Big Ten athletic directors made waves this week when they convened to discuss a new potential model for the College Football Playoff (CFP). The proposed structure would allow for five automatic bids for conference champions and 11 at-large bids. However, a significant contingent within this group expressed serious reservations about supporting such a model if the Southeastern Conference (SEC) continues to play only eight conference games per season.
To provide some context, the SEC has recently contemplated shifting to a nine-game conference schedule, while the Big Ten has been operating under a nine-game format since the 2017 season. This conversation is particularly important as the Big Ten and SEC hold considerable power in shaping the future of the playoff format—an authority enshrined in a memorandum of understanding that all conferences signed last spring.
Meanwhile, the Big 12 has been busy with its own spring meetings in Orlando and appears to support the “5+11” proposal, as does the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Notably, the ACC and Big 12 had previously introduced the “5+11” format alongside a “4-4-3-3-1+1” concept during discussions with the Big Ten and SEC earlier in May. Here, the latter format saw little traction among administrative groups in the Big Ten and SEC.
Currently, the “5+11” model and a similar “4-4-2-2-1+3” structure are at the forefront of serious consideration. In the “4-4-2-2-1+3” layout, both the SEC and Big Ten would secure four automatic qualifiers each, while the Big 12 and ACC would garner two each. Additionally, there would be a bid allocated to the highest-ranked champion from the Group of Six conferences, along with three at-large selections, with one spot reserved for Notre Dame should it finish in the top 16 of the rankings.
Diving deeper into this landscape, it’s clear that pushback from SEC coaches has led to increased discussion among SEC athletic directors who are leaning toward the “4-4-2-2-1+3” model.
As SEC presidents gather for their annual spring meetings in Destin, Florida, it’s clear the future of the CFP format and a possible consensus on the number of conference games remains on the table, though a decisive resolution is not anticipated this week. The debate is heating up, and how these discussions unfold could chart a new course for college football’s postseason landscape.
