Seismic changes to the College Football Playoff format could be underway. According to a deeply reported piece by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger on Sunday evening, the SEC and Big Ten are spearheading changes that could expand the CFP from 12 teams to 14 or 16, create up to four automatic qualifying spots for both conferences, and drastically alter the sport’s regular season and conference championship schedule.
Under one proposed format currently under discussion at the highest levels of conference leadership, the SEC and Big Ten would each receive four automatic berths in the CFP, with the ACC and Big 12 getting two slots each. Additionally, one spot would go to the highest-ranking Group of 5 team, and another to Notre Dame if they finish the season ranked in the top-14, while the remaining spots would be filled on an at-large basis by the playoff committee. This shift aims to maximize television revenue, particularly from ESPN, which holds the rights to college football’s postseason through 2031.
Both the SEC and Big Ten have significant influence over the potential new format due to a “memorandum of understanding” signed last spring, allowing the so-called “Power-2” near autonomous control, provided lesser conferences like the Big 12, ACC, and Group of 5 are still considered. This agreement was made under the premise that both the SEC and Big Ten were prepared to break away from the existing structure and create their postseason if other conferences did not comply. Should the new format be adopted, the CFP television revenue would disproportionately favor the SEC and Big Ten, reportedly tripling their current allocations. At present, power conferences share 80% of the revenue evenly, while the Group of 5 gets the remainder.
Per Dellenger, the proposed changes would “clear the way” for the SEC to play nine regular-season conference games, influencing the overall scheduling landscape. A ninth conference game could lead to agreements with the Big Ten for inter-conference matchups, presenting them as separate television packages to drive further revenue as schools adapt to the financial demands of the new college football era.
An expanded playoff would also dramatically alter conference championship weekend. Reports indicate conferences might consider transforming championship weekend into a play-in format; for instance, the SEC or Big Ten could have their third-seeded team face their sixth-seeded team, and their fourth team match up against the fifth, determining who secures an automatic bid into the CFP. The ACC and Big 12 are contemplating similar changes, creating additional inventory that could lead to increased revenue.
However, it’s unlikely these changes would be implemented by 2025, the last year of the current television deal with ESPN. Conference leadership outside the SEC and Big Ten remains skeptical about any format modifications, especially since this is the last year their opinions could significantly impact discussions, as the memorandum does not activate until the new ESPN deal begins in 2026. Furthermore, any expansion to 14 or 16 teams would likely lead to increased competition for television windows during the NFL’s third Saturday in December, an issue that has created challenges in the past. The CFP Management Committee is set to meet in Dallas next week, where the SEC and Big Ten may propose one or multiple new format options.
