College Football Playoff: A History of Determining a National Champion

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is a postseason college football bowl game arrangement established in 2014 to determine the national champion of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The CFP replaced the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), which had been in place since 1998. Initially featuring four teams, the CFP expanded to 12 teams for the 2024-25 season.

Background and the BCS Era

Prior to the CFP, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) served as the first true, though imperfect, postseason football championship arrangement in the history of the NCAA’s highest division. Instituted in 1998, the BCS aimed to create a national championship matchup based on a combination of computer rankings and polls.

Before the BCS, the title of Division I-A “national champion” was often bestowed upon the team (or teams) that finished the season atop one of the polls taken of coaches or sportswriters. The Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and coaches' polls were conventionally given the greatest weight, but various other polls also named national champions throughout the years, frequently resulting in split national champions.

The BCS faced increasing criticism from fans and media who advocated for a playoff system to provide a clear-cut national champion. However, the bowl committees and many conference administrators resisted change, primarily due to the long-standing bowl tradition and the financial benefits they provided. The lack of a playoff also increased the importance of the regular season.

Public desire for a playoff, coupled with criticism of corruption within the bowl system, led to the creation of the four-team College Football Playoff in 2014, replacing the BCS.

History of the CFP

The inaugural College Football Playoff featured four teams selected by a 13-member selection committee composed of former college administrators and coaches. This committee considered polls and computer rankings, but it ultimately made its decisions based on factors such as strength of schedule and record against common opponents.

The teams were seeded, with the top seed facing the fourth seed in one semifinal and the second and third seeds playing in the other. The semifinals took place on either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, rotating among the Rose, Sugar, Cotton, Orange, Fiesta, and Peach bowls on a three-year cycle. The national championship game was held at a predetermined site chosen from bids submitted by prospective host cities.

Expansion to 12 Teams

In 2022, a decision was made to expand the playoffs to include 12 teams, starting in the 2024-25 season. This expansion also brought changes to the composition of the selection committee, adding an athletic director from each of the five major conferences (Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Pac-12).

The CFP selection committee continues to rank the top 25 teams at the end of the season. Guaranteed bids are given to the five highest-ranked conference champions, with the next seven ranked schools receiving at-large bids. The four highest-ranked conference champions are seeded and given a first-round bye. The remaining schools compete in first-round games, with the 5 through 8 seeds playing the teams ranked 9 through 12 at the higher-ranked team's home field. The Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, and Sugar bowls host the quarterfinals and semifinals, rotating annually. The national championship game remains at a neutral site.

Selection Committee

The selection committee plays a crucial role in determining the teams that participate in the CFP. The committee comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds in college football, including current and former athletic directors, head coaches, sports journalists, and administrators.

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The committee is directed to prioritize schools’ strength of schedules. This encourages teams to schedule stronger opponents, as playing highly ranked teams improves a school's chances of making the playoffs.

The committee releases its top 25 rankings weekly on Tuesdays in the second half of the regular season, following multiple ballots and discussions to reach a consensus on team rankings. Members with conflicts of interest, such as current employment or family ties to a school, are recused from voting for that school.

Impact and Conference Performance

Since the implementation of the four-team CFP in the 2014 season and later expansion to 12 teams in 2024, the SEC has the best record (18-9) and most titles (six) of the conferences. It's important to note that records are related to the conferences the teams were in at the time of the games, not where they are now. For example, Texas' 2023 CFP performance (0-1 record) counts for the Big 12, as the Longhorns were in that conference that season. But with Texas moving to the SEC in 2024, the Longhorns' 2-1 record in the 2024 CFP run is included with the overall SEC record. In fact, the SEC has picked up at least one win in the CFP every year besides 2014 (Alabama lost to Ohio State) and 2023 (Alabama lost to Michigan).

College Football Playoff National Championship Game

The College Football Playoff National Championship is an annual matchup to determine the champion of Division I college football. The game features the two winners of the College Football Playoff semifinals and replaced the Bowl Championship Series National Championship, which had decided a champion from 1998 to 2013.

The location of the national championship game changes each year, bringing in spectators and tourists and highlighting the city and stadium during a nationally televised event. Cities across the United States can bid on the National Championship Game each year. The number of cities capable of bidding for the event is restricted by a requirement to have a stadium with at least 65,000 seats.

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CFP National Championship Results:

2025: No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23
2024: No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13
2023: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7
2022: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18
2021: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24
2020: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25
2019: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16
2018: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)
2017: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31
2016: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40
2015: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20

The Road to the Playoff: Semifinal Results

The participating teams in the College Football Playoff National Championship are determined by two semifinal games, hosted by an annual rotation of bowls commonly known as the New Year's Six.

2017:
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 4 Washington 7
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 31, No. 3 Ohio State 0
2016:
- Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson 37, No. 4 Oklahoma 17
- Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0
2015:
- Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon 59, No. 3 Florida State 20
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35

Evolution and Rule Changes

The College Football Playoff has brought significant changes to college football, including adjustments to scheduling and conference structures. The emphasis on strength of schedule has led teams to consider playing more challenging opponents during the non-conference portion of their schedules.

In response to the new playoff system, the Southeastern Conference considered increasing its conference schedule from eight to nine games. Additionally, the league voted to mandate that all SEC teams must play a Power Five foe in its non-conference slate beginning in 2016. The ACC also considered moving to a nine-game conference schedule.

Seed Performance in the CFP Era

Since the first season of the CFP in 2014, different seeds have gone on runs and won it all. The first year of the 12-team era in 2024 showed how the possibilities became even greater.

In the four-team era, the No. 1 seed had the best record at 12-6 and won four of the 10 CFP titles. The 12 wins in 10 seasons also means the No. 1 seed reached the championship game more than any other seed in the four-team era.

With the expansion to 12 teams, the seedings are a little different. In the four-team format, the selection committee's four-highest ranked teams got seeded 1-4, no matter how they did in terms of winning a conference. But in the first year of the 12-team bracket, the four highest-ranked conference champions received the top four seeds and a bye.

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