Commissioners from the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 gathered at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel with a Friday deadline looming, imposed by ESPN, the playoff’s sole television partner. It’s to decide whether to expand the playoff beyond 12 teams beginning in 2026. But as it normally does, disagreement crept in between the two big conferences in play. The standoff is now clearly defined. 

“The SEC would rather keep the College Football Playoff at 12 teams than expand to 24, @Clowfb reports,” On3 reported on X on January 18. “Greg Sankey is targeting a 16-team field. Sources tell @Brett_McMurphy the Big Ten has not moved off the idea of expanding to 24.”

The SEC is targeting a 16-team playoff. The Big Ten is pushing for 24. Neither side is willing to budge. That gap has not narrowed despite months of private discussions and public signaling from both conferences.

Behind closed doors, there is reportedly overwhelming support among the remaining conferences and Notre Dame for a 16-team model as early as 2026. The problem is procedural power. Under the memorandum of understanding signed by all 10 FBS commissioners and ND’s AD, the Big Ten and SEC hold effective control over the format. Without agreement between commissioners Tony Petitti and Greg Sankey, nothing changes.

Tony Petitti offered little clarity as he exited the meeting Sunday, passing more than a dozen reporters with a brief assessment. 

“Still more work to do,” the Big Ten commissioner said. 

The comment undersold the depth of the divide that remains unresolved.

At the heart of the disagreement is timing and trust. The Big Ten has indicated it would accept a 16-team playoff in 2026 only if the SEC commits in writing to expanding to 24 teams a few years later. That condition is non-negotiable from the Big Ten’s side. The SEC has made it equally clear it will not sign onto future expansion now.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey was not immediately available for comment following the meeting, but Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chair of the CFP Board of Managers, reiterated the conference’s position. Sankey prefers a 16-team model and does not want to commit to a 24-team field without seeing how further expansion would affect the sport.

That hesitation is rooted in economics and structure. A 24-team playoff would likely eliminate conference championship games, a move that would directly impact SEC revenue and exposure. Sources also indicated concerns about how such a large field would devalue the regular season, an argument the SEC continues to emphasize internally.

When asked directly about a 24-team playoff, Mark Keenum declined to define the SEC’s stance beyond deferring to Sankey. 

“I don’t want to get in front of my commissioner as he’s having these conversations on this matter as to what number it will be,” he said, reinforcing how tightly held the decision-making remains.

Why the deadline matters more than the debate

The timeline is now as important as the format itself. If no agreement is reached by Friday, January 23, the playoff will remain at 12 teams for the 2026 season. CFP director Rich Clark confirmed ESPN will not grant another extension after already pushing the deadline back from December 1. There’s no formal management committee meeting set for this week, as he said, underscoring how little runway remains.

Without consensus, inertia wins, and the current model stays in place by default. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said there is still time before the deadline, while American Athletic Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti acknowledged discussions remain active. Mark Keenum urged patience, pointing out that the move from four teams to 12 took five years of negotiation. 

Top Stories

Cam Skattebo Sends Expletive-Laced Message on Giants’ John Harbaugh Announcement

NFL Makes Punishment Decision on Jordan Love Incident After Wild Card Loss to the Bears

Emotional Josh Allen Voices Frustration Over Silence From Refs as Bills’ Sean McDermott Erupts After Broncos Loss

Stan Wawrinka Holds Back Tears in an Emotional Message After 1st Australian Open Win in 5 Years

NASCAR Fans Question Teresa Earnhardt’s DEI Possessions as Dale Sr’s $14M Private Jet Surfaces

Aaron Rodgers Makes Final Decision on Steelers’ Return After Emotional Goodbye to Mike Tomlin – Report

“The fact that we’re having conversations is a good thing,” he said. “But there are a lot of things to weigh in on this. All the presidents of all the conferences are speaking through their commissioners, and they’re negotiating this. So we’ll see where it plays out.”

As of now, the expectation across the room is unchanged. The CFP is likely to remain a 12-team playoff for the 2026-27 season. The Big Ten’s willingness to accept 16 teams comes with a condition the SEC has not accepted, and may never accept. Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher summarized the reality perfectly. 

“There’s two conferences that very much will drive where this ship goes,” he said. “Stay tuned.”