Pac-12 releases statement regarding CFP expansion

On3 imageby:Nick Schultz09/02/22

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Since the College Football Playoff came about in 2014, the Pac-12 has only had two bids. But the CFP is now planning to expand to 12 teams — and the league released a statement supporting the decision.

Washington was the last Pac-12 team to make the four-team CFP field in 2016-17, and the league has missed out on the playoff multiple times since. But now, under the 12-team format, the conference champion will get an automatic bid and a first-round bye and the door will open for an at-large bid.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff previously said he would favor expansion, and the conference backed that up in its statement following the CFP’s announcement.

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“The Pac-12 is strongly in favor of CFP expansion and welcomes the decision of the CFP Board,” the statement read. “CFP expansion will provide increased access and excitement and is the right thing for our student-athletes and fans. We look forward to working with our fellow conferences to finalize the important elements of an expanded CFP in order to launch as soon as possible.”

More on the CFP’s decision to expand to 12 teams

The College Football Playoff Board of Managers met Friday and voted unanimously to expand to 12 teams. The current CFP contract with ESPN runs through 2025, but talks could get started about expanding earlier than that. Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported the commissioners will meet next week to talk about just that and expanding as early as 2024 would lead to an extra $450 million in TV revenue.

No matter when the playoff expands, the CFP announced the format for its new look when it announced the decision.

The 12-team playoff will feature the six conference champions and the next six highest-ranked teams. The top four teams will get a bye, while the other eight teams play first-round games at campus sites. Quarterfinal and semifinal games will, in turn, be played at bowl game sites pending agreements with the bowls.

Additionally, the playoff can start in either the second or third weekend of December, and the committee called for “at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games.”