The SEC and Big Ten athletics directors will further discuss key issues in college sports at a Feb. 19 meeting in New Orleans, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported. The topics include College Football Playoff format, NCAA governance and preparations for the House v. NCAA settlement.
February’s meeting will be the second time the two conference’s athletics directors get together to discuss issues around college athletics. They previously gathered in October in Nashville.
This meeting, however, will come one week before the College Football Playoff commissioners get together in Dallas to continue their discussions from this week. Format and governance structure are expected to be part of those conversations, and On3’s Pete Nakos detailed what people around the sport are saying about where things stand.
One potential idea is a 14-team CFP bracket, Dellenger reported. It would feature four automatic bids each for the Big Ten and SEC; two bids each to the Big 12 and ACC; one for the Group of 5; and one at-large, which would likely be for either Notre Dame or the next-highest ranked team outside of the automatic bids.
Major changes likely won’t take place next season because the College Football Playoff is still under its contract. However, with the deal set to expire in 2026, that could be when things start to shift.
Beyond the College Football Playoff, the House v. NCAA settlement remains the biggest topic in college athletics. The settlement, if fully approved in April, would kick off the revenue-sharing era as schools prepare to share up to $20.5 million directly with athletes.
There are hurdles, though. The Department of Education said last week revenue-sharing payments must follow Title IX guidelines. However, that guidance could be altered or reversed by President Donald Trump after his inauguration on Monday.
There are questions about enforcement. Yahoo Sports previously reported a document showing a proposal that would give the Power Conferences more control and remake the NCAA’s governance model. Dellenger reported that will likely be discussed at next month’s meeting between the SEC and Big Ten. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey confirmed the document exists and reiterated his desire for change.
“There have been seven to eight months of discussions about the NCAA governance decision-making process,” Sankey told Dellenger. “We have a responsibility to develop an idea. We’ve circulated this with our conferences. We’ve let the NCAA president know. This is an important time for change. We think it is important to provoke thought.”
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