FSU's playoff snub finally aids new beginning as College football playoff committee approves 5+7 format with automatic spots for P5 conference champs

The College Football Playoff has been one of the biggest discussions, as with conference realignment happening, there is a need to solidify the structure.

The 2024 college football season will be the first of a 12-team playoff format. The structure of deciding which programs will be able to have automatic bids as well as at-large was highly debated.

However, it has been decided that the structure will be a 5+7 model, meaning the five highest-ranking conference champions will automatically be placed in the College Football Playoff bracket. The remaining seven teams will be decided based on the selection committee's rankings.

The bracket will be interesting as with the 12-team format, the top four highest-ranking conference champions would receive a first-round bye.

The fifth through 12th seeds in the first round in the home field of the higher seed, making the playoff feel exciting with a home-crowd advantage. However, the quarterfinals and semifinals will be part of the New Year's Six bowl games and be at a neutral site location.

There also will not be a limit on how many programs from a specific conference can be in the College Football Playoff. It will be exciting to give some more programs the opportunity to compete for the national championship by expanding the field.

It also makes some more bowl games have excitement and stakes surrounding them.

What would the College Football Playoff 12-team format have looked like last season?

The College Football Playoff format should provide a bit more excitement to the postseason and looking at how the field would have wound up will make things easier to understand. Below is a list of the 12 teams that would have made the CFP last season under these new rules in order of seeding.

1. Michigan Wolverines
2. Washington Huskies
3. Texas Longhorns
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
5. Florida State Seminoles
6. Georgia Bulldogs
7. Oregon Ducks
8. Missouri Tigers
9. Ole Miss Rebels
10. Ohio State Buckeyes
11. Arizona Wildcats
12. LSU Tigers

With this format, the top four teams would have stayed the same and would have received a first-round bye. The remaining eight teams would have competed in the first round, with seeds 5-8 hosting the game at their home field.

As of this writing, it is unclear if there will be reseeding after that round or if there will be these seeds set in stone throughout.