CFP Committee Adds Strength-of-Conference Metric for 12-Team Playoff Selection
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 29
CFP Committee Adds Strength-of-Conference Metric for 12-Team Playoff Selection
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 29
Summary
Late November rankings will include a new strength-of-conference data point, giving the CFP committee another tool to sort teams with similar records.
ESPN's Heather Dinich said the metric will weigh how tough each team's league opponents were, both to separate teams within the same conference and to compare comparable records across conferences.
The change targets cases such as a contender that misses top league powers on its schedule, potentially altering how resumes are judged beyond raw wins, losses and head-to-head results.
The committee has long cited strength of schedule and resume, but the report offered no formula for the new measure, leaving open whether it relies on records, rankings or computer analytics.
That lack of transparency is likely to keep debate high around the 12-team field, where playoff bids shape coaching decisions, conference prestige and arguments over Power 4 versus Group of 6 access.