College Football Playoffs (CFP) started in 2014, and the format was simple. Four teams in the tournament, with only two semifinal games. The winners of the semis went on to play in the final national championship game to seal the overall winner.
However, starting this season, this format changed. Now, we have 12 teams, each looking to take the title.
If you don’t know the intricacies of this format, don’t worry. That’s what we are here for. We’ll explain the format so you don’t miss out on any new developments. In addition, we’ll also talk about how the teams qualify for selection and how the odds work.
Understanding the College Football Playoff format
From 2014 to 2023, the CPF adopted a four-team playoff format. But from 2024 onward, we see a change to a 12-team playoff. So, how will that work?
- The five highest-ranked conference champions have earned automatic bids. However, note that for a conference champion to be eligible for this “guaranteed bid”, the conference must have at least eight teams. If there is a lower number, the highest-ranked champion won’t qualify automatically.
- Of the selected champions, the four highest-ranked champions got seeds 1 to 4. In addition, each of them will receive a first-round bye.
- Since five bids are already accounted for, there would be at-large bids for the seven other highest-ranked remaining teams (they don’t necessarily have to be champions). This could include other conference champions not qualifying for the automatic bids.
- For seeds 5-12, the remaining teams will face each other at the home field of the higher-ranked opponent. Alternatively, they could mutually agree to another venue.
- The matchup for the remaining seeds is: 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. 11, 7 vs. 10, and 8 vs. 9.
- Going forward, the quarterfinals and semis will rotate among the prestigious New Year’s six bowls – Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar. The bowls will be rotated between each other equally.
- As for the championship game, it will be held at a different neutral site that will be decided on.
This is a breakdown of the new format, and as you can see, it offers more games, more action – and most importantly, a detailed format. That gives all collegial football fans more to look forward to.
Breaking down CFP odds and betting
The same way sports enthusiasts are excited for the College Football Playoffs, gamblers are equally invested. With more games on the calendar, it means there are more action to bet on. And if you can capitalize with a good betting strategy, you can make the most from it.
Even if you don’t know much about betting, the basics are more than enough to get you up and running for CFP. For starters, the favorites (more likely to win) always have the lower odds. Most times, their odds always have a negative symbol (eg -100). This is very important to know, especially when you want to bet against the spread. As for the underdogs, their odds are higher and mostly positive (e.g. +250), and as expected, they pay out more if the bet comes through.
How the bookies set the odds
So, how do bookies set the odds for College Football Playoffs? Is it random? No. Here are some of the factors that go into it:
- Team’s recent performance: As expected, better form translates to being rated by the bookies. This supersedes every other thing, and it will always be the first consideration.
- Stats: No matter their form now, some teams just tend to be better at the playoffs. Why? We can’t say, either. But generally, these teams (such as Alabama, Clemson and Georgia) are rated higher by bookies, and they are more likely to be favorites.
- Public betting trends: How are the masses betting now? What is trending? Whatever it is, it’s most likely to be favored by bookies with better odds, so always look to capitalize on it.
- Expert analysis: Behind the scenes, there are experts, pundits and experienced analysts who can give a more “accurate” prediction as to who is more likely to win. Their decisions also affect odds from bookies.
Is the expanded format good or bad news?
The four-team format was often criticized for having too few teams, implying that smaller conferences didn’t really stand a chance. However, now that this proposed expansion is here, it also has its pros and cons. Let’s look at some of them:
Pros
- More opportunity for smaller teams: With the expanded format, underdog teams finally stand a chance, as opposed to the four-team format. Now, we’ll see more mid-tier conferences entering the playoffs and possibly becoming national champions.
- Higher revenue generation: The business part of the game is also going to benefit greatly from this expanded format. With more games, there are more ticket sales, fan engagement and even higher TV ratings. Economically, it is good news for TV stations and college football in general.
- Less controversy with a transparent selection process: With a clear-cut selection process for each seed, there is less room for controversy. The process is transparent and everyone stands a good chance of qualifying if they have a good season.
Cons
- Higher tendency for fatigue and injury risk: More games means that the season will be longer. And in consequence, that will put more stress on players, increasing their risk of injuries. Although coaches can circumvent this with proper squad rotation, some players are just too important to be left out of the team.
- Potential mismatch between strong and weak teams: With the new format, there is a possibility of mismatch in the early rounds. This means that lower-seeded teams could face top-ranked squads in a potentially unfair game. However, we should not rule out the possibility of upsets.
Long-term impact of the new format on college football
Overall, this new format will likely cause a ripple effect in college football. Teams will have to adjust to put themselves in the spotlight and stand a fighting chance. We are going to see improved recruitment, better strategies and maximum athletic performance. This new playoff format is here to stay, and we’ll be here to watch it all unfold.
