In June, commissioners of the four largest conferences in NCAA college football met in North Carolina to discuss the annual postseason playoff format. After two days of closed-door negotiations, commissioners left empty-handed.
The College Football Playoff is a relatively new concept. From 2014 to 2023, the playoffs operated under a four-team invitational knockout bracket. A selection committee, composed of coaches, media and athletic directors, decided which teams would participate. After years of controversy, it became clear that four teams was not enough to determine a “national champion,” and in 2024 the NCAA announced the change to the current 12-team format, with some key differences.