The policy in brief
What this part would establish
- No Power Four member is eligible, regardless of record, ranking, or conference finish.
- Every eligible non-Power Four conference champion outside the CFP receives a bid and a home opener.
- At-large positions follow the same final underlying résumé order used in CFP consideration.
- The tournament reseeds after the round of 16 and quarterfinals; higher underlying seeds host through the semifinals.
- A team selected for the CFP cannot transfer into this event after a CFP loss.
How it works
Eligibility and selection
The field consists only of eligible FBS institutions outside the Power Four that were not selected for the CFP. At-large candidates ordinarily need seven wins and an overall winning record; an eligible conference champion is exempt from the seven-win threshold. Independents can earn at-large bids but not champion automatic bids.
Seeding and campus hosting
Teams are seeded 1–16 by the final underlying résumé ranking. Champions are guaranteed a first-round home game; remaining host positions go to the highest seeds. If a champion moves into a host position, its underlying seed remains visible and still controls later reseeding.
CFP priority without punishing success
CFP selection is the higher opportunity and cannot be declined in favor of the tournament. An outside-the-Power-Four CFP qualifier receives at least the tournament participant distribution plus its CFP distribution, formal qualifier recognition, and the next season’s prime interconference-challenge invitation. A first-game loss does not retroactively make selection a mistake.
A distinct media window and title
The event owns Tuesday and Wednesday nights while the CFP owns Friday and Saturday. The first three rounds are campus-hosted, separated by a holiday pause, with a rotating neutral championship before CFP title weekend. The champion receives a distinct FBS records designation, trophy, advancement revenue, and a showcase invitation—but no automatic CFP berth the next year.
Safeguards
What keeps the rule honest
- The field and replacement order are final when announced; no mid-event CFP transfers occur.
- Host standards cover field condition, replay, medicine, security, tickets, and broadcast connectivity.
- The event’s name, trophy, records, and distributions remain clearly distinct from the CFP championship.
Still to resolve
Questions testing must answer
- What name and trophy would give the championship genuine identity without overstating its place?
- Can protected weeknight inventory produce enough value to fund travel, hosting, and meaningful distributions?
- What exact rest interval should govern champions playing immediately after conference-title weekend?
Discuss this rule
The proposal ends.
The thread starts here.
Open a focused discussion without leaving the policy chapter. Threads and replies are moderated before publication and also appear in the main community forum.