Overview
- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and CFP board chair Mark Keenum reiterated they do not support automatic qualifiers, arguing the committee should select the best teams.
- The Big Ten continues to advocate for a much larger field with multiple guaranteed bids and less committee discretion, with proposals discussed as high as 24–28 teams.
- Recent results knocked out low-ranked placeholder champions and the early CFP rankings again lacked a Group of Five team, evidence SEC leaders cite against expanding automatic bids.
- Stakeholders say failure to reach a deal by Dec. 1 points to the existing 12-team model remaining for 2026, with TV scheduling and rights a key pressure point.
- Updated projections move Texas into this season’s projected bracket and outline scenarios in which the SEC could place five or even six teams, depending on other leagues’ finishes.