First Down Kentucky: New 12-Team CFBB Playoff FAQs

The college football world has officially figured out how it will crown a champion. It took years for the sport to finally reach enough consensus for a four-team CFB Playoff. After 12 teams appeared over ten seasons, the postseason is getting one more shakeup, expanding to a 12-team format.

You’re probably thinking, ‘Didn’t this happen like a year ago?’ Well, yes, but realignment threw a wrench into things that forced the power brokers back to the Marriot conference center table. We now know what the CFB Playoff will look like for the next two seasons, and here is how it will work.

5 Conference Champions, 7 At-Large Bids

When the first iteration of the 12-team CFB Playoff was established, there were five power conferences. The dissolution of the Pac-12 complicated the equation.

Under the new format, the five highest-ranked teams will receive automatic bids, followed by seven at-large bids. Of those five, the top four teams — likely coming from the SEC, Big Ten, Bid 12, and ACC — will receive a bye. Teams seeded No. 5-8 will host first round games against teams No. 9-12. That means a Group of Five team can be in the CFB Playoff, and not necessarily host an opening-round matchup.

How long will we have this CFB Playoff format?

The initial agreement was only reached after the SEC made some concessions to other conferences in the middle of conference realignment. They might go back to the drawing board when this agreed-upon format expires after two seasons. What would that mean? Well, it could remove auto-bids for conference champions, but it probably will affect more of the latter.

How much money will each conference rake in from the CFB Playoff?

The administrators agreed to a format, but not to revenue sharing as a TV partner has yet to be finalized. In fact, a new deal between ESPN and the CFB Playoff committee was reported, but one administrator says that’s not even remotely close to the case.

Without a TV contract, there are no guarantees of revenue sharing between various teams and leagues. The final holdout to today’s vote, Washington State President Kirk Schulz, appears to have received some financial assurances for his school and Oregon State, the last two standing from the Pac-12.

Next year’s CFB Playoff Schedule

The CFB Playoff first round games will be played the week of Dec. 21. It’s a week after the Army-Navy game and two weeks after conference championship games.

The lack of a TV deal means the schedule is not finalized, but the NFL is still playing on Sundays. That means four games will need to be played that weekend, one more than the traditional three timeslots for a college football Saturday. There’s talk that we could get CFB Playoff first round games at home stadiums on Friday in addition to Saturday, Dec. 21.

In a weekend that’s typically highlighted by the Las Vegas Bowl and Celebration Bowl, this could be one heck of an upgrade. The quarterfinals will be at bowl sites during the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day window. The sites and schedule:

2024 quarterfinals: Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl
2024 semifinals: Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl 
2025 quarterfinals: Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl
2025 semifinals: Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl 

GAME	DATE
First round	Dec. 20-21
Fiesta Bowl | Quarterfinals	Dec. 31
Peach, Rose, Sugar Bowl | Quarterfinals	Jan. 1
Orange Bowl | Semifinals	Jan. 9
Cotton Bowl | Semifinals	Jan. 10
Atlanta, GA | National Championship	Jan. 20

Kentucky Inks Assistant to Contract Extension

It’s been a busy few months for the contract drafters over at the University of Kentucky. Following some late turnover, Mark Stoops signed one more assistant to a contract extension.

Cornerbacks coach Chris Collins received a two-year extension that will keep him on the staff through the 2025 season. The extension comes with a raise from $400,000 to $475,000 annually. He’ll get a $25k bump for the 2025 season.

Collins is about to have a former player taken in the NFL Draft for the second straight season as Andru Phillips shoots up draft boards. Max Hairston led the SEC in interceptions during his first year as a starter. A solid recruiter, his biggest win of the last cycle was identifying Quaysheed Scott early, and holding off South Carolina as the defensive back’s stock stored.

Talking Ball on the On3 Roundtable

The Wildcats received a surprise late addition when Jaden Smith was released from his Michigan NLI and committed to Kentucky. A four-star talent, I sat down with Josh Newburg to discuss the latest move on the On3 Roundtable.

Got thoughts? Continue the conversation on KSBoard, the KSR Message Board. New members can try 1 month for $1.