College Football Playoff Board of Managers Finalizes Format For 12-Team Playoff
The Oregon Ducks are hoping to make their return to the College Football Playoff next season after appearing in the initial four-team playoff in 2014 alongside Florida State, Alabama and Ohio State.
On Tuesday morning, the College Football Playoff Board of Managers voted on a new qualifying criteria that finalized the format for the expanded 2024 college football playoff.
The new 12-team format will consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams according to the CFP Selection Committee.
"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," said Dr. Mark Keenum, President of Mississippi State University and Chair of the CFP Board of Managers in a press release. "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."
Under the new criteria the four highest-ranked conference champions will be ranked one through four and each receive first-round byes.
Teams ranked five through twelve will play each other on the home field of the higher-ranked team in the first round. The winners will advance to the quarterfinals and semifinals, which will be played as New Year's Six Bowl games.
The national championship will continue to be played at a neutral site and there will be no automatic qualifiers from any one conference, and there won't be a limit on how many teams can come from any given conference.
The quarterfinals will begin on December 31 and the national championship will be played on January 20, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Oregon will kick off the 2024 season against the Idaho Vandals on August 31 in Eugene.
