Power Four conference commissioners have reached an impasse in the College Football Playoff expansion discussion. There doesn’t seem to be a happy medium for one of sport’s hottest topics now that all figureheads from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 have defended their respective proposals during conference media days.
The only component unanimously agreed upon was the need for a straight-seeding model. Those were adopted in May and will begin during the 2025 season.
As the debate turns to 2026 and beyond, will the playoff bracket remain at 12 teams, or expand to 14 or 16? And how will those teams be determined?
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last week his league is open to various playoff expansion formats, including 5+7, 5+9 or 5+11. The number five refers to automatic bids for conference champions, including one from the Group of Six. The second number represents the number of at-large selections.
On Tuesday, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti pushed back on the idea of five automatic bids, saying his conference continues to support the 4-4-2-2-1 format. Under that model, the Big Ten and SEC would receive four guaranteed spots each, while the ACC and Big 12 would have two apiece. The Group of Six would be guaranteed one representative, with three at-large spots remaining.
“I’ve heard my colleagues around other leagues say that a lot of work has to be done to the selection committee and that’s where I have a hard time on what that actually means,” Petitti told Yahoo Sports. “In talking to some of the folks in our room, our ADs that have been on that (selection) committee, I’ve yet to hear someone say they need more data or stuff to look at. You can come up and make metrics, but ultimately it’s just people evaluating what’s put in front of them.”
Petitti previously advocated for an access-based format and said moving closer to a professional sports postseason model is a clear goal for his conference. That starts with emphasizing regular-season performance and conference standings.
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Big 12 doubles down on 5+11
While the 5+11 format offers fewer guarantees for the Big 12 than other expansion proposals, league commissioner Brett Yormark believes that is “fair” and says he is confident that the playoff bracket will move to 16 teams in time for the 2026 season.
“We want to earn it on the field,” Yormark said at Big 12 Media Days. “It might not be the best solution today for the Big 12 … but long-term, knowing the progress we’re making, the investments we’re making, it’s the right format for us. And I’m doubling down today on 5+11.”
ACC touts ‘really good playoff’
Jim Phillips is open to a 14-team or 16-team format as long as there are five auto-bids given to conference champions. He’s a staunch believer in the importance of winning league titles. His opinion on playoff expansion hasn’t changed and Phillips says the ACC is open to 5+9 or 5+11.
“We have a really good playoff right now,” Phillips said Tuesday from ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, noting his conference must “do its part” after a 2-11 showing in the postseason last fall.
SEC, Big Ten must find common ground
Four auto-bids from the Big Ten with the possibility of more via at-large spots from Pettiti’s point of view has not gone over well in the eyes of other Power Four commissioners.
Will the Big Ten, winners of consecutive national championships, eventually budge? Is the SEC going to finally add a ninth conference game to match its Big Ten brethren and perhaps get the opposing league to agree to its preferred format? These are questions that need to be answered to move forward at the negotiating table.
Sankey said the SEC “has the best hand to play” in the expansion debate and that his league won’t change its opinion on how future brackets should look. He has advocated for expansion, but also knows if the current format stays in place that his league will have opportunity to win titles — as it has done six times since the first year of the playoff in 2014.
“We think growth beyond 12 can be positive and should be pursued,” Sankey said in Atlanta.
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