In the wake of the recent proposal to expand the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, I wanted to see what the proposed model would have looked like had it applied in the recent past. The rankings graphics on the left are the final version of the CFP Rankings released after the conference championships. Numbers next to the teams in the matchups would have been their Playoff seeding, not their final CFP ranking.
You can discuss the 2021 College Football season here.
2020
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Coastal Carolina at No. 5 Notre Dame – winner vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
No. 11 Indiana at No. 6 Texas A&M – winner vs. No. 3 Ohio State
No. 10 Iowa State at No. 7 Florida – winner vs. No. 2 Clemson
No. 9 Georgia at No. 8 Cincinnati – winner vs. No. 1 Alabama
2019
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Georgia – winner vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
No. 11 Utah at No. 6 Oregon – winner vs. No. 3 Clemson
No. 10 Penn State at No. 7 Baylor – winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State
No. 9 Florida at No. 8 Wisconsin winner vs. No. 1 LSU
2018
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Penn State at No. 5 Notre Dame – winner vs. No. 4 Ohio State
No. 11 LSU at No. 6 Georgia – winner vs. No. 3 Oklahoma
No. 10 Florida at No. 7 Michigan – winner vs. No. 2 Clemson
No. 9 Washington at No. 8 UCF – winner vs. No. 1 Alabama
2017
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 UCF at No. 5 Alabama – winner vs. No. 4 Ohio State
No. 11 Washington at No. 6 Wisconsin – winner vs. No. 3 Georgia
No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Auburn – winner vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
No. 9 Penn State at No. 8 USC – winner vs. No. 1 Clemson
2016
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Western Michigan at No. 5 Ohio State – winner vs. No. 4 Penn State
No. 11 Florida State at. No. 6 Michigan – winner vs. No. 3 Washington
No. 10 Colorado at No. 7 Oklahoma – winner vs. No. 2 Clemson
No. 9 USC at No. 8 Wisconsin – winner vs. No. 1 Alabama
2015
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Houston at No. 5 Iowa – winner vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
No. 11 TCU at No. 6 Stanford – winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State
No. 10 North Carolina at No. 7 Ohio State – winner vs. No. 2 Alabama
No. 9 Florida State at No. 8 Notre Dame – winner vs. No. 1 Clemson
2014
1st Rd and Quarterfinal Matchups
No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Baylor – winner vs. No. 4 Ohio State
No. 11 Kansas State at No. 6 TCU – winner vs. No. 3 Florida State
No. 10 Arizona at No. 7 Mississippi State – winner vs. No. 2 Oregon
No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 Michigan State – winner vs. No. 1 Alabama
College Football Analyst
Mike is a Baltimore native living in Portland, OR since 2007. He currently runs his own business specializing in video production and online marketing. Prior to that he was a legal technology consultant, worked for 9 years at Johns Hopkins University and served 6 years in the Air Force. He also enjoys travel, food, beer, and is a volunteer at the Oregon Humane Society.