The Game
8 chapters
How teams qualify, where they play, and when. An 18-team playoff, six playoff bowls, a smaller optional bowl tier, published rankings, and one season calendar.
Account
The proposed 18-team College Football PlayoffAn 18-team playoff proposal
Keep the traditions.
Fix the incentives.
A proposed 18-team playoff rewards a stronger regular season with a shorter path. Six playoff bowls stay; later rounds return to campus. It’s one part of a broader plan for the calendar, athlete rights, economics and governance.Earn a shorter playoff path. Keep six bowls. Bring later rounds to campus.
A working proposal—not the current rules.
The proposed field18-team CFP
2Skip two rounds2 teams · 3 wins to a title
8Skip one round8 teams · 4 wins to a title
8Start in the opening round8 teams · 5 wins to a title
Photo sources and licenses One sport. Three connected parts.
The playoff is the starting point. The full proposal also covers player rights and how the sport is governed—all in one 17-chapter book.
The Market
5 chapters
Clear rights and commitments for players and schools: pay, school agreements, transfer windows, representation, and eligibility.
The Government
4 chapters
Who makes the rules and how they are enforced. Defined authority, independent oversight, fair hearings, and appeals.
Saturday stories
National reach.
Local character.
Open a field note on the place, ritual, and feeling a national system should protect.
Photography sources and licenses →
Explore it for yourself.
Why 18 teams?
The aim is wider access with a shorter path for stronger regular seasons. Two teams skip two rounds, eight skip one, and eight start in the opening round, after championship protections are applied. That explains the structure, not whether the last entrants deserve a place. Their résumés and the added game burden still need comparison.
Who can enter the National Tournament?
Only eligible FBS institutions outside the Power Four that are not selected for the CFP. Power Four teams are never eligible under the proposed rule.
Can a CFP team move into the other tournament after a loss?
No. Both fields lock at selection. That protects equal rest, stable hosting, and the independent meaning of each event.
Is the system ready to adopt?
No. Historical backtesting, athlete-welfare review, legal and labor analysis, financial diligence, host audits, and stakeholder negotiation are required first.
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