QUINIX Sport News: Sources: SEC, Big Ten to hold second AD meeting to explore CFP format changes and more

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp

Is a 14-team College Football Playoff with multi-automatic qualifiers per league possible?

ATLANTA — The SEC and Big Ten are scheduled to hold a second joint meeting of their athletic directors next month, where conference leaders are expected to deeply explore the future of the College Football Playoff format.

The meeting — set for Feb. 19 in New Orleans — comes a week before CFP commissioners meet in Dallas to discuss the future of the playoff, its format and governance structure. Those with knowledge of the meeting spoke to Yahoo Sports under condition of anonymity.

The SEC’s and Big Ten’s gathering marks a second step in the budding relationship between two leagues that announced a partnership last spring. Their athletic directors met in Nashville in October, a historic event and one of the first gatherings of two major conference administrators in recent NCAA history.

The Feb. 19 meeting is expected to focus on CFP format and governance as well as the transition into a post-settlement world with athlete revenue sharing. The NCAA and power leagues’ landmark settlement of the House case is up for approval in April and implementation in July.

But perhaps the most interesting topic is the expanded playoff’s future format.

As part of an agreement struck last spring, the Big Ten and SEC believe they have authority over any change to the playoff format starting with the 2026 postseason, the first of a new six-year extension of the CFP. Changes for the 2025 playoff — unlikely at this point — require unanimity among the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director.

While executives agreed on a future revenue distribution model last spring — weighted heavily for the SEC and Big Ten — a future format was not finalized. But certain “protections” were agreed upon, including an automatic spot for the five highest-ranked conference champions; a 12- or 14-team field; and qualification guarantees for independents like Notre Dame related to their place in the rankings.

The format is a divisive topic at times.

Many expect the Big Ten — and perhaps the SEC too this time — will again propose a format that assigns multiple automatic qualifiers to single conferences.

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 19: A general view of the CFP logo at mid-field inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to the start of  the College Football Playoffs Championship Game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 19: A general view of the CFP logo at mid-field inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium prior to the start of  the College Football Playoffs Championship Game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Is a 14-team College Football Playoff with multi-automatic qualifiers per league on the way? (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

There is discussion of a 14-team model that designates four automatic qualifiers each to the SEC and Big Ten; two each to the ACC and Big 12; one to the best Group of Five champion; and one at-large, intended for Notre Dame if it finishes ranked inside the top 14 (or, if not, the next-highest ranked team after the automatic qualifiers are selected). Officials describe it as a 4-4-2-2-1+1 model, with the top two seeds receiving a first-round bye. It is a way, too, in limiting the subjectivity and power of the selection committee.

The Big Ten made a similar proposal during meetings last spring that was roundly rejected. That proposal featured one less automatic qualifier for the SEC and Big Ten and more at large spots: 3-3-2-2-1+3. In either proposal, conference championship games likely become less valuable and a reimagined championship weekend could feature conference play-in games for the automatic berths, something Yahoo Sports reported last month.

On Sunday, in an interview with ESPN, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips says his league is weighing possible changes to championship game weekend, suggesting a play-in style tournament.

“The conference championship games are important, as long as we make them important, right?” Phillips said. “Do you play two versus three? You go through the regular season and whoever wins the regular season, just park them to the side, and then you play the second-place team versus the third-place team in your championship game. So you have a regular-season champion, and then you have a conference tournament or postseason champion.”

Many believe that conference championship games within an expanded playoff need re-evaluation — a story Yahoo Sports explored last month. However, conference title games are big-time money-makers for the power leagues and are tethered to their league TV contracts.

If the 4-4-2-2-1+1 model were used this year, the SEC and Big 12 would have each gotten one more team into the field (Alabama and Iowa State).

The two conferences have plenty to discuss outside of the CFP too.

The power league commissioners are making key decisions in the transformation of college sports into a more professionalized entity — rife with unprecedented issues like the situation between Wisconsin and Miami. The P4 has created a “transition team” of athletic directors from the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC to explore issues.

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Pocket
WhatsApp

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Related News