The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will announce the playoff bracket on Dec. 7, and the first round of games will begin on Dec. 19. This is the second season of the 12-team playoff format.
Under this system, the field consists of the five highest-ranked conference champions along with the seven best at-large teams.
The top four overall seeds will earn a first-round bye. This marks a change from last season, when the four byes were awarded only to conference champions.
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