[Turbine]

Do you only allow two P4 teams in, to keep it balanced?

[Swamp]

Proposed 24-Team College Football Playoff Format
The College Football Playoff is nearing a deal to expand from 12 to 24 teams starting in the 2027 season (this would be the last year of the current 12-team format). As of mid-October 2026, reports from ESPN’s Pete Thamel and others indicate the sides are close on a media deal with ESPN for the additional games, though final approvals are still required and details can still shift.

Proposed Bid Structure
The most widely reported model is the “19+4+1” format:

• 19 at-large bids (selected by the CFP committee based on rankings)
• Automatic bids for the 4 Power Four conference champions (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC — as determined by each league)
• 1 automatic bid for the highest-ranked Group of 6 champion

This is intended to guarantee conference representation (especially protecting the ACC and Big 12) while still prioritizing the best teams overall. Some reporting has also mentioned a 23 at-large + 1 Group of 6 model; the exact mix is not fully finalized.

Bracket and Seeding

• Seeds 1–8: Receive a first-round bye and host a second-round game on their campus.
• Seeds 9–16: Host first-round games against seeds 17–24 (higher seed hosts, on campus).
• Winners advance to the second round on the campuses of the top 8 seeds.
• Quarterfinals and semifinals: Expected at neutral New Year’s Six bowl sites (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, Cotton).
• National championship: Remains in January.

This creates two full rounds of on-campus games (eight games per round) before shifting to traditional bowl sites. Top seeds get a meaningful reward (bye + home game), while seeds 9–16 still get home-field advantage in the opening round.

Calendar and Other Changes
To fit the extra round without pushing the championship deep into February:

• Power 4 conference championship games are expected to be eliminated.
• The regular season may start earlier (more games in Week 0) to create an off-week after the regular season for player health/safety before the playoff begins.
• Army-Navy could move earlier in December.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has been the strongest advocate for 24 teams; SEC commissioner Greg Sankey moved from preferring 12 or 16 toward supporting 24 once revenue and scheduling conditions (including offsetting lost championship-game money and stronger scheduling requirements) were addressed.

Revenue Context
ESPN is expected to remain the primary rights holder through at least 2031. The expansion is projected to generate substantial additional money (reports have cited figures in the range of several hundred million dollars annually on top of the existing deal) to help offset the loss of conference championship revenue and fund the larger field.

Note: Nothing is fully official yet. The core outline (24 teams, top-8 byes, early rounds on campus, likely elimination of Power 4 title games, and a 19+4+1-style field) is the consistent picture from multiple outlets as of today, but final seeding rules, exact auto-bid details, and calendar specifics could still be adjusted before implementation.

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2020 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns under 19+4+1

Yes — under the proposed 19+4+1 format, the 2020 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns would have made the College Football Playoff.

2020 Louisiana Context

• Billy Napier’s Ragin’ Cajuns finished 10-1 overall (7-1 in the Sun Belt).
• They were Sun Belt West Division champions and co-champions of the conference (the Sun Belt Championship against undefeated Coastal Carolina was canceled).
• In the final CFP rankings (released December 20, 2020, after conference championships), they were No. 19 with a 9-1 record at that point.
• They later won the First Responder Bowl to finish 10-1 and ranked No. 15 in the final AP Poll.

19+4+1 Application to 2020

Automatic bids (5 total):

• Power 4 champions: Alabama (SEC), Clemson (ACC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Oklahoma (Big 12)
• Highest-ranked Group of 6 champion: Cincinnati (AAC, ranked No. 8 and undefeated)

At-large bids: The remaining spots filled by the highest-ranked teams.

Using the final CFP rankings as the selection basis, Louisiana (No. 19) sits comfortably inside the top 24. The top 24 would look essentially like this (autos already ranked highly enough that no major displacement occurs):

Seed	Team	Record	Notes
1	Alabama	11-0	SEC champ (auto)
2	Clemson	10-1	ACC champ (auto)
3	Ohio State	6-0	Big Ten champ (auto)
4	Notre Dame	10-1
5	Texas A&M	8-1
6	Oklahoma	8-2	Big 12 champ (auto)
7	Florida	8-3
8	Cincinnati	9-0	Highest G6 champ (auto)
9	Georgia	7-2
10	Iowa State	8-3
11	Indiana	6-1
12	Coastal Carolina	11-0	Sun Belt co-champ
13	North Carolina	8-3
14	Northwestern	6-2
15	Iowa	6-2
16	BYU	10-1
17	USC	5-1
18	Miami	8-2
19	Louisiana	9-1	At-large
20	Texas	6-3
21	Oklahoma State	7-3
22	San Jose State	7-0
23	NC State	8-3
24	Tulsa	6-2

(Oregon at No. 25 would be the first team out.)

Bracket Implications for Louisiana

• Seeds 1–8 receive first-round byes and host in the second round.
• Seeds 9–16 host first-round games vs. 17–24.
• Louisiana as the No. 19 seed would travel to play the No. 10 seed (Iowa State) in the first round on Iowa State’s campus.
• The winner would then face the No. 7 seed (Florida) in the second round.

In short, a 10-1 Louisiana team ranked No. 19 would have been a clear playoff team under 19+4+1, getting an on-campus (road) first-round game rather than the First Responder Bowl. This aligns with the format’s goal of expanding access for strong Group of 6 programs while still prioritizing the highest-ranked teams overall.

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2021 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns under 19+4+1

Yes — the 2021 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns would also have made a 24-team playoff under the 19+4+1 format.

2021 Louisiana Context

• Billy Napier’s team went 13-1 overall (8-0 in the Sun Belt).
• They won the Sun Belt West Division and beat Appalachian State 24-16 in the conference championship game for the program’s first outright Sun Belt title.
• In the final CFP rankings (released December 5, 2021), they were ranked No. 23 with a 12-1 record at that point.
• They later won the New Orleans Bowl and finished No. 16 in the final AP Poll.

19+4+1 Application to 2021

Automatic bids (5 total):

• Power 4 champions: Alabama (SEC), Michigan (Big Ten), Baylor (Big 12), Pittsburgh (ACC)
• Highest-ranked Group of 6 champion: Cincinnati (AAC, ranked No. 4 and undefeated — the first G5 team ever to crack the CFP top 4)

At-large bids: Filled by the remaining highest-ranked teams.

Using the final CFP rankings as the basis, Louisiana at No. 23 falls inside the top 24. The field would be essentially the top 24 teams in the rankings (the five autos are already ranked high enough that no displacement of lower teams is required):

Seed	Team	Record	Notes
1	Alabama	12-1	SEC champ (auto)
2	Michigan	12-1	Big Ten champ (auto)
3	Georgia	12-1
4	Cincinnati	13-0	Highest G6 champ (auto)
5	Notre Dame	11-1
6	Ohio State	10-2
7	Baylor	11-2	Big 12 champ (auto)
8	Ole Miss	10-2
9	Oklahoma State	11-2
10	Michigan State	10-2
11	Utah	10-3
12	Pittsburgh	11-2	ACC champ (auto)
13	BYU	10-2
14	Oregon	10-3
15	Iowa	10-3
16	Oklahoma	10-2
17	Wake Forest	10-3
18	NC State	9-3
19	Clemson	9-3
20	Houston	11-2
21	Arkansas	8-4
22	Kentucky	9-3
23	Louisiana	12-1	At-large
24	San Diego State	11-2

(Texas A&M at No. 25 would be the first team out.)

Bracket Implications for Louisiana

• Seeds 1–8 get first-round byes and host in the second round.
• Seeds 9–16 host first-round games against seeds 17–24.
• As the No. 23 seed, Louisiana would travel to face the No. 10 seed (Michigan State) in the first round on Michigan State’s campus.
• The winner would advance to play the No. 7 seed (Baylor) in the second round.

A 12-1 (later 13-1) Sun Belt champion ranked No. 23 would have been a clear playoff participant under 19+4+1, earning an on-campus road first-round game instead of the New Orleans Bowl. This is consistent with the format’s intent to expand access for strong Group of 6 teams.

[Ragin9221]

Do you only allow two P4 teams in, to keep it balanced?

we gonna have to invite P4 schools, we have to show fairness, even though they do not show us back. Then they will have an argument over separating and keeping our 1 team out of the CFP.

So it can be a playoff for the best of the rest. And honestly, that’s the whole point you create a postseason that actually means something for everyone outside the power structure. If a P4 school wants in, fine, let them prove they care. If they don’t, it exposes the imbalance and strengthens the G6’s case for keeping its CFP access. Either way, the G6 controls the narrative instead of being stuck with meaningless bowl games and no leverage. This gives the entire group a real championship path, real NIL value, and a postseason identity that isn’t just whatever scraps the P4 leaves behind.

Call it FBS College Football Championship!!

[Ragin9221]

It all depends if they only allow 2 or less then this is clear we need to do this if its 2 or more then lets hold off, but its almost a wait and see approach.

[Swamp]

2020 Louisiana Final AP Rank 15 | CFP Rank 19
2021 Louisiana Final AP Rank 16 | CFP Rank 23

Proposed 2027 24 Team CFP applied to both seasons:

• 2020 Louisiana in 1st round CFP
• 2021 Louisiana in 1st round CFP

Should 2020 & 2021 FINAL AP RANK HAVE MATCHED 2020 & 2021 CFP RANK:
2020 Louisiana CFP Rank 19 were to match 2020 AP Rank 15:

• First round of College Football Playoffs at Cajun Field

2021 Louisiana CFP Rank 23 were to match 2021 AP Rank 16:

• First round of College Football Playoffs at Cajun Field

19+4+1 Format: Forget Conference Championships, Forget Bowls (until later)
19+4+1 Format: Focus on CFP T24 Rank, Focus on 24 FBS teams (from any conference), G6 lands 7 teams in CFP T24 - 7 G6 Programs are in CFP. Period.

• Land within CFP Rank 9-16 and you're 1st Round on Your Campus (aka The Swamp).
• Land within CFP Rank 17-24 and you're 1st Round CFP at 9-16 rank's Campus (Not Swamp)(but in CFP)

[ColaCajun]

I hear you, but my point is that even with increase in income, all the G6 teams will be in the same boat if the power conferences have their way no matter which non power conference they are in. Only 1 G6 team and no conference championship games? What is the point? And with that increase in income, by looking at the deficits that most college athletic departments have, will that extra income really make that much of a difference? And what will happen with bowl games once this new playoff format is implemented? I'm just really down on college football at this point. Since the implementation of NIL, things have just gone downhill. I'd rather players just get paid under the table like they used to. At least that put somewhat of a cap on the money.

Yes to all of it. But had we left with Texas State for the PAC, even a reduced media share could have put us ahead of where we are now. Texas State reportedly entered on a partial share that increases over time, similar to how the CUSA six entered the AAC with smaller, escalating payouts. Getting a full share immediately isn’t the only way a move can benefit us. Add stronger home schedules to sell tickets around, more national exposure to increase sponsorship value, and better perception locally and nationally. None of that fixes everything overnight, but it gives us more to work with and something new for fans and businesses to buy into. The deficit is absolutely a problem, but UL isn’t isolated in that here in the state and across the NCAA. My frustration is that we keep looking under the same rock for new or improved revenue streams every year and expecting to find something different. At some point, we have to give ourselves more opportunities to grow instead of asking the same people to keep making up the difference.

Getting into the CFP is hard for every G6 school out there currently and even harder to win a national championship. Always have been. And when we beat their system, they change the rules (2024 with Boise State getting a top 4 seed; 2025 two G6's and no Notre Dame). If the goal is to get into the CFP or to have a chance to get into the CFP, then we need to position ourselves to do so. It's no longer the top-ranked G6 conference champ, it's the top-ranked G6 team. And people are delusional if they think a 11-1 or 12-0 SBC team is getting ranked higher than a 11-1 or even 10-2 PAC or AAC team. If you have an opportunity, you have a chance. When JMU leaves and others join them, the SBC wont give us the opportunity anymore.

[Turbine]

Avoid the appearance of rigor mortise at all cost

[Swamp]

Avoid the appearance of rigor mortise at all cost

When interpretations read as though all don't even know what sport is being discussed......gotta leg it out.

Otherwise some idiotic blob takes shape and fact is no longer even a consideration.

[Ragin9221]

Here me out on this

The “Best‑of‑the‑Rest Playoff” is just a super easy 16‑team tournament for all the good teams that didn’t make the main playoff. You take the 5 G6 Champions and
the runner up who did not make the CFP. then the 4 best P4 teams that barely missed the big playoff, and then you add 6 G6 teams that had strong seasons. Boom 16 teams. Then it’s just Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final. Straight knockout. Win and move on, lose and go home. Keep the bowls, no random matchups.

If a P-4 doesnt want to join you move down the list.