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11/10 12:56 CST SEC would have occupied a quarter of the CFP spots since 2021 if the 24-team bracket had existed SEC would have occupied a quarter of the CFP spots since 2021 if the 24-team bracket had existed By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer If the past five editions of the College Football Playoff had included 24 teams, as they will starting in 2027, the Southeastern Conference would have made up a quarter of the field, five schools would have been in every bracket and no fewer than five of the 16 campus-site games would have been played in cold-weather locations. College Football Playoff administrators and ESPN announced the expansion from 12 to 24 teams on Monday. The Power Four conference champions and highest-ranked team from the Group of Six will receive automatic bids and the other 19 spots will be decided by the selection committee. About 30% of college football's 68 power-conference schools will have a chance to play for the title under the format. Had the 24-team format been in place from 2021-25, 60 different schools would have appeared in at least one playoff. Under the four-team format from 2021-23 and 12-team format from 2024-25, 28 different schools made the playoff at least once. Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon would have made the field each year. Under the conference alignments that applied each of the past five years, the SEC would have had 14 different schools combine for 31 appearances, accounting for 25.8% of the 120 slots. The Big Ten would have had nine schools total 22 appearances (18.3%), the Big 12 would have had 14 schools and 18 appearances (15%), the Atlantic Coast Conference 11 teams and 18 appearances (15%). The Group of Six would have had 12 schools make 13 appearances (10.8%), with Tulane getting in twice. The old Pac-12 would have accounted for the rest of the spots. The SEC would have led all conferences with seven teams making the playoff in 2024 and '25. Last year the Big Ten would have had six teams in the field and the Big 12 would have had five. The ACC would have maxed out at four teams. The Group of Six would have had four entries in 2021 with Cincinnati, Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette and San Diego State. There will be a total of 16 campus-site games in the first and second rounds starting next year. Had the format been in place the last five years, cold-weather teams would have hosted seven games in 2021 and five each from 2022-25, and that doesn't include hosts in places such as Kentucky, Oklahoma and Tennessee that can get chilly and snowy in December. Ohio State would have hosted games each of the five years. A look back at what a 24-team bracket would have looked like (top eight seeds get first-round byes and home field for second round):

2021

First- and second-round matchups No. 17 Wake Forest at No. 16 Oklahoma. Winner at No. 1 Alabama. No. 18 North Carolina State at No. 15 Iowa. Winner at No. 2 Michigan. No. 19 Clemson at No. 14 Oregon. Winner at No. 3 Georgia. No. 20 Houston at No. 13 BYU. Winner at No. 4 Cincinnati. No. 21 Arkansas at No. 12 Pittsburgh. Winner at No. 5 Notre Dame. No. 22 Kentucky at No. 11 Utah. Winner at No. 6 Ohio State. No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette at No. 10 Michigan State. Winner at No. 7 Baylor. No. 24 San Diego State at No. 9 Oklahoma State. Winner at No. 8 Mississippi. Quarterfinals and semifinals played at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls No. 8 Mississippi pod vs. No. 1 Alabama pod. No. 7 Baylor pod vs. No. 2 Michigan pod. No. 6 Ohio State pod vs. No. 3 Georgia pod. No. 5 Notre Dame pod vs. No. 4 Cincinnati pod.

2022

First- and second-round matchups No. 17 LSU at No. 16 Tulane. Winner at No. 1 Georgia. No. 18 UCLA at No. 15 Oregon. Winner at No. 2 Michigan. No. 19 South Carolina at No. 14 Oregon State. Winner at No. 3 TCU. No. 20 Texas at No. 13 Florida State. Winner at No. 4 Ohio State. No. 21 Notre Dame at No. 12 Washington. Winner at No. 5 Alabama. No. 22 Mississippi State at No. 11 Penn State. Winner at No. 6 Tennessee. No. 23 North Carolina State at No. 10 Southern California. Winner at No. 7 Clemson. No. 24 Troy at No. 9 Kansas State. Winner at No. 8 Utah. Quarterfinals and semifinals played at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls No. 8 Utah pod vs. No. 1 Georgia pod No. 7 Clemson pod vs. No. 2 Michigan pod No. 6 Tennessee pod vs. No. 3 TCU pod No. 5 Alabama pod vs. No. 4 Ohio State pod

2023 First- and second-round matchups No. 17 Iowa at No. 16 Notre Dame. Winner at No. 1 Michigan No. 18 North Carolina State at No. 15 Louisville. Winner at No. 2 Washington No. 19 Oregon State at No. 14 Arizona. Winner at No. 3 Texas No. 20 Oklahoma State at No. 13 LSU. Winner at No. 4 Alabama No. 21 Tennessee at No. 12 Oklahoma. Winner at No. 5 Florida State No. 22 Clemson at No. 11 Mississippi. Winner at No. 6 Georgia No. 23 Liberty at No. 10 Penn State. Winner at No. 7 Ohio State No. 24 SMU at No. 9 Missouri. Winner at No. 8 Oregon Quarterfinals and semifinals played at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls No. 8 Oregon pod vs. No. 1 Michigan pod No. 7 Ohio State pod vs. No. 2 Washington pod No. 6 Georgia pod vs. No. 3 Texas pod No. 5 Florida State pod vs. No. 4 Alabama pod

2024

First- and second-round matchups No. 17 BYU at No. 16 Clemson. Winner at No. 1 Oregon. No. 18 Iowa State at No. 15 South Carolina. Winner at No. 2 Georgia. No. 19 Missouri at No. 14 Mississippi. Winner at No. 3 Texas. No. 20 Illinois at No. 13 Miami. Winner at No. 4 Penn State No. 21 Syracuse at No. 12 Arizona State. Winner at No. 5 Notre Dame. No. 22 Army at No. 11 Alabama. Winner at No. 6 Ohio State. No. 23 Colorado at No. 10 SMU. Winner at No. 7 Tennessee. No. 24 UNLV at No. 9 Boise State. Winner at No. 8 Indiana. Quarterfinals and semifinals played at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls No. 8 Indiana pod vs. No. 1 Oregon pod No. 7 Tennessee pod vs. No. 2 Georgia pod No. 6 Ohio State pod vs. No. 3 Texas pod No. 5 Notre Dame pod vs. No. 4 Penn State pod

2025

First- and second-round matchups No. 17 Arizona at No. 16 Southern California. Winner at No. 1 Indiana. No. 18 Michigan at No. 15 Utah. Winner at No. 2 Ohio State. No. 19 Virginia at No. 14 Vanderbilt. Winner at No. 3 Georgia. No. 20 Tulane at No. 13 Texas. Winner at No. 4 Texas Tech. No. 21 Houston at No. 12 BYU. Winner at No. 5 Oregon. No. 22 Georgia Tech at No. 11 Notre Dame. Winner at No. 6 Mississippi. No. 23 Iowa at No. 10 Miami. Winner at No. 7 Texas A&M. No. 24 James Madison at No. 9 Alabama. Winner at No. 8 Oklahoma. Quarterfinals and semifinals played at the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls No. 8 Oklahoma pod at No. 1 Indiana pod No. 7 Texas A&M pod at No. 2 Ohio State pod No. 6 Mississippi pod at No. 3 Georgia pod No. 5 Oregon pod at No. 4 Texas Tech pod ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here

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