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12-team College Football Playoff selection process proceeding without waiting for Army-Navy result
Last Updated on April 30, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes
The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process will see a significant change with the implementation of a 12-team format, as announced by outgoing CFP executive director Bill Hancock. One major development is that the annual Army-Navy Game will no longer impact the selection process, unlike in the previous four-team format.
Academy officials were not willing to move the historic rivalry game earlier in the schedule to accommodate the final rankings in the 12-team Playoff era. Previously, the CFP committee had to wait for the outcome of Army-Navy if either team was in contention for the top four spots or if Navy could have finished as the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion.
However, at the CFP’s annual spring meetings this week, officials determined that it would be too complicated to ask another CFP participant to wait a full week to learn their opponent with a shorter turnaround before the 12-team Playoff begins. This change means that Army or Navy could potentially win the AAC and qualify for the CFP as the top G5 champion, even if they were to lose to the other academy six days later.
Despite Army joining the AAC as a football-only member this year, the annual Army-Navy matchup will remain a nonconference game due to the unique nature of the game on the calendar and the existing contract with CBS. Additionally, CFP executive director Bill Hancock confirmed that the CFP will not be changing the schedule for its first-round games on the third Saturday in December, despite reported concerns from the NFL.
In other news, Washington athletic director Pat Chun has stepped down from the CFP selection committee, and a new at-large committee member will be selected to serve Chun’s three-year term. The CFP has also increased its travel budget for team family members from $1.5 million over three games to $7.5 million over 11 games, allowing more families to support their teams throughout the playoff.
