AUBURN | College football is moving towards a 12-team playoff after an NCAA working group made the recommendation Thursday afternoon.

The proposal would create a playoff that included the six highest-rated conference champions plus the six highest-rated remaining teams as determined by the CFP selection committee.

The four highest-ranked conference champions wold be seeded 1-4 and have a first-round bye. Teams seeded 5-12 would play at the home of the highest-rated seed. The next two rounds would incorporate the bowls with the championship game at a neutral site.

The recommendation will be reviewed by the NCAA management committee June 17-18 and, if approved, move to the CFP board of managers June 22. The board of managers could order a feasibility study, which would be reviewed in September.

The current 4-team CFP playoff format will continue for the at least the next two years. The current CFP playoff agreement runs through the 2025-26 season.

Auburn hasn’t been a part of the previous seven CFP playoffs but would have been a part of the 2017 playoffs under the new format. Here’s a look at how the Tigers would have fit into the 12-team bracket:

No. 12 UCF at No. 5 Alabama

Winner plays No. 1 Clemson

No. 9 Penn State at No. 8 USC

Winner plays No. 4 Ohio State

No. 11 Washington at No. 6 Wisconsin

Winner plays No. 2 Oklahoma

No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Auburn

Winner plays No. 3 Georgia

In the actual 2017 playoffs, Georgia beat Oklahoma and Alabama beat Clemson in the semifinals, with the Tide beating the Bulldogs in overtime for the championship.

Auburn would have been the first team out in 2019, ranked behind Penn State (10-2) and Utah (11-2) with a 9-3 regular season, and the third team out in 2016.

Boise State would have made it in 2014 after winning the Mountain West championship game and finishing 20th in the CFP rankings in Bryan Harsin’s first year.