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The SEC and Big Ten Are Currently at a Standstill over the College Football Playoff Format
DESTIN, FLORIDA, JUL 14 – SEC and Big Ten disagree on playoff expansion, automatic bids, and conference games with a December 1 deadline to finalize the format for the 2026 season.
- On July 14, 2025, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed that after extensive discussions with Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, the two conferences have not yet reached an agreement on how to structure the College Football Playoff for the season following the upcoming one and may maintain the current 12-team setup.
- This impasse stems from differing views between the Big Ten, which supports a 4-4-2-2-1 automatic bid format, and the SEC, which favors five conference champions plus 11 at-large bids as discussed during spring meetings in Destin.
- The previous season's expanded 12-team bracket sparked debate after granting automatic byes to conference winners Arizona State from the Big 12 and Boise State from the Mountain West, despite their relatively low committee rankings of 12th and ninth. In response, the CFP announced in May that future seedings will be determined solely by team rankings, eliminating preferential treatment for conference champions.
- Sankey confirmed that playoff spots are secured for the top five conference champions based on their rankings and noted, "Now it’s a matter of getting on the same page," while also revealing he and Big Ten leader Tony Petitti have held four recent discussions without reaching a consensus.
- The ongoing disagreement highlights the challenge for the SEC and Big Ten to responsibly use their power to impose playoff changes and to consult other leagues per the CFP contract, suggesting the current 12-team format could persist if consensus remains elusive.
80 Articles
80 Articles
SEC, Big Ten Caught In The Middle Of Playoff Format Showdown That Might End With No Decision, Or Same Format
ATLANTA - The ongoing conversation surrounding the College Football Playoff's future has certainly been a hot-button topic between the SEC and Big Ten over the past month, with the two conferences publicly fighting over what type of format will be settled on for 2026 and beyond. While the SEC and Big Ten were seemingly on the same page regarding automatic-qualifiers during two separate meetings in the past year, things took a turn at spring meet…
SEC, Big Ten at odds over playoff format
ATLANTA — Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that despite frequent conversations with Big Ten counterpart Tony Petitti, the two leagues have yet to agree on the College Football Playoff format after this coming season and could leave it…
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