The College Football Playoff format, selection criteria and selection committee members have all evolved over the first 10 years of the process.
In year 11, the one constant is the seemingly endless prattle by the ESPN analysts ahead of actually revealing the initial CFP Top 25 of the season.
So, as not to repeat that annoyance here: Notre Dame checked in at No. 10 Tuesday night at the first checkpoint for determining the first-ever 12-team field. That matches its AP ranking and is two spots lower than its standing in the coaches poll.
The top 10 in the first CFP rankings looked as follows: 1. Oregon, 2. Ohio State, 3. Georgia, 4. Miami, 5. Texas, 6. Penn State, 7. Tennessee, 8. Indiana, 9. BYU, and the Irish.
ND’s only future ranked opponent is Army at No. 25. No. 14 Texas A&M and No. 22 Louisville are its two ranked opponents already played and beaten. The final set of rankings and playoff pairings are set to be revealed on Dec. 8.
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The Irish (7-1) made the playoff twice in the old four-team format — in 2018 and as the regular-season ACC champ in 2020. And Notre Dame would seem to be on a trajectory to be part of the 2024 field if — and only if — it can go 4-0 in November against the likes of Florida State (1-8), Virginia (4-4), Army (8-0) and the Big Ten’s 16th-place team, USC (4-5).
The four highest-ranked conference champions will receive the top four seeds in the 12-team bracket and first-round byes. A fifth conference champ also makes the field but with no preferred seeding.
That caps Notre Dame’s highest-possible seed at No. 5. Teams seeded 5 through 8 will host December first-round games against the four lowest seeds.
In the first hypothetical bracket, Notre Dame — as the 10 seed — would play sixth-ranked/seventh-seeded Penn State in State College, Pa.
The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games – the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. This season’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is in his first season serving as chair of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.
The other selection committee members are Chris Ault (former head coach and athletics director, University of Nevada), Chet Gladchuk (athletics director, U.S. Naval Academy), Jim Grobe (former head coach, Ohio University, Wake Forest and Baylor), Randall McDaniel (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member and former All-American offensive lineman, Arizona State University); Gary Pinkel (former head coach, University of Toledo and University of Missouri); Mack Rhoades (athletics director, Baylor University); Mike Riley (former college head coach, Oregon State and Nebraska, as well as head coach in the NFL, CFL, WLAF, AAF and USFL), David Sayler (athletics director, Miami University, OH), Will Shields (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member and former All-American offensive lineman, University of Nebraska), Kelly Whiteside (professor in Sports Media and Journalism, Montclair State University; longtime sportswriter, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and Newsday), Carla Williams (athletics director, University of Virginia) and Hunter Yurachek (athletics director, University of Arkansas).
CFP Reveals in 2024
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