Overview

• SEC commissioner Greg Sankey says interest in a 16-team playoff has grown unexpectedly in his league, though no format is set in stone.
• Power Four discussions include a model granting four automatic bids each to the SEC and Big Ten alongside proposals that spread slots across five conferences with at-large spots.
• The SEC is exploring schedule changes such as adding a ninth conference game and replacing its title game with ‘play-in’ contests for new automatic berths.
• The SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 are pressing for greater decision-making autonomy within the NCAA on finances, governance and postseason structure.
• Conference bargaining is intensified by the looming expiration of ESPN’s $7.8 billion CFP television contract after 2031 and a pending multibillion-dollar lawsuit settlement.