Overview
- ESPN’s decision point will move past the Dec. 7 Selection Day, with multiple reports indicating an extension into January and CBS citing Jan. 23 as the new target.
- Without a breakthrough, the playoff is expected to stay at 12 teams in 2026, a fallback both Tony Petitti and Greg Sankey have said is acceptable for another season.
- The Big Ten has floated a 24-team model with four automatic berths per power conference, two Group of 6 slots, and six at-larges, a design reported to imperil conference championship games.
- The SEC favors a 16-team field featuring five highest-ranked conference champions, one Group of 5 bid, and 11 at-large selections, consistent with its opposition to broad automatic qualifiers.
- Under the new six-year CFP agreement beginning in 2026, the Big Ten and SEC hold decisive influence, requiring alignment between the two for any format change to advance.