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12-Team CFP Set for 2026 with New Auto-Bid Rule
28 Jan
Summary
- CFP will remain a 12-team field in 2026.
- Top-ranked Group of Six team gets auto bid, not just champions.
- Notre Dame guaranteed a spot with a top-12 ranking.
The College Football Playoff management committee has confirmed that the 2026 season will feature a 12-team field. Automatic bids will be extended to the winners of the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 conferences, along with one spot for a "Group of Six" team.
Crucially, this "Group of Six" automatic qualifier will not necessarily be a conference champion. Instead, the highest-ranked team from these conferences in the final CFP rankings will secure the bid. This adjustment follows a scenario in 2025 where a five-loss Duke team upset their way into the ACC championship game, impacting playoff seeding.
Under the new system, Notre Dame is guaranteed a playoff berth if they finish within the top 12 of the final CFP rankings. The CFP expanded to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season, initially guaranteeing byes to the top four conference champions. For 2025, the playoff moved to straight seeding without these byes.
Reports indicate discussions about further expansion to 16 or even 24 teams by the SEC and Big Ten, respectively, have not yet reached an agreement, solidifying the 12-team format for 2026. Conference schedules are also evolving, with the ACC and SEC adding a ninth conference game next year, aligning with the Big Ten and Big 12.
