A new college football season brings CFP tweaks, new rules and jersey patches among the changes

The upcoming college football season brings numerous alterations, including changes in the College Football Playoff (CFP) format, new rules, and jersey patches on uniforms. The CFP has reaffirmed that the champions of the Power Four conferences—the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12—will receive automatic bids. Additionally, the highest-ranked team from the Group of Six, a rejuvenated Pac-12, will also secure a spot.

Should the Group of Five relaunch, the American, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences will join in, resulting in a 12-team bracket. If Notre Dame finishes in the top 12, they will automatically earn a playoff berth, simplifying the previous year's situation where they missed the playoffs despite being ranked No. 11.

The CFP is also considering expanding to 16 or even 24 teams. Regarding targeting penalties, the first offense will no longer affect a player's availability for the next game, while a second offense will result in a first-half suspension for the following game. The third offense would lead to a next-game suspension. Officiating appeals can be submitted after a player's second offense, allowing them to play the full game if successful.

Another notable rule change involves the penalty for offensive pass interference, now set at a 10-yard penalty instead of 15. Teams can now attempt a field goal after a fair catch, with the kicker choosing to drop kick from the returner's spot or using a holder with no tee. Jersey patches on uniforms have become more prevalent, with Ohio State and Notre Dame leading the way with combined $30 million in patch deals.

Additionally, 13 schools, including Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Georgia, USC, and Colorado, will have Progressive Insurance logos on their playing fields. The Mountain West Conference welcomed Sacramento State and North Dakota State, both adding teams that will be eligible for bowl games if they finish with at least six wins. The SEC led with six new coaches, while the American Conference added five, and the Big 12 and Big Ten each added four.

Notable hires include James Franklin moving to Virginia Tech and Matt Campbell succeeding him at Penn State. Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, and Ole Miss promoted Pete Golding from within. Oregon's defensive and offensive coordinators departed for Cal and Kentucky, respectively.