College football leaders 'still working' on new playoff format ahead of deadline

College football leaders remain embroiled in a debate over expanding the College Football Playoff from its current 12-team format. Meetings involving commissioners and school presidents took place ahead of the College Football Playoff title game, with a Friday deadline set by ESPN for a decision. The main contention lies between the Big Ten and SEC, both supporting expansion but with differing visions: the SEC favors a 16-team model with an emphasis on at-large bids, while the Big Ten proposes expanding to as many as 24 teams with multiple automatic qualifiers.

American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti indicated that the decision largely depends on Big Ten's Tony Petitti and SEC's Greg Sankey, who have yet to reach an agreement. If no consensus is achieved, the playoff will remain at 12 teams, with a further deadline on December 1, 2026, to enact changes for the following season.

The conclusion of the current contract with the Miami-Indiana final will lead to a new six-year agreement worth $1.