How many teams will the Big Ten conference send to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoffs in 2024?
Up to four teams from the expanded conference could be revealed to be in the bracket for now when the first of six College Football Playoff rankings are released at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
No. 1 Oregon continues to thrive in its first year in the conference, led by third-year coach Dan Lanning and is the prohibitive favorite to win the conference through 10 weeks of the 2024 season. No. 3 Ohio State -- which lost to the Ducks in Eugene, Oregon earlier this season -- remains in the driver's seat for a bid after a win over then-No. 3 Penn State last week on the road.
The No. 7 Nittany Lions aren't to be discounted despite the close loss to the Buckeyes. No. 10 Indiana has continued its magical season under Curt Cignetti and is on pace for a historic season.
Here's what you need to know on when the first College Football Rankings come out, including how to watch and how many teams are in the CFP this season, among other things:
Watch the first CFP rankings selection show live with Fubo (free trial)
The first College Football Playoff rankings will be unveiled on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. ET.
Here's a look at the complete list of when the six CFP rankings will be released:
All times Eastern
* The second College Football Playoff rankings will be unveiled between games at the Champions Classic.
The College Football Playoff rankings' first reveal will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. E.T.
Four teams have emerged as serious contenders for the 12-team College Football Playoff out of the Big Ten Conference: No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 7 Penn State and No. 10 Indiana. The Ducks and Hoosiers remain unbeaten through 10 weeks.
No other Big Ten teams were in the top 25 of the most recent US LBM Coaches Poll, meaning the conference is likely down to four major contenders.
Here's where some college football analysts have those four teams projected in the CFP rankings:
The College Football Playoff rankings reveal show will be broadcast nationally on Tuesday on ESPN. The reveal of the first rankings show can also be streamed on the ESPN app (using your TV provider credentials) or on Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Watch the first CFP rankings selection show live with Fubo (free trial)
The college football field has expanded from four teams to 12 for the first time, starting during the 2024 college football season. Five automatic qualifiers and seven at-large bids are up for grabs.
Along with the expansion to 12 teams, the CFP will now reward the top four seeds in the final rankings with a first-round bye. The expanded playoffs will also include on-campus games for the first time.
Winning the conference remains paramount, just as it was in the four-team playoff. The top five highest-ranked conference champions receive an automatic bid: the power-four conference and one Group of 5 champion. If the Group of 5 champion is not among the top 12 teams in the final rankings, it will automatically be placed at No. 12. The top-four seeds earn a first-round bye.
The rest of the field will be made up of seven at-large teams. The fifth through 12th-seeded teams will play in first-round games either at the home site of the highest-seeded team or another location chosen by the higher seed. No. 5 will host No. 12; No. 6 will host No. 11; No. 7 will host No. 10; and No. 8 will host No. 9.
The winners of the first round advance to the quarterfinals, where the top four-seeded teams will be back on the schedule. At this point, the brackets are not re-seeded to ensure the highest-ranked team plays the lowest-ranked team. The CFP committee won't make an effort to avoid regular-season rematches.
The four quarterfinal games will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. Similar to how the NCAA Basketball Tournament runs, the highest-ranking team will choose where it plays.
The Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will host the semifinal games, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the 2025 College Football Playoff championship game.
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