The College Football Playoff is sticking with the 12-team format - at least for now. After months of back-and-forth, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey couldn’t find common ground on a potential expansion plan before the January 23 deadline. That means the current structure will stay in place through the 2026 season.
This stalemate isn’t exactly a win for anyone, but it also avoids what could’ve been a much messier outcome. And in the world of college football politics, sometimes holding steady is the best-case scenario.
Let’s break down what happened - and what it means moving forward.
The Power Struggle at the Top
Sankey came into negotiations pushing for a 16-team playoff model. His proposal had the backing of nine other FBS conferences and Notre Dame. The format would have included five automatic bids for conference champions and 11 at-large spots - a setup that would have rewarded both excellence and depth across the sport.
But in the College Football Playoff’s governance structure, any changes to the format need Big Ten approval. And that’s where things hit a wall.
Petitti, representing the Big Ten, floated a far more aggressive idea: a 24-team playoff. That model would’ve handed out four automatic bids each to the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, with at least one guaranteed spot for the Group of Six.
The rest would be at-large selections. The problem?
That setup would have dramatically reshaped the regular season and tilted the postseason heavily in favor of the power conferences - regardless of actual on-field performance.
Unsurprisingly, the 24-team proposal didn’t gain traction with the broader CFP Management Committee. So Petitti shifted to a new tactic: he’d support Sankey’s 16-team plan only if Sankey committed upfront to adopting the 24-team model in the near future. That was a non-starter for Sankey, who wasn’t willing to sign off on such a long-term guarantee.
With the two biggest power brokers in college football unable to reach an agreement - first by the December 1 deadline, then by the extended January 23 window - the 12-team format stays locked in for at least another year.
What’s Staying the Same - and What’s Not
The 12-team playoff, introduced just two seasons ago, isn’t perfect. But it’s functional. The real issue isn’t the size of the field - it’s the selection process, which has come under heavy scrutiny for inconsistency and lack of transparency.
Still, 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 final CFP rankings. That deal was quietly secured back in spring 2024 and gives the Irish a clearer path to the postseason - especially with a relatively soft schedule next year.
The ripple effect? One less at-large spot for everyone else.
If Notre Dame claims one of those top 12 slots, there will be just six at-large bids left for non-champions from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC. That’s a tough pill to swallow for conferences like the Big 12, which has yet to produce an at-large team or win a playoff game under the 12-team system.
Had the 16-team model been in place in 2025, BYU would’ve joined Texas Tech - the Big 12 champ - in the playoff field. Instead, the current format continues to squeeze conferences that don’t consistently produce top-tier teams.
Big Ten’s Risky Bet
Ironically, Petitti’s hard-line stance on holding out for a 24-team playoff could end up hurting his own conference.
The Big Ten is deeper than ever. In 2025, Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon each won at least 10 games and made the playoff. But several 9-3 teams were left out - and that logjam could repeat itself in 2026.
A 16-team format would’ve opened the door for more of those borderline teams. Instead, the Big Ten could once again see deserving squads left on the outside looking in.
By refusing to greenlight a 16-team model without a future guarantee of a 24-team expansion, Petitti may have sacrificed short-term gains for a long-term vision that remains far from certain.
What Comes Next?
For now, the playoff remains at 12 teams. The format isn’t broken, but the process around it is far from smooth. The lack of cohesion between the SEC and Big Ten - the two most powerful voices in the sport - continues to stall progress.
And while fans, players, and coaches are left waiting for clarity, the decision-makers are still locked in a chess match that’s more about leverage than logic.
One thing’s for sure: the battle over the future of the College Football Playoff is far from over. The next round of negotiations will be just as crucial - and just as complicated.