
CFP Could Stick with 12 Teams if Consensus Eludes Commissioners, Says SEC Chief
2025-07-14
Author: Ken Lee
In a bold statement made during SEC media days, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed that the future of the College Football Playoff (CFP) is far from settled. If he and his fellow commissioners, notably from the Big Ten, fail to reach a consensus on an expanded format, the playoff could remain at twelve teams for the foreseeable future.
Currently, there seems to be a divide among the conferences. Sankey indicated that the SEC aligns more with the Big 12, ACC, and Group of Five, while the Big Ten champions a model favoring increased automatic bids.
"We had a different perspective after our SEC meetings regarding automatic allocations," Sankey remarked, suggesting that his conference's coaches would echo this sentiment. The Big Ten’s proposal, led by Commissioner Tony Petitti, includes automatic bids for the top two conferences, the SEC and Big Ten, alongside bids for the ACC and Big 12, with the rest allocated at-large.
There was once optimistic momentum for a new 16-team playoff structure, but Sankey's recent comments challenge that expectation.
"We have a 12-team playoff in place, featuring five conference champions. If we can’t reach an agreement, that format could very well stay," he stated. "There’s a misconception that expansion is absolutely necessary; we should consider what we currently have."
With the authority to dictate the playoff format post-2026, the SEC and Big Ten hold considerable power, but they must still engage with other conferences. Sankey mentioned his ongoing conversations with ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and Petitti, although he did not confirm talks with Big 12’s Brett Yormark.
"Unanimity isn't required, but we do have a responsibility to collaborate," Sankey emphasized, hinting that dialogue is crucial, even if it becomes tiresome.
Rich Clark, the head of the CFP, noted that if the two commissioners reach a standstill, the status quo would remain intact.
"If they agree to disagree, that in itself is a decision, and we stick with what we have," Clark explained, underscoring the importance of providing adequate information for informed decisions about the playoff.
Further complicating matters, Sankey reiterated that the SEC’s scheduling format will heavily influence CFP selection criteria. The conference is weighing shifting from eight to nine games, particularly after welcoming powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas, but financial considerations and scheduling complexities continue to stall advancements.
"No one is keen to trade their conference schedule for the SEC's, whether that’s eight or nine games," Sankey said. "We will keep evaluating the appropriateness of increasing our conference games, especially in light of how the CFP assesses strength of schedule."