Why the Big Ten Desperately Wants to Rig College Football Playoff

Why the Big Ten desperately wants to rig College Football Playoff

If Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti’s College Football Playoff plan seems rigged in favor of his conference, that’s only because it is.

How the Big Ten seeks to influence College Football Playoff outcomes

The College Football Playoff (CFP) represents the pinnacle of collegiate athletics, with conference positioning directly translating to hundreds of millions in revenue, prestige, and recruiting advantages. As the landscape evolves toward a 16-team format in 2026, one conference stands at the center of influence campaigns: the Big Ten. But how exactly does this storied conference leverage its considerable resources to shape the playoff structure …