The College Football Playoff (CFP) could soon see a major overhaul, with the Big Ten and SEC gaining momentum for a 16-team bracket starting in 2026. According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, power conference commissioners met in New York on May 8, 2025, to discuss future CFP formats, and the 16-team model is picking up steam. This comes just one year after the CFP expanded to a 12-team format in 2024, which introduced campus-site games and byes for top conference champions.
Under the proposed 16-team bracket, the SEC and Big Ten would each secure four automatic bids, reflecting their dominance in college football. The ACC and Big 12 would each receive two spots, while the Group of 5 would get one, leaving three at-large berths to round out the field. Dellenger also noted the potential for “inner-league play-in games,” where, for example, a conference’s third-place team would face its sixth-place team to determine playoff eligibility. This idea aims to add competitive balance but has sparked debate about fairness.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that 16 teams is emerging as the “preferred” number, though no final decision was made at the meeting. The current ESPN deal ends in 2026, aligning with the timeline for these changes, and a new extension will kick in afterward. The Big Ten and SEC, which hold significant sway over CFP decisions, will likely finalize the format at their spring meetings later this month in Destin.
The 12-team format, while a step forward, has already drawn scrutiny. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, who initially supported it, cautioned against “artificial championships” created by too many automatic qualifiers, emphasizing that teams should earn their spots. CFP executive director Rich Clark added that commissioners have been exploring various ideas for months.
Expanding to 16 teams could intensify scheduling conflicts with the NFL in December, as it would add four more first-round games. Many changes could be in the future including the discussions about a nine-game SEC schedule. College football’s postseason evolution continues to spark heated debates.
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