If the 2022 Season had a 12-Team College Football Playoff

Beginning in 2024, a 12-team playoff will commence. The controversial format grants automatic bids to the six highest-ranked conference champions, gives first-round byes to the highest ranked four champions, and completes the field with six at-large selections. No at-large can earn a bye.

First-round games, between seeds 5 through 12, are to be played on campus or at a location designated by the higher seed. In other words, should a team like Wake Forest get in and be a higher seed in the first round, they might be convinced to play in Carolina Panthers’ stadium rather than in the Demon Deacons’ 31,500 capacity stadium.

If a 12-team Playoff was held this season with the guidelines laid out above, the following is what it would look like under the current format:

SEEDINGS:

1. Georgia (SEC champion) - Ranked #1 by the CFP Committee
2. Michigan (Big Ten champion) #2
3. Clemson (ACC champion) #7
4. Utah (Pac-12 champion) #8
5. TCU (Big 12 at-large) #3
6. Ohio State (Big Ten at-large) #4
7. Alabama (SEC at-large) #5
8. Tennessee (SEC at-large) #6
9. Kansas State (Big 12 champion) #9
10. Southern Cal (Pac-12 at-large) #10
11. Penn State (Big Ten at-large) #11
12. Tulane (Top ranked non-Power 5 conference champ) #16

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ROUND 1:

The first round is played at the home stadium of the higher seeds or at a location designated by them.

#9 Kansas State at #8 Tennessee - Winner gets Georgia

#10 Southern Cal at #7 Alabama - Winner gets Michigan

#11 Penn State at #6 Ohio State - Winner gets Clemson

#12 Tulane at #5 TCU - Winner gets Utah

ROUND 2 - QUARTERFINALS:

The next two rounds are played at predesignated bowls with preference going to the higher seed. For this experiment, we will pick the hypothetical Round 1 winners and hypothetical locations that we think the higher seed team might select.

#8 Tennessee at #1 Georgia in Atlanta, GA

#7 Alabama at #2 Michigan in Indianapolis, IN

#5 TCU at #4 Utah in Pasadena, CA

#6 Ohio State at #3 Clemson in Arlington, TX

ROUND 3 - SEMIFINALS:

Atlanta winner vs Pasadena winner in New Orleans, LA

Indianapolis winner vs Arlington winner in Glendale, AZ

FINALS:

The Championship Game would be played at a predesignated location and could not be changed. For kicks, we’ll put it in Miami, FL.

NOTES:

• The most glaring issue is that 7th ranked Clemson would get the 3-seed and a first round bye over several teams that are better than the Tigers. Same could be said for 4-seed Utah.
• Kansas State and Utah would both get in with three losses. All the Utes would have to do is win a very winnable home game against TCU or Tulane by one point and they are in the final four.
• A guaranteed spot for a non-Power-5 conference champ is a crock. Two-loss Tulane gets in over Washington, Florida State, and Oregon - three teams that would probably smoke them. God bless the Green Wave but I’m not so sure they could beat any SEC team (yes, ANY).
• If Tulane had lost on Saturday, the next up would be #24 Troy or possibly 3-loss UCF.
• Notre Dame is ranked #21 but had they gone undefeated and beat every team by four touchdowns, the highest they could be seeded is fifth. Independent teams cannot be given a first round bye. It sure looks like someone is trying to strongarm the Irish into joining a conference.