College Football Playoff Excludes Army-Navy Game from Selection Process

In a groundbreaking decision, the College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee has announced that the result of the Army-Navy game will not factor into the selection process for the expanded playoff format. This decision comes after months of deliberation on how to handle the selection process if either Army or Navy were in contention for the Group of Five’s automatic playoff spot.

The Army-Navy game, traditionally played on the second Saturday in December, falls just six days after the selection committee gathers to pick the 12-team field. The CFP Management Committee decided to treat the game as an exhibition contest, allowing the highest-ranked Group of Five champion to advance to the playoff, even if they have another game to play six days later.

Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk expressed his gratitude for the decision, stating that he is relieved it turned out the way it did. The decision ends one of the more pressing issues on the agenda for the CFP Management Committee this week.

While the chances of Army or Navy impacting a four-team playoff were slim, the new 12-team format gives both programs more of an opportunity to qualify for the playoff. The possibility of Army-Navy impacting the expanded playoff remains distant but still exists.

With the CFP veering away from the protocol in place during the four-team playoff, the Army-Navy game will no longer delay any pairings involving the teams if the result of the game impacts such. The decision marks a significant shift in how the CFP will handle the Army-Navy game moving forward.

As the landscape of college football continues to evolve, the decision regarding the Army-Navy game sets a precedent for how traditional matchups will be treated in the new era of the expanded playoff. Fans can look forward to seeing how this decision will impact the future of college football and the storied rivalry between Army and Navy.