The expanded College Football Playoff format features a total of 12 teams competing in the postseason tournament bracket, maintaining the structural framework established in recent years. Under current CFP guidelines, the 12-team field includes automatic bids for the four major conference champions from the Power Four conferences, alongside the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion, a guaranteed spot for independent Notre Dame if ranked within the top 12, and the remaining highest-ranked at-large bids. This inclusive format guarantees an intense, multi-round postseason tournament that rewards regular-season consistency, conference championship success, and overall strength of schedule across the entire Football Bowl Subdivision.