There was something symmetrical, accessible and balanced about a 12-team College Football Playoff that earmarked six automatic bids for conference champions while reserving six at-large bids for other deserving teams.
In this format, approved to debut in 2024, conference champions would be valued, because only conference champs would be eligible for a first-round bye. The 12-team format also would provide playoff representation to a greater batch of conferences and geographic regions while ensuring access to at least one Group of Five team.
