Killing the Expansion Big 12, ACC With New College Football Playoff Format Helps the SEC, Big 10

Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

According to Ross Dellenger, a potential blueprint for a revamped College Football Playoff is beginning to take shape.

In this scenario, which is being circulated among influential conference administrators, both the Big Ten and SEC would secure three automatic berths in a 14-team lineup. The ACC and Big 12 would each claim two spots, while the best team from the Group of Five conferences would also earn a berth. Additionally, three at-large positions would be open to the highest-ranked teams not included in the automatic qualifiers.

Sources familiar with the proposal shared its specifics with Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, requesting anonymity. They stressed that this model is far from final and is just one of several options discussed during a recent meeting of the CFP Management Committee, comprising the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director.

Although still in the early stages, this "3-3-2-2-1" framework is being floated among athletic decision-makers, often a precursor to formal adoption. It is anticipated to take effect in 2026 alongside a new television contract for the CFP. For 2024 and 2025, the playoff will retain its current 12-team format: five automatic berths for the highest-ranked conference champions and seven at-large selections.

Next season's College Football Playoff is already poised for significant change, with further evolution expected in subsequent years. The "3-3-2-2-1" configuration isn't unexpected, given the range of expansion proposals deliberated at the recent meeting, most of which focused on enlarging the 12-team field to 14 and granting multiple automatic berths to the major conferences.

This format represents a compromise from the initial proposals put forth by the Big Ten and SEC, which advocated for four automatic berths each—a setup that would have left only one spot for at-large teams in a 14-team playoff.

While the timeline for finalizing a format remains uncertain, CFP leadership faces pressure to make decisions swiftly, particularly in light of impending negotiations for a new television deal. Alongside the format, revenue sharing and voting mechanisms are among the unresolved issues that commissioners must address before extending ESPN's contract through 2031, valued at $1.3 billion annually.

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