College Football Playoff Expansion Proposal To 12? What Would Have Happened?
A proposal to expand the College Football Playoff to 12 teams is on the table. What would’ve happened if this was the format from the start?
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A proposal has been created by the College Football Playoff management committee to possible expand to 12 teams. It’ll be discussed next week with several tweaks, arguments, and counter-proposals sure to follow.
The plan would be to take the top six ranked conference champions to go along with the top six other teams according to the final college football rankings.
The top four teams – conference champions only – would get a bye, and the first round would be played on the home field of the higher seeded team. The quarterfinals would be held in bowl games – to be designated later – all leading to the four team format that’s in place now.
So what would a 12-team College Football Playoff have been in the old format?
From 2014 on, here’s how it would’ve played out.
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
2014: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2014 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Oregon (Pac-12 Champion)
3. Florida State (ACC Champion)
4. Ohio State (Big Ten Champion)
5. Baylor (Big Champion – through tie-breaker)
6. TCU
7. Mississippi State
8. Michigan State
9. Ole Miss
10. Arizona
11. Kansas State
12. Georgia Tech
Top 3 Left Out
12. Georgia Tech
13. Georgia
14. UCLA
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2014 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Alabama, 2. Oregon, 3. Florida State, 4. Ohio State
20. Boise State (Mountain West Champion) at 5. Baylor
11. Kansas State at 6. TCU
10. Arizona at 7. Mississippi State
9. Ole Miss at 8. Michigan State
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
NEXT: 2015 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2015: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2015 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Clemson (ACC Champion)
2. Alabama (SEC Champion)
3. Michigan State (Big Ten Champion)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
5. Iowa
6. Stanford (Pac-12 Champion)
7. Ohio State
8. Notre Dame
9. Florida State
10. North Carolina
11. TCU
12. Ole Miss
Top 3 Left Out
12. Ole Miss
13. Northwestern
14. Michigan
2015 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Clemson, 2. Alabama, 3. Michigan State, 4. Oklahoma
18. Houston (AAC Champion) at 5. Iowa
11. TCU at 6. Stanford
10. North Carolina at 7. Ohio State
9. Florida State at 8. Notre Dame
2014 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
NEXT: 2016 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2016: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2016 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Clemson (ACC Champion)
3. Ohio State
4. Washington (Pac-12 Champion)
5. Penn State (Big Ten Champion)
6. Michigan
7. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
8. Wisconsin
9. USC
10. Colorado
11. Florida State
12. Oklahoma State
Top 3 Left Out
12. Oklahoma Sate
13. Louisville
14. Auburn
2016 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Alabama, 2. Clemson, 4. Washington, 5. Penn State
15. Western Michigan (MAC Champion) at 3. Ohio State
11. Florida State at 6. Michigan
10. Colorado at 7. Oklahoma
9. USC at 8. Wisconsin
2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
NEXT: 2017 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2017: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2017 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Clemson (ACC Champion)
2. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
3. Georgia (SEC Champion)
4. Alabama
5. Ohio State (Big Ten Champion)
6. Wisconsin
7. Auburn
8. USC (Pac-12 Champion)
9. Penn State
10. Miami
11. Washington
12. UCF (AAC Champion)
Top 3 Left Out
13. Stanford
14. Notre Dame
15. TCU
2017 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Clemson, 2 Oklahoma, 3. Georgia, 5. Ohio State
12. UCF at 4. Alabama
11. Washington at 6. Wisconsin
10. Miami at 7. Auburn
9. Penn State at 8. USC
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
NEXT: 2018 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2018: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2018 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Clemson (ACC Champion)
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
5. Georgia
6. Ohio State (Big Ten Champion)
7. Michigan
8. UCF (AAC Champion)
9. Washington (Pac-12 Champion)
10. Florida
11. LSU
12. Penn State
Top 3 Left Out
13. Washington State
14. Kentucky
15. Texas
2019 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Alabama, 2. Clemson, 4. Oklahoma. 6. Ohio State
12. Penn State at 3. Notre Dame
11. LSU at 5. Georgia
10. Florida at 7. Michigan
9. Washington at 8. UCF
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2019 | 2020
NEXT: 2019 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2019: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2019 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. LSU (SEC Champion)
2. Ohio State (Big 12 Champion)
3. Clemson (ACC Champion)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
5. Georgia
6. Oregon (Pac-12 Champion)
7. Baylor
8. Wisconsin
9. Florida
10. Penn State
11. Utah
12. Auburn
Top 3 Left Out
12. Auburn
13. Alabama
14. Michigan
2019 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. LSU, 2. Ohio State, 3. Clemson, 4. Oklahoma
17. Memphis (AAC Champion) at 5. Georgia
11. Utah at 6. Oregon
10. Penn State at 7. Baylor
9. Florida at 8. Wisconsin
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2020
NEXT: 2020 With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
2020: With College Football Playoff Expansion 12-Team Plan
Final 2020 College Football Playoff Rankings Top 12
1. Alabama (SEC Champion)
2. Clemson (ACC Champion)
3. Ohio State (Big Ten Champion)
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
7. Florida
8. Cincinnati (AAC Champion)
9. Georgia
10. Iowa State
11. Indiana
12. Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt Champion)
Top 3 Left Out
13. North Carolina
14. Northwestern
15. Iowa
2020 College Football Playoff First Round Would’ve Been …
First Round Bye: 1. Alabama, 2. Clemson, 3. Ohio State, 6. Oklahoma
12. Coastal Carolina at 4. Notre Dame
11. Indiana at 5. Texas A&M
10. Iowa State at 7. Florida
9. Georgia at 8. Cincinnati
