The 12-team College Football Playoff structure has delivered unprecedented results in its second year. The Tulane Green Wave and the James Madison Dukes have made their way into the playoffs, which is confusing a lot of fans.
Where does this confusion stem from? Considering the fact that the format is still new, many are not accustomed to it. However, when we break down the requirements to make the CFP now, it’s easy to understand.
The CFP guarantees automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions. Those spots are awarded strictly by ranking, not by conference label. There is no rule saying all Power Four champions must be included, and there is no cap on how many Group of Five teams can qualify.
The Green Wave finished 11–2 and were ranked high enough in the final CFP standings to comfortably sit among the top five conference champions. With that, their playoff spot was locked.
James Madison, on the other hand, required help and some luck while following the same set of rules. JMU finished 12–1 and won the Sun Belt. Heading into the final rankings, they were on the edge of the automatic-bid line.
What pushed them over was a late loss by Duke, which dropped the Blue Devils out of serious contention and allowed James Madison to move up in the rankings. The ACC champion finished with five losses, which is unusually poor for a Power Four title winner.
As a result, they were ranked below Tulane and James Madison, and as per the new rules, they didn’t have an automatic claim for the spot. The format guarantees at least one G5 champion every season, but it allows more than one if the rankings justify it.
How to Watch Tulane vs Ole Miss?
Tulane and James Madison will play their respective playoff games today against Ole Miss and Oregon. The Tulane game will start four hours before JMU. Last time they played the Rebels in September, they lost 10-45.
Now the stakes are higher. Tulane would like to leave a lasting impression against a very strong team, while Ole Miss would like to prove that they can still function at a high level without their former head coach, Lane Kiffin.
The game will air on TNT and can be live-streamed on HBO Max, Hulu, Sling, and more. The kickoff time is 3:30 p.m. ET.
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