College Football Playoff executives expected to adopt a ‘straight-seeding’ model, per report

Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Detail view of signage before the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Michigan Wolverines at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The College Football Playoff executives are expected to adopt a straight-seeding model for the 2025 playoff, per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

CFP executives are scheduled for a call today, where many of them expect to adopt a straight-seeding model for the 2025 playoff that would feature a financial compromise, sources tell @YahooSports.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) May 22, 2025

The current 12-team playoff format places the four highest-ranked conference champions as the top four teams, and those teams receive a first-round BYE. A straight-seeding model will seed teams based on where they are ranked by the College Football Playoff committee with the top four teams receiving a BYE even if they did not win their conference’s championship.

Dellenger also reported details of a ‘financial compromise’ for the four highest-ranked conference champions.

“The financial compromise distributes the same revenue ($8M) to the four champions even if they are not inside the top 4,” Dellenger posted to X.

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