The College Football Playoff’s 12-team format isn’t going anywhere - at least not yet. After months of talks and a final deadline extension, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey couldn’t come to terms on a new expansion plan, meaning the current structure will stay in place through the 2026 season.
In a sport where competing agendas often take precedence over cohesion, this stalemate doesn’t come as a shock. But it does leave fans and programs alike wondering what could’ve - and maybe should’ve - been.
Let’s break down what happened, what it means, and where things could go from here.
The Push for Expansion Hits a Wall
Greg Sankey, representing the SEC, had been advocating for a 16-team playoff format. His proposal had broad support, including backing from nine other FBS conferences and Notre Dame. Under the plan, five automatic bids would go to conference champions, with 11 at-large spots up for grabs - a setup that would reward both dominance and depth.
But because of the way the CFP is structured, any format change needs a green light from the Big Ten. And that’s where things hit a snag.
Tony Petitti, the Big Ten’s commissioner, reportedly favored a 24-team model. That’s right - 24.
His vision would have carved out four guaranteed spots each for the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, regardless of season performance, plus at least one bid for the Group of Six. It was a plan that would’ve dramatically reshaped the importance of the regular season and tilted the scales heavily toward the power conferences.
That proposal didn’t gain traction. In fact, it was widely rejected by the CFP’s management committee.
So Petitti pivoted. He said he’d support the 16-team model - but only if Sankey agreed to transition to the 24-team setup a few years down the line.
Sankey wasn’t ready to make that kind of commitment, and with the two sides still at odds, the clock ran out.
After failing to meet the original December 1 deadline to notify ESPN of any format changes for the 2026 season, the commissioners were granted an extension to January 23. But over those seven weeks, sources say the level of engagement just wasn’t there to close the gap.
So here we are - sticking with 12.
What Stays the Same - and What Doesn’t
While the playoff format itself remains unchanged, there is one notable tweak coming in 2026: Notre Dame will now receive an automatic bid if it finishes inside the top 12 of the selection committee’s rankings.
That’s a significant development, especially considering the Irish’s relatively soft schedule next season. If they land a top-12 spot - and that’s very much in play - they’ll take one of the six at-large bids available to non-conference champions. That tightens the window for everyone else, especially in deep leagues like the Big Ten and SEC.
It’s particularly troubling for the Big 12, which hasn’t produced an at-large team or won a CFP game in the two years since the 12-team format was introduced. Under the proposed 16-team model, a program like BYU would’ve made the cut alongside Big 12 champ Texas Tech in 2025. That kind of depth boost is exactly what the conference could use - and exactly what it won’t get under the current setup.
Even the Big Ten, despite its overall strength, could feel the squeeze. In 2025, Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon all won at least 10 games and earned playoff bids.
But the conference also had multiple 9-3 teams on the outside looking in. With the middle tier of the Big Ten only getting stronger, scenarios like that could become the norm rather than the exception.
Ironically, Petitti’s refusal to support the 16-team model without a future guarantee of 24 might end up hurting the very schools he represents.
What’s Next?
The 12-team playoff isn’t perfect - the selection process still has its flaws - but the format itself works. It adds meaningful stakes to the regular season, gives more teams a shot, and keeps fan bases engaged deep into November.
But the inability of the sport’s two most powerful conferences to align on a path forward is telling. When the SEC and Big Ten are on the same page, things get done. When they’re not, progress stalls.
And in this case, it’s not just about the number of teams. It’s about the future of college football’s postseason and how the sport defines success, access, and equity moving forward.
For now, the 12-team format lives on. But with competing visions and no clear consensus, the playoff’s long-term future remains anything but settled.
In college football, gridlock is just another part of the game - right alongside short-sighted decisions and a never-ending stream of billable hours.