College Football Playoff Board of Managers unanimously approves 5-7 qualifier format

The College Football Playoff committee unanimously revised the qualifying criteria for the 12-team event Tuesday. The 5+7 format is here.

It’ll be the five highest ranked conference champions plus the next seven highest ranked teams as determined by the CFP committee. It was all made official Tuesday after meetings.

“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. “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 this change, there are modifications from the original 12-team plan. That called for the six highest ranked conference champions, plus the next six highest ranked teams.

But, speculation about the 5+7 format began amid realignment. Now, it’s official.

“Under the 12-team playoff format that begins this fall, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye, while teams seeded five through 12 will play each other in the first round on the home field of the higher-ranked team,” the release read.

“(The team ranked #5 will host #12; team #6 will meet team #11; team #7 will play team #10; and team #8 will meet #9.) The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in the New Year’s Six bowl games, the national championship game will continue to be at a neutral site. No conference will qualify automatically and there will be no limit on the number of participants from a conference.”

Questions surround media rights of College Football Playoff

The meetings come after The Athletic reported last week the College Football Playoff and ESPN had agreed to a six-year deal through 2031 worth roughly $1.3 billion annually. That deal has not been signed, however, and CFP leaders still need to vote on the contract.

Since the news broke, Puck sports business reporter John Ourand reported ESPN executives could pull the offer if the CFP does not move quickly and “doesn’t get its act together.”

“Yahoo Sports! also obtained a memo from Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, who shared with his member institutions that reports on a new CFP deal were ‘incorrect,'” On3’s Pete Nakos wrote. “A source familiar with the situation told On3 that the email was meant to keep the schools abreast with the situation.”