The College Football Playoff’s future is a battleground. While the 12-team format is set for 2026, a war is brewing over what comes next, pitting conference commissioners against one another with wildly different visions for the sport. The SEC seeks a move to 16 teams, but B1G commissioner Tony Petitti wants a 24-team format. As per a college football analyst, the increase could be detrimental to the game.

“Remember that document that was floated like a week or so ago, from Pete Thamel on ESPN, saying internal document now from the Big 10, where they’re floating the idea of a 24-team playoff? That’d be 18% of all the teams in college football eligible for the college football playoff,” JD PicKell said on February 21.

“That’s not a good thing for our sport, dude. Why? Because regular season, then just frea–ng dump a gallon of water. Dump two gallons of water on that thing. It’s not going to stop at 24.”

PicKell directly indicates that this format will increase postseason games, but what’s more concerning is that it will not stop at 24 teams. After that, it will go to 32, the issue college basketball is currently facing. They want to expand from a 68-team format to a 76-team format. In this case, Petitti’s ‘obsession’ with this 24-team format is only amplifying uncertainty.

Furthermore, this model would shift the regular-season focus away from the elite top-15 matchups, as a bloated playoff bracket would grant entry to teams, such as a potential four-loss team, with no realistic shot at a national title. That could reduce fans’ excitement about watching playoff games.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

More importantly, under the reported framework, 23 spots would be filled by at-large selections, with just one automatic berth reserved for a Group of Five champion. That only increases the number of playoff teams with little to no chance of making it count.

To cap it off, this proposal suggests eliminating the conference title game to reduce athletes’ workload. Then there will be no limit on how many programs from a single conference qualify. Overall, the expansion can only make this playoff format more complicated and a bit of a mess.

But Pickell’s main concern is not 24 or 16; he simply points out that this expansion thing will not stop, as it helps to make money. To address this uncertainty, along with college football’s other issues regarding NIL and the portal, there needs to be a steady, neutral hand to govern.

“I promise you, until somebody is in charge, this will keep on happening,” said PicKell. “I need somebody in charge here.”

Not only the national analysts but also many coaches think this is the only essential step that could solve college football’s problems. In fact, Alabama’s legendary coach Nick Saban once echoed that sentiment.

To fix the CFP issue, CFB needs a commissioner

As conference commissioners are wired to protect their own leagues, Kirk Herbstreit reignited a growing conversation on The Dan Patrick Show. He argued that making Nick Saban the national commissioner of CFB could be the solution to these swirling issues. In fact, Nick Saban himself once pleaded for the same.

Since stepping away from the sidelines at Alabama, Saban has openly called for a commissioner. He even advocated for a competition committee to standardize contracts, rules, and enforcement. He also warned that while the expanded CFP keeps fans entertained, it masks deeper structural fractures. To solve all these, college football needs a consolidated power.

“That’s what we don’t have right now,” said Saban.

However, not only Herbstreit but also coaches like Matt Rhule and James Franklin have publicly endorsed the idea. Whether Saban would ultimately accept such a role remains uncertain, but the urgency is real given the current circumstances in college football.