2012 season
124 teams across 5 tiers · ingest from CFBD regular season
- National champion
- Ohio Statefrom Premier
- Biggest riser (1999 tiers)
- Notre Dame▲ 1 tier
- Biggest faller
- Georgia Tech▼ 1 tier
Regular season champions
Tier winners — the top finisher in each tier on points, before any promotion playoff or main-playoff games.
Tier standings
Final regular-season standings within each tier. Promoted rows tinted green, relegated rows tinted red, survival winners tinted amber.
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 12 | 0 | 43 | 446 | 274 | +172 | |
| 2 | Alabama | 12 | 1 | 38 | 500 | 139 | +361 | |
| 3 | Stanford | 11 | 2 | 37 | 370 | 227 | +143 | |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 10 | 2 | 34 | 483 | 290 | +193 | |
| 5 | Nebraska | 10 | 3 | 34 | 456 | 341 | +115 | |
| 6 | Oregon | 11 | 1 | 32 | 610 | 264 | +346 | |
| 7 | Georgia | 11 | 2 | 30 | 484 | 244 | +240 | |
| 8 | Boise State | 10 | 2 | 28 | 365 | 179 | +186 | |
| 9 | LSU | 10 | 2 | 27 | 363 | 203 | +160 | |
| 10 | Michigan | 8 | 4 | 24 | 360 | 225 | +135 | |
| 11 | USC | 7 | 5 | 24 | 410 | 295 | +115 | |
| 12 | Texas | 8 | 4 | 22 | 433 | 353 | +80 | |
| 13 | Miami (FL) | 7 | 5 | 21 | 377 | 366 | +11 | |
| 14 | Oklahoma State | 7 | 5 | 20 | 536 | 353 | +183 | |
| 15 | TCU | 7 | 5 | 20 | 352 | 277 | +75 | |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 8 | 5 | 17 | 400 | 248 | +152 | |
| 17 | Michigan State | 6 | 6 | 17 | 243 | 196 | +47 | |
| 18 | West Virginia | 7 | 5 | 17 | 499 | 457 | +42 | |
| 19 | Texas Tech | 7 | 5 | 16 | 453 | 382 | +71 | |
| 20 | BYU | 7 | 5 | 15 | 350 | 176 | +174 | |
| 21 | Virginia Tech | 6 | 6 | 15 | 313 | 287 | +26 | Survived |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | 6 | 7 | 12 | 449 | 389 | +60 | Relegated |
| 23 | Missouri | 5 | 7 | 12 | 309 | 341 | -32 | Relegated |
| 24 | Auburn | 3 | 9 | 2 | 224 | 340 | -116 | Relegated |
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notre Dame | 12 | 0 | 51 | 321 | 124 | +197 | Promoted |
| 2 | Kansas State | 11 | 1 | 40 | 488 | 253 | +235 | Promoted |
| 3 | UCLA | 9 | 4 | 32 | 456 | 337 | +119 | |
| 4 | Florida State | 11 | 2 | 31 | 519 | 196 | +323 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 5 | Florida | 11 | 1 | 31 | 321 | 155 | +166 | |
| 6 | Oregon State | 9 | 3 | 30 | 396 | 237 | +159 | |
| 7 | South Carolina | 10 | 2 | 29 | 377 | 209 | +168 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 10 | 2 | 28 | 537 | 270 | +267 | |
| 9 | Clemson | 10 | 2 | 28 | 508 | 299 | +209 | |
| 10 | Tulsa | 10 | 3 | 26 | 455 | 314 | +141 | |
| 11 | Louisville | 10 | 2 | 26 | 372 | 286 | +86 | |
| 12 | Penn State | 8 | 4 | 24 | 349 | 229 | +120 | |
| 13 | Cincinnati | 9 | 3 | 22 | 372 | 206 | +166 | |
| 14 | UCF | 9 | 4 | 20 | 458 | 292 | +166 | |
| 15 | Utah | 5 | 7 | 14 | 320 | 301 | +19 | |
| 16 | Nevada | 7 | 5 | 13 | 444 | 390 | +54 | |
| 17 | Pittsburgh | 6 | 6 | 12 | 329 | 236 | +93 | |
| 18 | Arkansas | 4 | 8 | 11 | 282 | 365 | -83 | |
| 19 | Iowa | 4 | 8 | 10 | 232 | 275 | -43 | |
| 20 | Houston | 5 | 7 | 9 | 389 | 432 | -43 | |
| 21 | California | 3 | 9 | 6 | 276 | 397 | -121 | Survived |
| 22 | Boston College | 2 | 10 | 2 | 238 | 356 | -118 | Relegated |
| 23 | Hawaii | 3 | 9 | 2 | 254 | 428 | -174 | Relegated |
| 24 | Southern Miss | 0 | 12 | 0 | 236 | 454 | -218 | Relegated |
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern | 9 | 3 | 23 | 378 | 273 | +105 | Promoted |
| 2 | Arizona | 7 | 5 | 23 | 447 | 411 | +36 | Promoted |
| 3 | Washington | 7 | 5 | 22 | 286 | 286 | 0 | |
| 4 | Fresno State | 9 | 3 | 21 | 483 | 267 | +216 | |
| 5 | Rutgers | 9 | 3 | 21 | 269 | 171 | +98 | |
| 6 | Syracuse | 7 | 5 | 21 | 352 | 308 | +44 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 7 | Northern Illinois | 12 | 1 | 19 | 530 | 247 | +283 | |
| 8 | Louisiana Tech | 9 | 3 | 19 | 618 | 462 | +156 | |
| 9 | Arizona State | 7 | 5 | 19 | 437 | 288 | +149 | |
| 10 | Baylor | 7 | 5 | 19 | 529 | 458 | +71 | |
| 11 | Toledo | 9 | 3 | 18 | 395 | 328 | +67 | |
| 12 | East Carolina | 8 | 4 | 17 | 375 | 368 | +7 | |
| 13 | NC State | 7 | 5 | 16 | 341 | 295 | +46 | |
| 14 | Navy | 8 | 4 | 13 | 297 | 272 | +25 | |
| 15 | Air Force | 6 | 6 | 13 | 342 | 344 | -2 | |
| 16 | UConn | 5 | 7 | 13 | 213 | 238 | -25 | |
| 17 | Purdue | 6 | 6 | 12 | 359 | 348 | +11 | |
| 18 | Rice | 6 | 6 | 12 | 381 | 376 | +5 | |
| 19 | Marshall | 5 | 7 | 12 | 491 | 517 | -26 | |
| 20 | Virginia | 4 | 8 | 12 | 273 | 347 | -74 | |
| 21 | Central Michigan | 6 | 6 | 9 | 351 | 400 | -49 | |
| 22 | Tennessee | 5 | 7 | 8 | 434 | 428 | +6 | |
| 23 | Western Michigan | 4 | 8 | 7 | 352 | 356 | -4 | Survived |
| 24 | South Florida | 3 | 9 | 7 | 247 | 329 | -82 | Relegated |
| 25 | Illinois | 2 | 10 | 3 | 200 | 385 | -185 | Relegated |
| 26 | Colorado | 1 | 11 | -1 | 214 | 552 | -338 | Relegated |
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 8 | 4 | 23 | 487 | 308 | +179 | Promoted |
| 2 | San Diego State | 9 | 3 | 22 | 421 | 294 | +127 | Promoted |
| 3 | San Jose State | 10 | 2 | 20 | 423 | 257 | +166 | |
| 4 | Mississippi State | 8 | 4 | 18 | 363 | 269 | +94 | |
| 5 | Iowa State | 6 | 6 | 18 | 302 | 280 | +22 | |
| 6 | SMU | 6 | 6 | 15 | 354 | 324 | +30 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 7 | Ole Miss | 6 | 6 | 14 | 371 | 342 | +29 | |
| 8 | Ohio | 8 | 4 | 13 | 367 | 308 | +59 | |
| 9 | Minnesota | 6 | 6 | 13 | 256 | 287 | -31 | |
| 10 | Bowling Green | 8 | 4 | 11 | 278 | 189 | +89 | |
| 11 | Arkansas State | 9 | 3 | 10 | 437 | 305 | +132 | |
| 12 | Wake Forest | 5 | 7 | 10 | 222 | 382 | -160 | |
| 13 | Troy | 5 | 7 | 9 | 367 | 366 | +1 | |
| 14 | Temple | 4 | 7 | 7 | 272 | 343 | -71 | |
| 15 | Maryland | 4 | 8 | 7 | 241 | 326 | -85 | |
| 16 | UAB | 3 | 9 | 7 | 339 | 450 | -111 | |
| 17 | Buffalo | 4 | 8 | 6 | 255 | 342 | -87 | |
| 18 | UTEP | 3 | 9 | 6 | 254 | 357 | -103 | |
| 19 | Colorado State | 4 | 8 | 6 | 254 | 363 | -109 | |
| 20 | Miami (OH) | 4 | 8 | 4 | 280 | 419 | -139 | |
| 21 | Washington State | 3 | 9 | 4 | 245 | 404 | -159 | |
| 22 | Wyoming | 4 | 8 | 3 | 322 | 401 | -79 | |
| 23 | Florida International | 3 | 9 | 3 | 300 | 380 | -80 | Survived |
| 24 | Kentucky | 2 | 10 | 1 | 215 | 372 | -157 | Relegated |
| 25 | Kansas | 1 | 11 | 0 | 219 | 433 | -214 | Relegated |
| 26 | Idaho | 1 | 11 | -2 | 190 | 509 | -319 | Relegated |
| Team | Status | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt | 8 | 4 | 20 | 352 | 219 | +133 | Promoted |
| 2 | Ball State | 9 | 3 | 19 | 420 | 378 | +42 | Promoted |
| 3 | Kent State | 11 | 2 | 18 | 450 | 326 | +124 | Promoted (playoff) |
| 4 | Utah State | 10 | 2 | 17 | 413 | 185 | +228 | |
| 5 | Western Kentucky | 7 | 5 | 13 | 345 | 307 | +38 | |
| 6 | Louisiana-Monroe | 8 | 4 | 12 | 426 | 334 | +92 | |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee | 8 | 4 | 11 | 319 | 336 | -17 | |
| 8 | Duke | 6 | 6 | 10 | 376 | 420 | -44 | |
| 9 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 8 | 4 | 9 | 418 | 331 | +87 | |
| 10 | Indiana | 4 | 8 | 8 | 369 | 423 | -54 | |
| 11 | Texas State | 4 | 8 | 7 | 343 | 402 | -59 | |
| 12 | Memphis | 4 | 8 | 7 | 293 | 363 | -70 | |
| 13 | New Mexico | 4 | 9 | 6 | 335 | 393 | -58 | |
| 14 | UTSA | 8 | 4 | 5 | 374 | 345 | +29 | |
| 15 | Army | 2 | 10 | 4 | 291 | 424 | -133 | |
| 16 | Tulane | 2 | 10 | 4 | 257 | 461 | -204 | |
| 17 | North Texas | 4 | 8 | 3 | 251 | 334 | -83 | |
| 18 | Florida Atlantic | 3 | 9 | 3 | 246 | 370 | -124 | |
| 19 | UNLV | 2 | 11 | 1 | 286 | 424 | -138 | |
| 20 | South Alabama | 2 | 11 | 1 | 240 | 383 | -143 | |
| 21 | Eastern Michigan | 2 | 10 | 1 | 256 | 451 | -195 | |
| 22 | Massachusetts | 1 | 11 | 1 | 152 | 482 | -330 | |
| 23 | Akron | 1 | 11 | 0 | 313 | 428 | -115 | |
| 24 | New Mexico State | 1 | 11 | 0 | 224 | 473 | -249 |
Main playoff
Twelve-team championship bracket: top 8 from Premier (seeds 1–8), top 2 from Tier 2 (seeds 9–10), top 2 from Tier 3 (seeds 11–12). Seeds 1–4 receive first-round byes. Champion: Ohio State.
Round 1
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Promotion playoffs
Each lower tier sends two teams up automatically (ranks 1 and 2); ranks 3–6 contest a single-elimination playoff for the third promotion spot.
Semifinal
Final
Semifinal
Final
Semifinal
Final
Semifinal
Final
Relegation playoffs
Bottom 4 of each upper tier play a survival bracket. The Survival Final winner stays up; the other three drop down.
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
Semifinal
Survival Final· winner stays up
2013 starting tiers
Cascade from 2012: promoted teams move up, relegated teams move down, and FBS membership is reconciled against CFBD's roster for the next year.
- Notre Dame1
- Ohio State2
- Kansas State3
- Alabama4
- Stanford5
- Oklahoma6
- Nebraska7
- Oregon8
- Florida State9
- Georgia10
- Boise State11
- LSU12
- Michigan13
- USC14
- Texas15
- Miami (FL)16
- Oklahoma State17
- TCU18
- Wisconsin19
- Michigan State20
- West Virginia21
- Texas Tech22
- BYU23
- Virginia Tech24
- UCLA1
- Florida2
- Oregon State3
- South Carolina4
- Texas A&M5
- Clemson6
- Tulsa7
- Louisville8
- Penn State9
- Northwestern10
- Arizona11
- Cincinnati12
- Syracuse13
- UCF14
- Utah15
- Nevada16
- Pittsburgh17
- Georgia Tech18
- Missouri19
- Arkansas20
- Iowa21
- Houston22
- California23
- Auburn24
- North Carolina1
- San Diego State2
- Washington3
- Fresno State4
- Rutgers5
- Northern Illinois6
- Louisiana Tech7
- Arizona State8
- Baylor9
- Toledo10
- East Carolina11
- NC State12
- SMU13
- Navy14
- Air Force15
- UConn16
- Purdue17
- Rice18
- Marshall19
- Virginia20
- Central Michigan21
- Tennessee22
- Western Michigan23
- Boston College24
- Hawaii25
- Southern Miss26
- San Jose State1
- Vanderbilt2
- Ball State3
- Kent State4
- Mississippi State5
- Iowa State6
- Ole Miss7
- Ohio8
- Minnesota9
- Bowling Green10
- Arkansas State11
- Wake Forest12
- Troy13
- Temple14
- South Florida15
- Maryland16
- UAB17
- Buffalo18
- UTEP19
- Colorado State20
- Miami (OH)21
- Washington State22
- Wyoming23
- Florida International24
- Illinois25
- Colorado26
- Utah State1
- Western Kentucky2
- Louisiana-Monroe3
- Middle Tennessee4
- Duke5
- Louisiana-Lafayette6
- Indiana7
- Texas State8
- Memphis9
- New Mexico10
- UTSA11
- Army12
- Tulane13
- North Texas14
- Florida Atlantic15
- UNLV16
- South Alabama17
- Kentucky18
- Eastern Michigan19
- Massachusetts20
- Akron21
- Kansas22
- New Mexico State23
- Idaho24



























































































































