Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde kick off the podcast analyzing the new approved format for the College Football Playoff, which will have five automatic qualifiers and seven at-large bids. There is already much discomfort from the SEC & Big Ten about the amount of automatic qualifiers, but we finally have an expanded 12-team playoff. The cast breaks down who wins in this scenario & why the top two conferences are already grasping to get more power.

Where does that leave Notre Dame though? The private, conference-less university has been in the middle of the spotlight when discussing the new CFP format. In this new design and without a Power Five (or Power Four) conference to call home, if Notre Dame were ever to be a top-4 team to receive an automatic qualifier, they would forego the first-round bye for the fifth seed and take on likely a Group of Five qualifier.

Afterwards, the guys debate why proposals for an additional two teams in the playoff is madness, and look back to how we got to this point where a 12-team playoff has been approved, and the CFP is already looking to blow up the bracket for a 14-team version before the first games have even been played.

To close out the show, residents in West Virginia are hosting a candlelight vigil for a restaurant.

1:00 - New 12-team CFP format has been approved

15:04 - What happens to Notre Dame in the expanded playoff?

28:34 - New 14-team CFP models are already being pitched

59:20 - The People’s Court: A unique candle light vigil in West Virginia

Follow Dan @DanWetzel

Follow Pat @ByPatForde

Follow Ross @RossDellenger

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