If it’s three-loss Tulane, the AAC probably doesn’t pass the Big 12’s champion. But if one-loss Army blows out Tulane, the Black Knights would presumably re-join the College Football Playoff rankings and *could* end up ranked higher than the Big 12 champ.

The new CFP format allows more teams to stay in contention for the National Championship. In previous seasons, it was nearly impossible to make the CFP with two losses. Now, teams have a bit more wiggle room and can stay alive deeper into the season.

The New Year’s Six bowls will continue to host the semifinals and, now, the quarterfinals. The championship game will continue to be held at a separately determined neutral site, with the 2024 season champion to be decided in Atlanta, Georgia, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025.

The new 12-team CFP is already causing consternation and controversy. But how and why did they land on this specific format? Here's the behind-the-scenes story from its architects.

The latter half of the projected College Football Playoff bracket experienced a major shakeup after the chaos of Week 13. Three teams featured in the previous bracket cycled out of the field after getting upset to bring in a new round of contenders.

The loss by the Crimson Tide at Oklahoma also raised some serious questions about the Kalen DeBoer and the challenges of following a coaching great like Nick Saban. Clemson, meanwhile, got a boost in their hopes by slotting ahead of those two SEC schools.

The fourth College Football Playoff rankings had consistency at the top and answered some key questions ahead of an important Week 14.

Week 14 had several critical matchups that will shape the College Football Playoff and conference races. Our experts make picks for every Top 25 game.