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The College Football Playoff (CFP) underwent a massive change for the 2024-2025 season. The college football playoffs will it 12 teams starting this year instead of the eight that competed until 2022-2023, and many divisions are already doing the math to see how many representatives they can place in the next phase.
The changes the NCAA implemented not only increase the spots in the CFP but also modify how teams access the next phase. Instead of being designated by a committee, teams will enter the CFP according to their position in the national rankings.
The new rules state that the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will enter the national title race.
The change opens the possibility of a single division sending as many as eight teams to the CFP. The scenario is highly unlikely, but that doesn't stop head coaches like Georgia's Kirby Smart from dreaming of placing as many as four SEC teams in the CFP.
Which teams have a chance of making the playoffs?
The season is about to begin, with kickoff scheduled for August 24 at the game between Florida State and Georgia Tech, while the Bowls will be played between December 14, 2024, and January 21, 2024. However, some analysts are already speculating who will make the CFP.
According to Heather Dinich, senior writer for ESPN, Georgia is the overwhelming favorite to enter the CFP as the No. 1 seed. The Bulldogs will not only win the SEC, they will also be the highest-ranked champion in the league.
Behind Georgia would come the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Florida State Seminoles, and the Utah Utes, in that order. The four teams would have a bye in the first week and would be waiting for the first-round results.
The other eight qualifiers
In Dinich's analysis, the Texas Longhorns would be the fifth conference champion and host the 12th-ranked team, the Boise State Broncos. The winner of this bracket would face Utah. The Alabama Crimson Tide (9) would visit the Ole Miss Rebels (8) for the right to face Georgia.
The Oregon Ducks (6) would host the Penn State Nittany Lions (11) for the ticket to play Florida State. Meanwhile, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7) would host the Miami Hurricanes (10), and the winner would visit Ohio State.
There is still a long way to go, and anything could happen in the next four months. That will not stop analysts from continuing to release their predictions and bettors from starting to fill out their bets. Only time will tell who is right.