January 19, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; The College Football Playoff National Championship trophy at a press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Pictures
Could there be more changes heading into the School Soccer Playoff, which has yet to finish its first year with a 12-team field?
No major decisions were made when FBS conference commissioners and university presidents met in Atlanta on Sunday, a day before the national championship game between No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 8 seed Ohio State.
But CFP CEO Wealthy Clark told reporters that “it is possible” that adjustments could be made to the playoff format before next season, although those changes would have to happen “very soon.”
“I would say it’s possible, but I don’t know if it will happen or not,” Clark said. “There are probably some things that could happen before long that could be adjustments for the 2025 season, but we haven’t determined that yet.”
Previously, changes needed unanimous approval, but when a new contract goes into effect in 2026, that will no longer be the case and the governance structure will favor the two major football leagues, the SEC and the Big Ten.
This year, the field was expanded from four to 12, with the five highest-ranked conference champions receiving automatic bids and the four highest-ranked champions receiving spots 1-4 and first-round byes. The last piece drew criticism after No. 3 seed Boise State and No. 4 seed Arizona State, representing the Mountain West and Huge 12, were one and done.
Possible changes in the future may include updating the planting process or expanding the field once again.
Clark told reporters that decision makers will consider “everything across the board” going forward.
“We’re going to prepare them so they can really take a full look at the playoffs after this championship game is over… and then look back and figure out what we need,” he said.
–Media at field level
