Overview
- Notre Dame was left out of the 12-team field and declined a bowl bid, intensifying scrutiny of the playoff’s selection process.
- ACC commissioner Jim Phillips publicly pushed for expansion to 16 teams and discussed options with fellow commissioners in Las Vegas as talks accelerate.
- The CFP management committee extended its negotiating window with ESPN to Jan. 23 to finalize the 2026 format, with commissioners split over automatic bids versus at-large spots.
- Reports relayed to Yahoo Sports say a memorandum of understanding would guarantee Notre Dame a playoff berth if ranked in the top 12 starting next year, prompting some rival ADs to threaten future scheduling retaliation.
- Critics point to Tulane and James Madison qualifying via Group-of-5 provisions and to Miami’s head-to-head edge over Notre Dame as factors that exposed tensions in the current AQ rules, spurring calls from analysts like Kirk Herbstreit and Joel Klatt for changes.