Big Ten, SEC set to unveil grand plans for College Football Playoff change ... but is anyone else on board?
The only constant in college football is that everything is destined to change.
Decision-makers declared the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff a rousing success, but tweaks are coming, and two powerful voices are equipped to get what they want as soon as next fall. The question is whether the Big Ten and SEC will have the unanimous support required when the CFP's 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame meet Tuesday at a hotel inside Dallas Fort Worth International Airport -- or if they'll make their intentions known and wait until 2026 when a new TV contract shifts voting power heavily in favor of the two most influential conferences in college sports.
Soon, after months of talking and at least two clandestine meetings, the Big Ten and SEC may exert their newfound power. Their commissioners are expected to ask cohorts Tuesday to change seeding in the 2025 College Football Playoff, eliminating first-round byes for the four highest-ranked conference champions and basing seeding solely on the selection committee's rankings. Such a change would require unanimous approval among the 10 conferences and Notre Dame, according to contract language in the original media deal with ESPN that expires this fall. If that doesn't happen, the Big Ten and SEC are prepared to wait until 2026 when a new six-year TV contract with ESPN provides them more decision-making power without the need for unanimity.
The seeding decision is only the tip of the iceberg the smaller conferences will soon try to navigate. The Big Ten and SEC are expected to present an idea to expand the CFP in 2026 to 14 teams and reward the two power conferences with multiple automatic qualifiers. Having been discussed behind closed doors among the Big Ten and SEC administrators, the proposal would reward the Big Ten and SEC with four berths apiece every year. The ACC and Big 12 would receive two berths apiece, the Group of Five would receive one spot and the final team in the field would be an at-large selection.
This plan was discussed last week during a joint session between Big Ten and SEC administrators in New Orleans. Sources told CBS Sports that the Big Ten and SEC scheduled a conference call over the weekend with the ACC and Big 12 ahead of Tuesday's CFP meeting to share particulars. Meanwhile, the smaller conferences -- AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Sun Belt -- were kept out of the loop. The Big Ten and SEC's 14-team plan with multiple qualifiers has not been discussed at previous CFP meetings, sources told CBS Sports.
"I am just interested in hearing the perspective of my colleagues," Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill told CBS Sports.
Since the fall, the Big Ten and SEC have conducted two summits to discuss the future of college athletics. From legislation and policing NIL to revenue-sharing, including the proposed development of a new LLC to help provide compliance governance in this new age, the two conferences have been busy mapping out the future of college athletics.
The non-power conferences have reservations about both leaked plans for the CFP, including tweaking the seeding protocol as soon as next season. In December, the Mountain West's champion, No. 9 Boise State, was rewarded with a first-round bye as one of the four highest-ranked conference champions. Big 12 champion Arizona State, which was ranked 12th, also received a first-round bye. Seeding the tournament based solely on the committee's rankings would diminish the possibility of a non-power team receiving a first-round bye ... and getting an $8 million payout for a school appearing in the quarterfinals.
"We went into that (conference championship) week with a one-game season for the fifth spot. That was exciting. It was great for college football," Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez told CBS Sports. "But I'm open to a conversation."
The biggest issue on the horizon is the potential expansion of the playoff and an increase in automatic qualifiers for the power conferences in the "4+4+2+2+1+1" format. The plan effectively diminishes the importance of the 13-person selection committee, which was scrutinized by the power conferences in 2024. It would also reduce the likelihood of the Big 12 and ACC's champions receiving first-round byes. The ACC champion did not receive a first-round bye in December after Clemson upset SMU in its title game. No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Penn State, which would have received first-round byes in the new proposed seeding format, were forced to play first-round games as Big 12 champion Arizona State and Mountain West champion Boise State were pushed through into the quarterfinals.
"Winning a conference championship matters," ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told CBS Sports in December. "Now, am I open to listening to some other ideas? Absolutely. As I sit here today, it's a reward for a conference champion."
The plan is expected to receive considerable pushback from the smaller conferences. However, they will not have the same voting power starting with the 2026 season. A long-term change to the format will require discussion, according to sources briefed on the new CFP contract with ESPN, but the Big Ten and SEC maintain control. The hope among smaller conferences is that a compromise -- and perhaps more tweaks -- can be made after the Big Ten and SEC present their proposal. Rather than presenting an ultimatum, the hope is that the SEC and Big Ten's plan is a starting point in negotiations.
Research shows multiple AQs would not have provided a noticeable uptick in representation for the Big Ten and SEC in previous years, so why do the SEC and Big Ten want more AQs in the future? The answer is the opportunity to create new marquee matchups, which could lead to richer TV deals.
Under the multi-AQ plan, power conferences have discussed changing the format of their conference championships, transforming their postseason into "play-in games" for the playoff. This could lead to four SEC games and four Big Ten games on "championship weekend." The eight winners are rewarded with the AQs.
Decisions for 2026 and beyond are not imminent. Sources told CBS Sports that much of the discussion Tuesday in Dallas is expected to center on the logistical challenges for the CFP, including ticket pricing and how to handle unexpected emergencies such as the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day, which led to a one-day delay of the Sugar Bowl. Administrators are also expected to receive an update on the host site of the 2029 national championship game, which was slated to be played in Dallas but had to be canceled because of construction projects and scheduling conflicts in the metroplex. Tampa is expected to be finalized as the site of the national championship game on Jan. 22, 2029, according to The Action Network.
As for actionable items Tuesday, seeding discussion for 2025 could lead to a vote.
Conference commissioners will meet again in April before the CFP's Board of Managers meets on May 6.
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