SANDESTIN, Fla. — The future of the College Football Playoff (CFP) is at a crossroads, with the sport’s most influential conferences locked in a high-stakes battle over the next era of postseason football.
At the heart of the debate is a contentious issue: how many automatic qualifiers (AQs) each power conference should receive in an expanded playoff, and what that means for the rest of college football.
Ole Miss showed last year the problem with the current system. The Rebels should have been in the playoffs, but numbers and politics with the committee ruined that.
A loss at Florida didn’t help, either.
A Showdown Years in the Making
As the current 12-team playoff format nears its end after the 2025 season, conference leaders have been meeting for months to hammer out a new structure for 2026 and beyond.
The lack of consensus has led to a rare alliance between the ACC and Big 12, who are pushing back against the growing influence of the SEC and Big Ten.
At a recent meeting in Sandestin, Fla., representatives from the ACC and Big 12 presented a 16-team playoff proposal that would grant automatic berths to the five highest-ranked conference champions.
The remaining 11 spots filled by at-large selections. This “5+11” model is seen as more inclusive, rewarding performance rather than conference affiliation.
In contrast, the Big Ten and SEC have floated a format that would guarantee four automatic bids each for their conferences.
Two will come from the ACC and Big 12, one for the top Group of Five champion, and three at-large spots.
This “4-4-2-2-1” model would ensure half the playoff field is filled before the season even begins, a move critics say prioritizes power and revenue over merit.
Motivations and Maneuvering
The motivations behind these proposals are clear. The Big Ten and SEC have dominated the CFP era, winning 16 of the last 20 national championships.
Their preferred model would allow them to maximize both playoff access and revenue, especially with the possibility of lucrative play-in games during conference championship weekend.
“We’re trying to find a format to determine—the best teams in college football,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “Where we are right now is we have used a political process inside a room to come to decisions about football.
“We should be using football information to come to football decisions”.
Yet, Sankey also acknowledged that the proposed format could actually cost the SEC playoff spots, depending on the rankings.
“If you actually go back and do the research, that kind of format could cost us positions depending on the number of teams,” Sankey said. “I don’t see the critics actually digging in to understand that reality.”
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has been less vocal publicly, but sources say he remains committed to securing multiple AQs for his league.
“The way you qualify for the postseason influences how you view the regular season and what factors you consider significant,” he said. “This desire for more objective criteria is shared by both the Big Ten and SEC, who have the most to gain—and lose—under different formats.”
Resistance and Realignment
The ACC and Big 12, meanwhile, are “prepared to fight” for a more balanced approach.
With revenue gaps widening and internal strife — such as Florida State and Clemson’s legal action against the ACC — these conferences see playoff access as critical to their future stability.
“I hope what’s best for college football continues to be the priority in any discussions moving forward,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark told CBS Sports.
Their proposal would limit automatic bids and rely more heavily on the CFP rankings, aiming to preserve the value of the regular season and ensure deserving teams aren’t left out due to conference politics.
Critics of the Big Ten/SEC plan argue it would turn the playoff into an invitational, undermining the competitive integrity that has defined college football’s postseason.
Broader Implications and Next Steps
The outcome of these negotiations will shape not only the playoff but also the broader landscape of college sports.
The new CFP agreement starting in 2026 gives the Big Ten and SEC significant control, including a projected 58% share of the $7.8 billion ESPN contract.
With player revenue sharing on the horizon following the House v. NCAA settlement, the stakes are higher than ever for athletic departments already under financial strain.
The CFP’s management committee is set to meet again in June, with all eyes on whether a compromise can be reached.
“Look at the track record,” Sankey said. “We didn’t need 12. If we stayed at four, we would have had half the four last year.
“I don’t need lectures from others about the good of the game”.
The coming months will determine whether the playoff remains a meritocracy—or becomes a battleground for college football’s richest leagues.
