The College Football Playoff expansion was talked about for years, but the cogs of the great wheels of bureaucracy moved slowly. That malaise has been replaced with a feverish rush to see who gets the most significant slice of the pie.
Two conferences, the Big Ten and SEC hold the cards regarding media ratings and want to press home that advantage to favor their respective conferences. The power play that is taking place mainly in the open is a shameless money grab, but that is the nature of the sport these days.
The big question for Husker fans is which format will suit the Big Red the best?
Auto bids
Auto bids are the strong squeezing the weak, with the Big Ten and SEC wanting guaranteed four teams each in the expanded 16-team playoff. Auto-bids appeal to the conference giants, as these teams generate the most eyeballs, translating to media money.
It also allows the Big Ten and SEC to schedule stronger non-conference games, as they would need to worry less about their records with automatic entries. The auto bid was the favored format in the recent past, but it has fallen by the wayside lately.
The Big Ten seeks 4 CFP autobids in part because of the uneven scheduling among the leagues. It also distrusts some of the past CFP committee decisions.
Here’s the league’s rationale and why a 5+11 plan actually would have helped the B1G get more bids:https://t.co/cBPKSIJyWV
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) June 3, 2025
5 plus 11
The new model is the counterplay by the collection of rats and mice in the college football world, pushing back against the Big Ten/SEC.
In the 5 plus 11 model five conference winners get in, plus the following 11 best teams determined by the playoff committee. The 5 plus 11 model will reward teams to focus on records to curry favor with the infamous ‘eye test’ of the committee.
The 5 plus 11 model leaves much room for scheduling variance, as strength of schedule debates will rage long into the night as teams vie for the remaining spots.
For example, imagine an 8-4 Ole Miss faithful saying they should be ahead of a 10-2 Boise State because of the conference strength, player talent, etc.
Which favors Nebraska?
Nebraska is not threatening the top end of the conference with Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, and Michigan, the perennial top dogs. Auto bids favor the Big Ten with the extra revenue it will produce for the leagues and the teams.
It will allow parity in the current scheduling debacle.
It does not, however, favor Nebraska in this format, as they are looking in from the outside. The 5 plus 11 format allows the committee’s objectivity to get Nebraska into the conversation. The history of the blue-blooded institution makes the name appealing over less storied programs, as people love a throwback to yesteryear.
Matt Rhule believes a deep field of teams and several factors contribute to the B1G as “the NFL of college football.”
He also believes the league should get 4 teams in the Playoff every season.https://t.co/tXoEMWf4B8
— Saturday Tradition (@Tradition) July 24, 2024
Conclusion
Nebraska should push for the 5 plus 11 model, but they are not leading the discussions with the power players. The 5 plus 11 model will give the Huskers the best chance of getting their foot into the door while building the Matt Rhule era.
There is no shame in honestly evaluating where Nebraska sits in the pecking order.
It is further down the ladder than they would like, but having an outside chance of getting into the last 16 of the College Football Playoff cannot be ignored.
This story has many twists and turns still to play out, but very little time. These decisions must be made sooner rather than later, and with so much at stake, it will be tough to reach a consensus.
GBR
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