The Big Ten announced yesterday that they'll play a conference-only schedule, and the SEC, PAC-12, Big 12, ACC and Group of Five leagues are all reportedly considering the same. While we start to get an idea of just how different this fall may be, many are wondering how the best teams in the nation will be decided in this much different landscape.
For now, we know that gone are the 2020 premier non-conference games like Ohio State vs. Oregon and Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin that so many had demanded and had circled on their calendar for this year. Games like that were critical in the evaluation process of the committee that chose the four teams for the College Football Playoff.
So with games that like that off the table (at least for the Big Ten for now), it's only natural to wonder - What does that mean for the College Football Playoff?
“Clearly there will be challenges this year, and we will see what those challenges are and work through them,” College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock shared with USA Today Sports.
“Whatever the season looks like, the committee will select the best four teams based on the protocol," Hancock went on to add before noting that the "fundamental mission of the committee has not changed."
The unenviable task of the 13 football experts on the committee will be a really interesting one if all the leagues decide to only play within their own leagues. Whether that means each spot in the playoff goes to a league champ and one league champion gets left out, or two SEC or Big Ten programs get in and two leagues are left without a representative remains to be seen.
The job of the playoff committee has never been easy, but this year the people in that room will certainly have some intriguing conversations and big decisions to make.
Head over to the USA Today piece to read more.