Best thing about 12-team Playoff? Texas, Notre Dame can miss it

The beauty of the 12-team playoff in college football lies in its balance of risk and access. This specific format ensures that an acceptable level of access is provided while maintaining a perfect amount of risk for the participating teams. Consequently, high-profile programs such as Texas and Notre Dame face the genuine possibility of missing the tournament entirely, adding a layer of competitive tension to the postseason structure of the sport's current collegiate landscape.