College Football Playoff 2026: SEC-Big Ten Deadlock Keeps 12-Team Format
The College Football Playoff (CFP) is sticking with 12 teams for the 2026 season. The Big Ten and SEC couldn’t agree on an expansion plan, so here we are.
Honestly, this move was expected. Still, it shakes up some of the future plans for college football’s postseason.
After weeks of talks and even a seven-week extension to figure things out, the CFP management committee just kept the current 12-team setup. More time to mull over changes, I guess.
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Current 12-Team Format Continues
So, the Playoff will keep its 12-team structure for 2026. The Big Ten and SEC—arguably the two biggest players—just couldn’t find common ground.
There’s a shiny new six-year deal among the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame. It even includes a fresh contract with ESPN. But, even with all that, expansion beyond 12 teams is off the table for now.
Reasons Behind the Stalemate
The SEC and Big Ten have very different ideas about the CFP’s future. The SEC wants a 16-team event, while the Big Ten is pushing for 24 teams.
The Big Ten’s plan also had multiple automatic bids for each Power 4 league, which the SEC didn’t like at all. So, with no real compromise, the 12-team format stays put for at least another year.
New Deal and Governance Structure
The new deal guarantees the Big Ten and SEC will split about 58 percent of the revenue. That’s a lot of power for just two conferences.
It also gives them the final say over the Playoff format. Sure, the other eight conferences and Notre Dame are consulted, but if the Big Ten and SEC can’t agree, nothing changes.
Details of the New Deal
The six-year deal with ESPN covers either a 12- or 14-team event. The Big Ten and SEC split the revenue and have a huge influence on how the Playoff is shaped.
There’s also a rule: Power 4 conference champions get in automatically, and Notre Dame gets a spot if it finishes in the committee’s top 12.
Implications for the 2026 Season
The Playoff will still have 12 teams in 2026, but the format’s getting a few tweaks. For the first two years, five spots went to the highest-ranked conference champs.
Starting next year, the Power 4 conference champs get automatic entry. Only one more spot is left for the next-highest-ranked league winner.
Changes to the Format
- Power 4 conference champions get automatic entry.
- One spot for the next-highest-ranked league winner.
- Seven at-large spots.
- Notre Dame gets in if ranked in the top 12.
It’s a way to make sure top teams get in, but there’s still room for conference champs and independents like Notre Dame. Is it perfect? Probably not, but it’s something.
Future of Playoff Expansion
Heading into spring 2025, expansion beyond 12 teams seemed almost certain. The Big Ten was all-in on a 14- or 16-team model that wouldn’t rely so much on the selection committee.
But the ACC and Big 12 weren’t on board, so things got complicated fast.
Big Ten’s 24-Team Proposal
The Big Ten floated a 24-team Playoff with multiple automatic bids for each Power 4 league. To do that, they’d have to drop conference championship games entirely.
That would’ve been tough to pull off by 2026. The Big Ten even suggested phasing it in—maybe two years at 16 teams, then jump to 24. Ambitious, but maybe a little too much too soon?
SEC’s 16-Team Preference
The SEC hasn’t been shy about wanting a 16-team CFP. Mississippi State’s president, Mark Keenum, made it clear: the SEC doesn’t want automatic qualifiers, just a selection committee picking the best teams.
That difference in philosophy? It’s a big reason why expansion talks are stuck right now.
The choice to keep the College Football Playoff at 12 teams for the 2026 season says a lot about how tough it is for the big conferences to agree on anything. There’s clearly still a lot of debate behind the scenes.
The current format has definitely added a spark to college football. More schools actually feel like they’ve got a shot at the postseason now, which is just more fun for fans and players alike.
Still, what happens next? The Big Ten and SEC have to keep talking if they want to land on a plan that works for everyone. Feels like there’s a lot left to sort out.
For more details on the decision and what it might mean, check out the full article on the New York Times.
