The College Football Playoff is evaluating a new schedule for its selection committee meetings, and will reconsider its protocols for the 2020 season, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock told ESPN on Thursday.
The PPC evaluations follow the SEC’s decision to delay its start of the season until September 26.
“Since there will not be as many non-conference games as normal, certain tools used by the committee, such as the results of head to head matches and results against common opponents, will have limitations this year,” Hancock said. “Assessing the strength of the schedule will also be different.
“I don’t see the potential difference in the number of games teams play as a significant factor. The fact is, the committee has successfully dealt with almost every season.”
Hancock’s comments follow a series of changes to the college football schedule amid the coronavirus pandemic, as Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC announced that they will go on a conference-only schedule.
“As you know, major conference games, like Ohio State vs. Oklahomas, Auburn vs. Oregon, Georgia vs. Notre Dame, and so on, have been important in committee discussions week after week,” Hancock said.
“This year will be different. Golly, it will be a challenge. But the committee is built to handle it. The fundamental mission has not changed, that is, to classify the four best teams according to the schedules that the conferences play. And that is why the committee is made up of these 13 soccer experts “
Another significant difference for CFP this fall is Notre Dame’s ability to play for a conference title. The ACC announced Wednesday that it would use an 11-game schedule, which includes FBS independent Notre Dame, who would play a full league roster of 10 conference games and one non-conference game.
“Yes, Notre Dame will have a chance to play for all four tiebreaks, adding conference championships won this year,” said Hancock. “But it is premature to predict the effect. The importance of that will be confirmed by the way the committee evaluates the performance of each team on the field this season.”
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