Report: College Football Playoff Committee to Present '5+7' Model for 12-Team Format

One year away from expansion of the College Football Playoff, the management committee will present a 5+7 model to the owners of the playoff.

Per Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, the committee voted to recommend the model to the College Football Playoff board of managers during an in-person meeting on Thursday.

The next step in the process will be presenting it to the 11 university presidents and chancellors who own the College Football Playoff for final approval.

The model will reward the five highest-ranked conference champions and next seven highest-ranked teams in the 12-team playoff that is set to begin with the 2024-25 season.

When the CFP board of managers voted to approve the 12-team playoff format in December 2022, the expectation for the format is the six highest-ranked conference champions and next six highest-ranked teams would be included.

Amid the rush of realignment that happened over the summer, there was some uncertainty if that format would remain in place. CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported on Sept. 26 the 6+6 model would likely be the format for at least the first season of the 12-team playoff.

Per ESPN's Heather Dinich, the 5+7 model has long been favored by a majority of the management committee, comprised of 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, but they've been "hesitant to commit to it while uncertainty and legal issues still surround the fate of the Pac-12 conference."

Dellenger also noted the committee established a new policy that requires a conference to have at least eight members to be eligible to qualify for an automatic spot in the 12-team playoff.

Oregon State and Washington State are the only schools set to be in the Pac-12 next season. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are joining the Big 12. UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington are moving to the Big Ten. California and Stanford are going to the ACC.

Dinich noted the CFP board of managers is expected to meet at some point in early December. The 5+7 model requires unanimous approval from the board.