Joel Klatt predicts hypothetical 24-team field for 2025 College Football Playoff

The future of the 12-team College Football Playoff was the talk of the offseason as power brokers from each of the Power Four conferences offered multiple proposals for a newly expanded Playoff format. The CFP executive committee has until December to vote on any change ahead of the 2026 Playoff.

During that time, two particular proposals came to the forefront: The Big Ten’s controversial “4+4+2+2+1” format that would grant the Big Ten and SEC four automatic bids apiece, and to the Big 12 and SEC-backed “5+11” format that would include 11 total team at-large bids.

But recently, a 24-team proposal by the Big Ten has been revived that is catching the attention of college football insiders. Klatt took time during Thursday’s The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast to review what a 24-team Playoff field would look like based on the current AP Top 25 standings after Week 8.

In this proposed 24-team field, the Power Four conferences — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC — will each receive four automatic bids for the top four teams from each league, while the two highest-ranked Group of Six conferences will also receive automatic bids. There would then be six additional at-large bids to the next highest-ranked teams according to the CFP selection committee’s final regular-season rankings.

“Any change to the Playoff, in any form, I think really needs to minimize the (Playoff selection) committee and create better roads of access rather than selections,” Klatt said. “So with the selection being moved down to those six (at-large) picks and getting 18 defined paths for teams to have access to the Playoff, I think, would be a quality thing.”

With that in mind, check out Joel Klatt’s hypothetical 24-team field in the 2025 College Football Playoff:

ACC

Automatic qualifiers: No. 7 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Miami, No. 16 Virginia, No. 19 Louisville
In the hunt: SMU, Pitt, Cal, Wake Forest

The Yellow Jackets are currently the ACC’s lone undefeated team on the season and would be a shoo-in for one of the league’s four automatic bids, per Klatt, as would the Hurricanes, even coming off last Friday’s 24-21 loss to Louisville, who jumped into the Playoff mix with the victory. Virginia is one of three ACC teams without a conference loss and thus would qualify for an AQ bid if the season ended today.

Big Ten

Automatic qualifiers: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 6 Oregon, No. 22 Illinois
In the hunt: Michigan, USC, Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern, Nebraska, Washington

The top-heavy Big Ten has just three teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25, and all three would seemingly be easy selections to make the 24-team field, especially reigning national champion Ohio State. But with questions about the depth of the league, Klatt doesn’t have the Big Ten earning any at-large bids based on the current standings, which would certainly upset college football fans up North.

Big 12

Automatic qualifiers: No. 11 BYU, No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 21 Cincinnati, No. 23 Arizona State
In the hunt: Utah, Houston, TCU, Iowa State

Klatt also has the Big 12 getting shut out of getting any at-large team in due in large part to the uncertainty of the conference race as it stands after Week 8. The Cougars are the current Big 12 frontrunner after knocking off the rival Utes 24-21 last weekend, but the Red Raiders and Bearcats both remain in the thick of things with upcoming games against BYU still ahead.

SEC

Automatic qualifiers: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 Ole Miss
At large bids: No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 15 Missouri, No. 17 Tennessee, No. 20 LSU
In the hunt: Texas

If the SEC received nine total Playoff bids — including a Power Four-leading five team invites — like Klatt thinks, it would send commissioner Greg Sankey over the moon. Eight weeks into the regular season, the SEC has established itself as the deepest P4 league with five teams currently ranked in the Top 10 and 10 teams currently in the AP Top 25. Suffice it to say, this new 24-team format would clearly favor the SEC.

Group of Six + Independents

Automatic qualifiers: No. 18 USF, No. 24 Tulane
At-large bids: No. 12 Notre Dame
In the hunt: Navy, San Diego State, James Madison, Boise State, Memphis, North Texas, UNLV

With a 24-team format, a two-loss Notre Dame would likely be a near-certainty to annually earn one of the committee’s six at-large bids, Klatt claims, especially amid its current five-game win streak after opening 0-2. Based on Klatt’s projection, the American Conference would earn the Group of Six’s two automatic bids, though it could certainly make the case for more at-large bids.

Joel Klatt’s hypothetical 24-team College Football Playoff field:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
2. Indiana Hoosiers
3. Texas A&M Aggies
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
5. Georgia Bulldogs
6. Oregon Ducks
7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
8. Ole Miss Rebels
9. Miami Hurricanes
10. Vanderbilt Commodores
11. BYU Cougars
12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
13. Oklahoma Sooners
14. Texas Tech Red Raiders
15. Missouri Tigers
16. Virginia Cavaliers
17. Tennessee Volunteers
18. USF Bulls
19. Louisville Cardinals
20. LSU Tigers
21. Cincinnati Bearcats
22. Illinois Fighting Illini
23. Arizona State Sun Devils
24. Tulane Green Wave