The College Football Playoff’s 12-team format isn’t going anywhere - at least not for the 2026 season. That much was made official after Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey couldn’t come to terms on a new expansion plan by the latest deadline.
What could’ve been a major shake-up to the postseason landscape has instead turned into a pause. And in the ever-political world of college football, where power plays often outweigh pragmatism, that’s not the worst possible outcome - even if it’s far from ideal.
Let’s break down what actually happened, what it means for the playoff going forward, and how the power struggle between the sport’s two most influential conferences continues to shape the future of college football.
The Stalemate at the Top
Sankey came to the table pushing for a 16-team model that had broad support - nine FBS conferences and Notre Dame were behind it. His proposal would’ve slotted five automatic bids for conference champions and left 11 spots for at-large teams. That format would’ve opened the door for deeper, more competitive playoff fields while still rewarding on-field performance.
But under the current College Football Playoff governance structure, any format change needs the Big Ten’s approval. And that’s where things hit a wall.
Petitti, reportedly with the backing of his conference’s schools, wasn’t interested in 16. Instead, he floated a 24-team playoff - a radical overhaul that would’ve tilted the postseason heavily in favor of the power conferences.
Under that model, each of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC would get four bids, regardless of how their teams performed. The Group of Six would be guaranteed just one slot.
In short: more teams, less meritocracy.
Unsurprisingly, the 24-team idea didn’t gain traction. It was a non-starter for the rest of the CFP management committee.
So Petitti pivoted - offering to support a 16-team playoff only if Sankey agreed to transition to 24 teams a few years down the line. That was a bridge too far.
Sankey, understandably, wasn’t ready to sign off on a future expansion that drastic.
The two sides had until Dec. 1 to notify ESPN of any changes to the playoff format for 2026. When they couldn’t reach an agreement, they secured a seven-week extension, pushing the deadline to Jan.
- But even with the extra time, sources say the level of engagement just wasn’t there to get a deal done.
So here we are: the 12-team format, introduced just two seasons ago, will remain in place for at least one more year.
What’s Staying - and What’s Changing
Let’s be clear: the format isn’t broken. The selection process?
That’s another story. But in terms of structure, the 12-team playoff has delivered more access, more meaningful games, and more chances for programs outside the usual suspects to make a run.
Still, there’s one significant tweak coming in 2026. Notre Dame will now receive an automatic bid if it finishes ranked inside the top 12 of the final selection committee rankings. That deal was quietly secured back in the spring of 2024 and is now set to go into effect.
That’s a big win for the Irish - and a potential problem for everyone else. With Notre Dame locked in if it meets the ranking threshold, that leaves just six at-large bids for top-tier teams that don’t win their conference. In a crowded field, that’s a tight squeeze.
The Big 12’s Dilemma - and the Big Ten’s Gamble
This new wrinkle could hit the Big 12 particularly hard. The conference has yet to produce an at-large team in the two years since the 12-team format was introduced - and it hasn’t won a playoff game, either.
Under the 16-team proposal, the Big 12 would’ve likely had two teams in the field in 2025: Texas Tech (as champion) and BYU (as an at-large). But with the current format holding steady, those scenarios remain hypothetical.
The Big Ten isn’t immune to the downside either. In fact, its depth could become a double-edged sword. With more high-quality teams in the mix, it’s easy to imagine a repeat of 2025: Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon all made the playoff with 10-win seasons, while several 9-3 squads were left on the outside looking in.
That’s the irony of Petitti’s hardline stance. By refusing to approve the 16-team format without a future guarantee of 24, he may have inadvertently boxed out some of his own teams. The middle tier of the Big Ten - which has grown stronger thanks to recent realignment and recruiting - could continue to get squeezed in a 12-team setup.
What Comes Next?
The playoff format will stay put for now, but the conversation is far from over. As media rights, revenue sharing, and the evolving power structure of college football continue to shift, so too will the pressure to find a postseason model that reflects the sport’s new reality.
For now, though, the 12-team playoff lives to see another year. And while it may not be perfect, it’s still a far cry from the chaos that could’ve unfolded had the 24-team model somehow gained traction.
In the end, college football remains what it’s always been - a high-stakes balancing act between tradition, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of leverage. And when the two most powerful conferences can’t find common ground, the rest of the sport is left to wait… and wonder what comes next.