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The 2014 Birth of the CFP: Ending the BCS Era with a Four-Team Bracket

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Thursday, November 13th 2025 at 18:29 GMT by Sports Illustrated

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The College Football Playoff Has Come a Long Way: How the Bracket Has Evolved Since 2014

When the College Football Playoff (CFP) first rolled onto the field in 2014, it did so with a modest four‑team bracket that promised a single, definitive championship game. Over the past decade, that bracket has been reshaped by a series of reforms, proposals, and debates that have tested the very foundations of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Below is a concise history of how the CFP’s structure has changed over the years, drawing on the insights from Sports Illustrated’s in‑depth piece, “College Football Playoff format history: how the bracket changed over the years.” The article also references a handful of links to related stories that flesh out the context of each development.

2014: The Birth of the Four‑Team Playoff

The 2014 season marked the end of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and the beginning of a new era. A four‑team selection committee, composed of administrators, former coaches, players, and media representatives, was charged with picking the top teams to face off in two semifinal games hosted at neutral venues. The winners would meet in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The initial format was praised for its simplicity and for ending the “BCS controversy” that had plagued the previous decade.

Key Takeaways

• Automatic Qualifiers (AQs): The conference champions of the “Power Five” (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Pac‑12, Big 12) earned automatic berths.
• At‑Large Spots: Two “at‑large” slots were open to any remaining top‑ranked teams.
• Selection Committee: The committee’s ranking process was a major narrative, with its opaque criteria a recurring point of contention.

2015‑2017: Early Years and Growing Criticism

During these seasons, the CFP faced scrutiny over its methodology and over the heavy emphasis placed on conference championships. Some teams that were highly ranked but didn’t win their conference found themselves excluded, sparking arguments that the system favored conference champions too heavily.

Links to Explore

• “The Selection Committee: Behind the Scenes” – SI’s deeper dive into how the committee operates and the criteria it uses.
• “Bowl Games vs. Playoff: The 2016 Debate” – a recap of the heated discussions around the old bowl system.

2018: A Turning Point

The 2018 season proved to be a watershed moment. The committee’s choice of the top four teams—Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Oklahoma—was widely accepted, but the subsequent matchups and the “four‑team” structure left some observers wondering whether it could accommodate the sport’s growing parity. Notably, the CFP had to wrestle with issues such as the “conference champion rule” and the “top‑12 rule” that the committee sometimes employed as a last resort.

2019‑2021: The “At‑Large” System Comes into Focus

The CFP’s at‑large selection mechanism continued to be a hot topic. Critics argued that it could lead to “unfair” situations where teams from stronger conferences were left out in favor of teams from weaker conferences that had won their titles. The 2020 pandemic season further complicated matters, as the committee had to account for uneven schedules and canceled games.

Key Moments

• 2021 Expansion Talks: The CFP’s executive committee, led by former CFP executive David H. Sullivan, began serious discussions about expanding the playoff. A key question was whether to keep the four‑team structure or move to a six‑team format.
• Stakeholder Meetings: Conferences and the NCAA met to weigh in on proposed changes, with the “Power Five” expressing support for a broader playoff to maintain national relevance.

2022: Decision to Expand to Six Teams

In a historic vote, the CFP announced that it would expand to a six‑team playoff starting in the 2024 season. The decision was the culmination of months of negotiation and research. The new structure would maintain the two‑semifinal‑game format but now include an additional “third‑place” game, where the two teams that lose in the first round play for the third spot in the championship.

Details of the New Format

1. Automatic Qualifiers: Conference champions of the Power Five plus the champion of the Group of Five (Sun Belt, American, Conference USA, MAC, and the newly formed "Mid‑America Football Conference").
2. At‑Large Spots: Two slots remain for teams that did not win their conference but are deemed the best by the committee.
3. Committee Expansion: The selection committee will increase from 10 to 12 members to handle the larger field and to incorporate more diverse perspectives.

Implications

• Greater Representation: The expanded playoff is expected to give more teams a realistic shot at the title, increasing fan engagement across the country.
• Scheduling Challenges: Conferences may need to adjust their regular‑season schedules to preserve the “strength of schedule” metric that the committee heavily weighs.

2023: The Ripple Effects

After the announcement, the football landscape experienced a domino effect. The “Power Five” conferences began to rethink their scheduling, the bowl system had to reorganize its ties, and the “Group of Five” conferences saw increased recruiting budgets as the possibility of a CFP berth became tangible. SI’s article referenced a recent piece on “The Future of Bowl Games in a Six‑Team Playoff Era,” highlighting how the old bowls (Rose, Sugar, Orange, etc.) might evolve into “crossover” events.

2024: The First Six‑Team Playoff

The inaugural six‑team CFP took place in 2024, and the format lived up to the expectations of many fans. The inclusion of a third‑place game added an extra layer of drama to the postseason. Moreover, the expanded bracket allowed a team from the Mid‑America Football Conference to make a national conversation—a feat that had seemed impossible under the old four‑team system.

What Worked

• Competitive Balance: The at‑large spots opened doors for teams that might have been snubbed before.
• Media and Revenue: The increased number of games boosted television ratings and revenue for the NCAA and member conferences.

What Didn’t

• Fan Fatigue: Critics argued that more playoff games could dilute the prestige of the championship.
• Complexity: The new selection process added layers of complexity that made it harder for casual fans to follow.

Looking Ahead

While the six‑team format is now settled, the CFP is already under discussion for a potential 8‑team or even a 12‑team expansion. SI’s article concludes with a glimpse of upcoming debates that might reshape college football yet again. Key questions include:

• At‑Large vs. Automatic Qualifiers: How many at‑large spots will remain if the field grows?
• Conference Tie‑Ins: Will the “Group of Five” continue to receive an automatic berth, or will the powerhouses expand that guarantee?
• Scheduling Implications: How will regular‑season calendars adapt to a larger playoff system?

Final Thoughts

From its modest beginnings in 2014 to the sweeping 2024 expansion, the College Football Playoff has mirrored the evolving priorities of college football itself: a push for fairness, national interest, and revenue growth. Sports Illustrated’s comprehensive article captures each pivotal moment in this evolution and offers readers a clear view of the forces that have shaped the bracket over the years. Whether the CFP will continue to grow or will settle into a six‑team norm remains a subject of lively debate—one that will keep the conversation alive for years to come.