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The College Football Playoffs no longer use conference titles as a deciding factor in determining participants, as the top five conference winners automatically qualify for the 12-team tournament.
The CFP announced this on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich. The CFP has had four teams for the past 10 years, but will now triple the number of playoff participants. According to Dinich, the four best-placed conference winners will receive a bye in the first round.
Other decision criteria remain valid, including playing strength and head-to-head results.
According to Dinich, the decision was made this week by FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua at the annual meeting of selection committee members.
The committee also released the all-important schedule ahead of the announcement of the 2024 field.
College Football Playoff @CFB Playoff
Less than 10 days before the start of the season, you can find the complete schedule for the 2024 season here. #CFBPlayoff Selection committee rankings – live on @ESPN this fall!
Details of this week’s meeting to prepare for the upcoming season » https://t.co/I35WqmxLuE
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This year’s CFP begins with a first-round match on December 20, followed by three first-round matches on December 21. All of these matches will be played in the stadiums of the higher-seeded teams.
