Report: CFP Bracket Seeding Format 'Unlikely' to Change for 2025 CFB Season

The 2025 College Football Playoff could look very similar to the 2024 format.

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported that a "seeding structure change" is not likely to be passed unless their is a "compromise" reached among the commissioners.

"Eliminating the format's rule designating the top four seeds — and first-round byes — only to conference champions has been discussed as a possible shift after the first year of the 12-team playoff, as Yahoo Sports reported in early December," Dellenger wrote. "However, unanimity among the 11 members of the CFP Management Committee — the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director — is required to make any format changes in time for the 2025 playoff."

Dellenger spoke with Big-12 commissioner Brett Yormark, who said that he would be open to a "healthy discussion" but does not want to make concessions for his conference.

"I'm open to a healthy discussion on the topic," Yormark told Dellenger. "I certainly have a point of view that will be expressed in the room, but I do not have the appetite to give up any financial reward that comes with a bye."

2024 was the first year of the 12-team playoff and the format featured five automatic bids and seven at-large bids. The five bids go to the five highest-ranked conference champions per the College Football Playoff selection committee while the seven at-large bids are the top ranked non-conference champions.

The top-four ranked conference champions earned the top-four seeds and a first-round bye. The fifth highest-ranked conference champion and the seven at-large teams played in the first round and the winners faced the four conference champions in the quarterfinal round.

In the 2024 tournament, the four teams that earned byes lost their quarterfinal matchup. This came after Clemson, the fifth-highest ranked conference champion, fell to Texas in the opening round, so none of the conference champions won a game in the Playoff.

Some have suggested adjusting the format to not make the byes conference champion-exclusive, which could have benefitted the team's who played a more difficult schedule in the season.

Regardless, it looks like things will stay status quo for 2025.