College football as we know it is over. What comes next is a grand experiment known as the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
What will it look like in practicality and not just concept? How will it alter the value of the regular season? How will teams set themselves up to best navigate the new system?
These are all questions everyone who enjoys college football will be asking themselves until the answers are revealed in time.
What about Notre Dame’s unique place in the new system? Ineligible for a first-round bye due to their independence, the Irish’s road to hoisting the ultimate trophy will surely be tough. Irish fans may wonder if anything about the regular season scheduling model will be adjusted once this new era is upon us.
Let’s examine this question in more detail.