Tracking Perfect Brackets in the 12-Team College Football Playoff

The **College Football Playoff (CFP)** is an annual knockout tournament established in 2014 to determine the national champion of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football in the U.S.[1][2]. It replaced the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), which had been criticized for its selection process. Unlike the BCS’s reliance on polls and computer rankings, the CFP uses a 13-member selection committee composed of current and former athletic directors, coaches, and other professionals to rank and seed teams, emphasizing strength of schedule and overall performance[1][3]. From its inception through the 2023 season, the CFP featured a four-team single-elimination format culminating in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, which rotates its host city annually and draws significant national attention and tourism[1][2]. Ohio State won the inaugural championship in January 2015[2]. In 2024, the playoff expanded to a **12-team format**, allowing automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions and additional at-large teams, increasing opportunities and generating greater competitive excitement[1][9]. This expansion reflects the evolving business landscape of college football, aiming to enhance fan engagement, broadcasting revenues, and the sport’s overall visibility[1][9]. The CFP is governed by a Board of Managers, including commissioners from the ten FBS conferences and Notre Dame’s athletic director, who oversee the organization’s operations, budgeting, and strategic direction[4][8]. The College Football Playoff Foundation, also established in 2014, leverages the platform to support charitable initiatives and community impact[4]. Notable aspects include the committee’s influential role in shaping the postseason landscape and ongoing debates about playoff expansion size and selection criteria[1][3]. The CFP stands as a significant business and sports technology model, combining data-driven decision-making with traditional sports management to deliver a premier championship experience. Overall, the CFP represents a transformative approac

The Fiesta Bowl is a nonprofit organization that stages one of college football’s premier postseason games and runs year‑round events and charitable programs that drive economic activity and community impact in Arizona. [2] The Fiesta Bowl began after the NCAA ratified it in April 1971; its inaugural game was played Dec. 27, 1971, when Arizona State defeated Florida State 45–38, and the event quickly became a marquee bowl thanks to strong local support and high-profile matchups. [1][6] Historically, the Fiesta Bowl grew from a regional effort—initiated by nine local visionaries and closely tied to Arizona State University—into a nationally recognized bowl that has hosted championship‑level contests and many memorable games over decades. [1][2][5] It established a reputation for hospitality in its early years and helped elevate the profile of Arizona football nationally. [1] Key achievements include becoming one of the major bowls included in national championship rotations (historically within the BCS system and later the College Football Playoff era), celebrating a 50th anniversary of NCAA charter recognition, and expanding beyond a single game into events such as the Fiesta Bowl Parade and year‑round community programming that support youth, sports, and education in Arizona. [2][4] The organization’s events generate significant economic impact for the Valley and serve as platforms for corporate partnerships and tourism. [2][4] The Fiesta Bowl has also faced governance controversies: investigations in the 2010s revealed improper practices, leading to leadership changes and reforms intended to strengthen oversight and restore public trust. [3] Today the Fiesta Bowl operates as a modern sports‑event and community organization that balances staging nationally televised athletic events with nonprofit charitable missions and local economic development. [2][4] Notable aspects for business and technology audiences include its role in large‑scale event operations, sponsorship and media partnerships, data and broadcast

**The Peach Bowl, Inc. is a standalone sports event management organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, one of college football's premier postseason games, alongside events like the Aflac Kickoff Game and the Dodd Trophy award.** Founded in 1968 by Atlanta's Lions Club as a charitable fundraiser—the ninth-oldest bowl game and the first explicitly for charities—it initially struggled with low attendance, poor revenue, and harsh outdoor weather at venues like Georgia Tech's Grant Field and Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.[1][2][3][5] A turnaround began in 1986 when the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce assumed management, injecting resources like a $100,000 Delta Airlines check and securing ESPN as TV partner in 1991. The 1992 move to the Georgia Dome, plus a permanent ACC-SEC matchup, boosted crowds. Chick-fil-A's 1996 title sponsorship—now in its 29th year, the longest in college football—propelled sellouts from 1997-2013, with the game briefly renaming to Chick-fil-A Bowl (2006-2013) before reverting for College Football Playoff (CFP) compliance.[1][2][4][5][6] **Key achievements include selection as a New Year's Six bowl and CFP semifinal host every third year, most recently its 57th game; it leads all 40+ bowls in charity, donating over $65.4 million since 2002 to scholarships and causes.** Payouts soared from $115,000 per team in 1968 to millions today, elevating Atlanta's sports profile—now at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which hosted the 2018 CFP National Championship.[1][3][4][6] Under CEO Gary P. Stokan since the 2010 independence from the Chamber, Peach Bowl, Inc. manages additional ventures like the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge golf tournament, blending business acume