College Football Playoff: How a 12-Team Format Would Look Using 2022 Rankings
The College Football Playoff is set to expand to 12 teams in the near future, but the current four-team format will remain in place for the '22 season. While the exact start date of the new 12-team format is uncertain, that doesn't mean we can't use current rankings to get an idea of what a future field might look like.
The new 12-team format will include six conference champions (the highest-ranked teams by the CFB Playoff) and six at-large spots. The top four conference champs will receive a bye week, and the remaining first-round games will played at the home site of the highest seed.
Using the CFB Playoff's Top 25 each week, here's an early look at how a 12-team format would look in the future:
College Football Playoff: How a 12-Team Format Would Look in 2022
December 4 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings (Final)
The Top Four
1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Clemson
4. Utah
First-Round Games
No. 5 TCU vs. No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Penn State
No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 10 USC
No. 8 Tennessee vs. No. 9 Kansas State
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Tennessee
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 7 Alabama
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 Ohio State
No. 4 Utah vs. No. 5 TCU
November 29 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings
The Top Four
1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC
First-Round Games
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Utah
No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 10 Kansas State
No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 9 Clemson
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Penn State
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 7 Tennessee
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 6 Alabama
No. 4 USC vs. No. 5 Ohio State
November 22 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings
The Top Four
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. USC
First-Round Games
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 LSU vs. No. 11 Penn State
No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 10 Tennessee
No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Oregon
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Clemson
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Alabama
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 6 LSU
No. 4 USC vs. No. 5 Michigan
November 15 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings
The Top Four
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. USC
First-Round Games
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UCF
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Penn State
No. 7 LSU vs. No. 10 Utah
No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 9 Clemson
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 LSU
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 6 Tennessee
No. 4 USC vs. No. 5 Michigan
November 8 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings
The Top Four
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. TCU
4. Oregon
First-Round Games
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Ole Miss
No. 7 LSU vs. No. 10 Clemson
No. 8 USC vs. No. 9 Alabama
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 USC
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 LSU
No. 3 TCU vs No. 6 Tennessee
No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 5 Michigan
November 1 Top 25 CFB Playoff Rankings
The Top Four
1. Tennessee
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. TCU
First-Round Games
No. 5. Georgia vs. No. 12 Tulane
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Ole Miss
No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 10 LSU
No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 USC
Second-Round Games
(Projections and winners of matchups using highest-rated seeds)
No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Oregon
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Alabama
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 Michigan
No. 4 TCU vs. No. 5 Georgia
