As the College Football Playoff selection committee prepares to release its first set of rankings for the 2025 season Tuesday night, it's important to remember that the playoff field won't be built the same way it was a year ago. The second season of the 12-team format will look noticeably different after CFP administrators approved a major bracket tweak this spring: the move to a straight-seeding model . The change, finalized in May, eliminates automatic first-round byes for the four highest-ranked conference champions -- one of the most contentious features from the playoff's inaugural expanded season.

Instead, the top four teams in the committee's final rankings will earn byes to the quarterfinals, regardless of conference affiliation.

"After evaluating the first year of the 12-

See Full Page