After years of deliberation, the College Football Playoff finally adopted the 12-team model in 2024, with Ohio State becoming the first champion of the new format. After years of complaints about the four-team model, the powers that be finally changed it. They might have to change it again.
The 12-team model didn't remove all complaints, it just changed them. The initial issue with the four-team setup was that some teams got left out that were deserving of a chance. What's really the difference between the fourth and fifth-best teams? So they changed it, but new problems have arisen, and conference heads have taken to discussing how to fix it.
That includes Greg Sankey of the SEC and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. The two conference leaders spoke at length last week, but they still can't agree on what to do. The Big Ten has said they like a model that rewards conferences with guaranteed spots and play-in games to hand them out.
SEC coaches most recently posited a16-team format that gives the five highest-ranked conference champions a spot with 11 at-large bids determined by the CFP committee. "The Big Ten has a different view," Sankey said per ESPN. "That's fine. We have a 12-team playoff, five conference champions. That can stay if we can't agree."
Sankey is not going to change the CFP for the sake of changing it, though. If the Big Ten and SEC can't ever see eye to eye, then the format will remain as it is now. But if they can agree, then fans can expect yet another change to how college football's postseason works. Whether it'll be what the SEC now likes or what the Big Ten has proposed remains to be seen.