Over the past ten years, college football’s championship format has undergone significant transformation. In 2014, the traditional BCS National Championship was replaced by the College Football Playoff system, which initially featured four teams competing for the national title.
This four-team structure remained in place until the 2023 season. Starting in 2024, a new 12-team playoff format was introduced. Under this system, the top five ranked conference champions automatically qualify, while the remaining seven spots are filled by the highest-ranked at-large teams.
Previously, it seemed like a team needed an undefeated season to have a shot at the championship. But with the expanded playoff field, that standard is shifting. In the most recent playoff bracket, one team entered with three losses, and seven others had two losses.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, whose team plays in the SEC — widely considered the sport’s toughest conference — believes this trend should go even further. He argues that the playoff should allow for more losses, given the growing competitiveness across college football.
“I think the days of teams going undefeated two or three years in a row are over,” Freeze told AL.com. “We need to take a page from the NFL, where teams can lose six games and still make the playoffs. If an SEC team finishes 8-4 or 9-3, they could be playing their best football at the right time.”
Freeze also suggested scrapping conference championships altogether and instead letting the top teams from conferences like the SEC and Big Ten compete directly for playoff spots.
Auburn will kick off its season on August 29 with a road game against the Baylor Bears.