As the College Football Playoff management committee meets this week to discuss potential format changes, it sounds like there isn’t much clarity as of yet.
Pete Nakos of On3.com reported that “there’s no clear direction on formatting” for the College Football Playoff in 2026. ACC and Big 12 schools reportedly are backing the 5+11 model over the Big Ten’s proposed 4-4-2-2-1 format. Nakos added that SEC coaches “liked” the 5+11 option as well.
The CFP announced last month that the 12-team playoff will be moving to a straight seeding model this fall in which the selection committee’s top four teams are rewarded with the top four seeds and a first-round bye. In 2024, the four top seeds were given to the four highest-ranked conference champions, regardless of where they were ranked. All four of those teams lost their first game in the inaugural 12-team CFP format.
However, it quickly became clear that more changes could be coming in 2026 before seeing how this year’s adjustments play out. ESPN’s Heather Dinich reported that a 16-team format that includes the top five conference champions and 11 at-large teams was “gaining traction” following the SEC spring meetings. Multiple administrators expressed confidence that the 5+11 model was the best option to create a fair path to the CFP for all teams.
“The construct of the CFP wasn’t to give one or two conferences more value. It was supposed to be the best way to conduct a real national championship,” UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir told Dinich at the time. “I think a 5+11 is the best way to do that, and it gets the best teams in.”
Under the proposed 4-4-2-2-1 format, the Big Ten and SEC would receive four automatic bids each, followed by two each for the ACC and Big 12, one for the highest-ranked Group of Five champion and three at-large bids. It makes sense that schools from smaller conferences would prefer not to have eight seeds locked down by two conferences.
Nakos noted that keeping the 12-team, straight seeding format for the 2026 season remains “on the table” as well.
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