The 12-team School Soccer Playoff will transfer to a straight seeding mannequin this fall, rewarding the choice committee’s high 4 groups with the highest 4 seeds and a first-round bye, sources advised ESPN.
The ten FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, who comprise the CFP’s administration committee, reached the unanimous settlement essential to make the change throughout a name on Thursday afternoon.
This previous season, the 4 highest-ranked convention champions earned the highest 4 seeds — no matter the place they have been ranked. Now, impartial Notre Dame is eligible to earn a first-round bye if the Irish are ranked within the high 4. All 4 groups that earned a first-round bye within the inaugural 12-team CFP misplaced their first sport.
The 5 highest-ranked convention champions will nonetheless be assured spots within the 12-team discipline.
The group was additionally anticipated to conform to a monetary part Thursday. There is a $4 million payout that comes with advancing to a quarterfinal — that is along with $4 million for reaching the playoff for a complete of $8 million earned by a staff’s respective convention. Underneath this settlement, the 4 highest-ranked convention champions are nonetheless anticipated to earn the $8 million they’d have below the earlier mannequin.
Final 12 months, Mountain West Convention champion Boise State and Huge 12 champion Arizona State earned top-four seeds and first-round byes as two of the 4 highest-ranked convention champions. The Broncos have been ranked No. 9 and seeded No. 3, and No. 12-ranked Arizona State earned the fourth seed and last bye. Had a straight seeding mannequin been in place final 12 months, No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Penn State would have been the highest 4 seeds.
The CFP’s administration committee has been considering altering the seeding for this fall for months. Whereas there was overwhelming assist within the room to maneuver to a straight seeding format, some commissioners have been hoping to tie the dialogue into the larger consideration of format for 2026 and past. No selections have been made on the CFP’s future format.
