After College Football Playoff controversies in 2025, such as Miami getting into the field over Notre Dame, the CFP Selection Committee made a few changes to the bracket. Most notably, Power Four conference champions are now guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. There are also talks of a CFP expansion for 2027.
Along with the Power Four conference champions, one team from the Group of Six conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Sun Belt) and the next seven highest-ranked teams will get into the CFP.
An interesting change for 2026 is that the top three seeds get to pick their bowl path, meaning they will decide what bowl games they play in for the quarterfinals and, in turn, for the semifinals.
Last season, No. 6 Ole Miss easily defeated American Conference winner Tulane in the first round of the CFP. No. 5 Oregon similarly had no problem taking down Sun Belt Conference champion JMU.
Two Group of Six teams in the CFP is very unlikely going forward. Under the new rules, between Tulane and JMU, only Tulane would be in the playoffs since they are the higher seed.
Last year, the committee put Notre Dame, who is not in a conference, ahead of Miami, who the Fighting Irish lost to Week 1, in all of the weekly CFP rankings. When the final rankings came out, however, the committee elevated the Hurricanes Canes one spot ahead of the Irish, knocking Notre Dame out of the CFP. Now, if Notre Dame is in the top 12, it is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, making its path to the CFP easier.
The 12-team CFP field began in 2024. After just two seasons, there is already significant movement to expand it again. The deadline to make a decision on CFP expansion for 2027 is Dec. 1, 2026. The field could expand to 16 or 24 teams.
This year, the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl will be the quarterfinal games, while the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl are slated as the semifinal games.
The committee’s first rankings will come out on Nov. 3. Selection Sunday is Dec. 6. First-round games will begin on Dec. 18. The quarterfinals will take place on New Year’s Eve and Day. The semifinals will take place on Jan. 14 and 15. Lastly, the championship will fall on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.
