022 schedule will remain the same, which was determined by the two divisions within the conference. But, the schedules in future seasons will be reviewed.