ATHENS — There has been no discussion for expanded the College Football Playoffs to eight teams, according to CFP executive director Bill Hancock.
“It hasn’t been discussed at all,” Hancock said. “Not a bit.”
Bill Hancock & Mike Griffith
Hancock, formerly the director of the NCAA Final Four and BCS Championship, said earlier this week the CFP semifinals (Allstate Sugar and Rose, both Jan. 1) and CFP Championship Game (Jan. 11) remain on for their scheduled dates.
Hancock did announce some changes to the scheduling of the teams’ arrivals and activities, however.
RELATED: CFP announces scheduling changes amid COVID-19 pandemic
But there are many other changes that college football is dealing with, and Hancock said fans need to remind themselves some things will have a different look on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think everybody needs to realize that this will not be a normal season for college football,” Hancock said. “How could it be? It’s not a normal word. Abnormal in what ways? We just don’t know yet.
“We’re still five months way from our championship, so we have time, and we’ll be ready.”
The New Year’s Six Bowls will be ready with fans or not, Hancock said.
The Cotton, Orange, Fiesta Peach will take place regardless of if there are fans in attendance.
The 13-member College Football Playoff Committee plans to continue to meet in person, rather than virtually. Hancock said he anticipates the first CFP rankings coming out in the eighth, ninth or 10th week of the season.
“Clearly the relative lack of those marquee non-conference games will make things different for the committee,” Hancock said. “This is why we have a committee of 13 experts who can watch teams on video, and use the data that we do have to discern and rank the teams.
“If we were in a strictly data-driven service like we were with the BCS, I’d be concerned, but this is why we have these experts.”
Here’s a look at the 2020 CFP Playoff Selection Committee:
Gary Barta, Chair
Director of Athletics, University of Iowa
Paola Boivin
Professor, Arizona State University
Tom Burman
Director of Athletics, University of Wyoming
Joe Castiglione
Director of Athletics, University of Oklahoma
Rick George
Director of Athletics, University of Colorado
Ken Hatfield
Former Head Coach, of Three FBS Institutions
Ronnie Lott
Former All-American, USC
Terry Mohajir
Director of Athletics, Arkansas State University
Ray Odierno
Former Chief of Staff, United States Army
R.C. Slocum
Former Head Coach, Texas A&M University
Todd Stansbury
Director of Athletics, Georgia Tech
Scott Stricklin
Director of Athletics, University of Florida
John Urschel
Former All-American, Penn State Universityt