New-look Pac-12 looking to flex its way into CFP with unique schedule at end of regular season

The resurrected Pac-12 aims to inch closer to the prestigious College Football Playoff (CFP) with a daring "flex" schedule during the final week of the regular season. This bold move marks a stark departure from the conference's past as an automatic-bid Power Five league. Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould revealed the innovative strategy, emphasizing its potential to boost both bowl and CFP access for its teams.

"We can kind of manipulate the schedule in a way that it’s the most advantageous to our teams, whether it’s for bowl access, CFP access," Gould stated. The conference's survival hung in the balance after a mass exodus led to Oregon State and Washington State as the sole remaining teams. To rebuild, the Pac-12 welcomed six new football members — Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Utah State, Texas State, and Fresno State, with Gonzaga joining in basketball.

Securing a spot in the CFP proved a formidable challenge for the reformed conference, as the previous version held a clear path thanks to its Power Five status. Now a part of the Group of Six, the Pac-12 secures one guaranteed CFP spot for its top-ranked team, with the rest of the 12-team playoff determined by the strongest resumes.

The conference's scheduling conundrum was particularly daunting, as an eight-team league necessitated finding five nonconference games — a daunting task in the current Football Bowl Subdivision landscape. However, the Pac-12's solution not only alleviated the need for an additional conference game but simultaneously fortified its CFP prospects.