The best team of the worst conference would be a 3-seed if the 12-team playoff was this year. | Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Maybe it was time for an expanded playoff, but the seeding is a bunch of malarkey.
Beginning in 2024, a 12-team playoff will commence. The controversial format grants automatic bids to the six highest-ranked conference champions, gives first-round byes to the highest ranked four champions, and completes the field with six at-large selections. No at-large can earn a bye.
First-round games, between seeds 5 through 12, are to be played on campus or at a location designated by the higher seed. In other words, should a team like Wake Forest get in and be a higher seed in the first round, they might be convinced to play in Carolina Panthers’ stadium rather than in the Demon Deacons’ 31,500 capacity stadium.
If a 12-team Playoff was held this season with the guidelines laid out above, the following is what it would look like under the current format:
SEEDINGS:
Georgia (SEC champion) – Ranked #1 by the CFP Committee
Michigan (Big Ten champion) #2
Clemson (ACC champion) #7
Utah (Pac-12 champion) #8
TCU (Big 12 at-large) #3
Ohio State (Big Ten at-large) #4
Alabama (SEC at-large) #5
Tennessee (SEC at-large) #6
Kansas State (Big 12 champion) #9
Southern Cal (Pac-12 at-large) #10
Penn State (Big Ten at-large) #11
Tulane (Top ranked non-Power 5 conference champ) #16
ROUND 1:
The first round is played at the home stadium of the higher seeds or at a location designated by them.
#9 Kansas State at #8 Tennessee – Winner gets Georgia
#10 Southern Cal at #7 Alabama – Winner gets Michigan
#11 Penn State at #6 Ohio State – Winner gets Clemson
#12 Tulane at #5 TCU – Winner gets Utah
ROUND 2 – QUARTERFINALS:
The next two rounds are played at predesignated bowls with preference going to the higher seed. For this experiment, we will pick the hypothetical Round 1 winners and hypothetical locations that we think the higher seed team might select.
#8 Tennessee at #1 Georgia in Atlanta, GA
#7 Alabama at #2 Michigan in Indianapolis, IN
#5 TCU at #4 Utah in Pasadena, CA
#6 Ohio State at #3 Clemson in Arlington, TX
ROUND 3 – SEMIFINALS:
Atlanta winner vs Pasadena winner in New Orleans, LA
Indianapolis winner vs Arlington winner in Glendale, AZ
FINALS:
The Championship Game would be played at a predesignated location and could not be changed. For kicks, we’ll put it in Miami, FL.
NOTES:
The most glaring issue is that 7th ranked Clemson would get the 3-seed and a first round bye over several teams that are better than the Tigers. Same could be said for 4-seed Utah.
Kansas State and Utah would both get in with three losses. All the Utes would have to do is win a very winnable home game against TCU or Tulane by one point and they are in the final four.
A guaranteed spot for a non-Power-5 conference champ is a crock. Two-loss Tulane gets in over Washington, Florida State, and Oregon – three teams that would probably smoke them. God bless the Green Wave but I’m not so sure they could beat any SEC team (yes, ANY).
If Tulane had lost on Saturday, the next up would be #24 Troy or possibly 3-loss UCF.
Notre Dame is ranked #21 but had they gone undefeated and beat every team by four touchdowns, the highest they could be seeded is fifth. Independent teams cannot be given a first round bye. It sure looks like someone is trying to strongarm the Irish into joining a conference.
source https://thedailyncaa.com/if-the-2022-season-had-a-12-team-college-football-playoff/