The College Football Playoff has approved immediate changes to its format for the 12-team model ahead of the 2025 season, and in doing so created a better tournament for the fall while also setting a standard for the ongoing negotiations around 2026 and beyond.

The change means the top four seeds will go to the four highest-ranked teams regardless of their finish within the conference.

The College Football Playoff is implementing new seeding and bye rules for its 12-team format starting in the 2025-26 season, prioritizing overall ranking for first-round byes while still guaranteeing spots for conference champions.