Proposal for sixteen team playoff in 2026

[85Bears]

Big Ten Proposes 16-Team CFP Expansion if SEC Eyes 24 Teams Later
Last updated 3 minutes ago
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti is pushing a 16-team College Football Playoff starting in 2026, featuring five conference champions and 11 at-large bids with first-round campus games, but only if SEC commissioner Greg Sankey agrees to expand to 24 teams in two or three years. Sankey isn't committing yet, and without a deal by January 23, the format stays at 12 teams after its thrilling 2024 debut. The 24-team idea draws fan backlash for risking lopsided matchups and diluting the regular season, while 16 teams gains support as the next logical step ahead of key meetings this week.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I think 16 is enough.

 

[QuaoarsKing]

Interesting. The SEC previously proposed 5+11=16, while the Big Ten also wanted 16, but with 4 autobids for the Big 10 and SEC each.

 

[msstatelp1]

Interesting. The SEC previously proposed 5+11=16, while the Big Ten also wanted 16, but with 4 autobids for the Big 10 and SEC each.

Wish they’d do away with the auto bids.

I’d rather they take the top 16 and leave it at that. If your conference champion isn’t strong enough to be in the top 16, you really don’t deserve a place in the playoffs.

 

[mstateglfr]

As long as 1 of the 16 spots is reserved for an independent, @85Bears is in!

 

[DT4248]

Just do 28 and guarantee all 10 conf champions a spot. Make Army-Navy move its game to week 0 or something.

Round of 28 (army navy week) - December 13th
Round of 16 - December 20th
Round of 8 - December 27th
Round of 4 - Jan 3rd
Champ game - yesterday.

Would be a lot cleaner. Fixes access and portal issue. Rose Bowl can get over itself.

 

[leeinator]

I'd really rather the playoffs would utilize the lower tier bowls like Liberty, Music City, Mayo, Gator, etc vs playing the first round on the higher seeded team's campus. If we ever make it, you know we'll be playing in Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, Knoxville, Austin, College Station, or Athens.....and how many of those would we win?.....let me help you......"ZERO".

 

[patdog]

Just do 28 and guarantee all 10 conf champions a spot. Make Army-Navy move its game to week 0 or something.

Round of 28 (army navy week) - December 13th
Round of 16 - December 20th
Round of 8 - December 27th
Round of 4 - Jan 3rd
Champ game - yesterday.

Would be a lot cleaner. Fixes access and portal issue. Rose Bowl can get over itself.

Have you seen the G6 playoff blowouts? And now you want 6 of these games every year? No thanks.

 

[DT4248]

Have you seen the G6 playoff blowouts? And now you want 6 of these games every year? No thanks.

Give every team access that if they go undefeated, they're the national champion.

Alabama got blown out too. Blowouts happen. Turning down more football because you're scared of blowout games (especially when there is 12 games that round) is weird.

 

[RocketDawg]

I think 16 is enough.

16 is too many. 24 would be terrible.

 

[ronpolk]

16 is too many. 24 would be terrible.

Disagree. Get rid of bowl games and increase the playoffs. But I would probably stop at 24.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

16 is too many. 24 would be terrible.

Disagree. Get rid of bowl games and increase the playoffs. But I would probably stop at 24.

As has been shown over and over, FBS falls way behind the average of around 20% that other levels use to make the playoffs. That would be around 24. 16 is the bare minimum.

Literally the only thing that supports the argument that there should be less is.......nostalgia.

 

[patdog]

Give every team access that if they go undefeated, they're the national champion.

Alabama got blown out too. Blowouts happen. Turning down more football because you're scared of blowout games (especially when there is 12 games that round) is weird.

Alabama won a playoff game and Indiana is blowing everyone out. A G6 team is a virtually guaranteed blowout every time. Nobody wants to see 6 blowouts in the 1st round of the playoffs. There's a reason everyone is demanding the P4 stop playing so many non-P4 games in the regular season. They're mismatches, now in the NIL/portal world much more than ever, that no one really wants to see.

 

[The Peeper]

I’d rather they take the top 16 and leave it at that. If your conference champion isn’t strong enough to be in the top 16, you really don’t deserve a place in the playoffs.

Do you feel the same about March Madness?

 

[L4Dawg]

As has been shown over and over, FBS falls way behind the average of around 20% that other levels use to make the playoffs. That would be around 24. 16 is the bare minimum.

Literally the only thing that supports the argument that there should be less is.......nostalgia.

Or the idea that you should have to earn it on the field. No do overs.

 

[L4Dawg]

Do you feel the same about March Madness?

I do, there are way too many teams in it.

 

[The Peeper]

I do, there are way too many teams in it.

I totally agree, but two teams is too many for me because I don't do basketball but I'm interested if the feeling is strong like it is for football and bowls that "why wouldn't you want more football". I always thought basketball play in games and a 16 seed from the SWAC, Horizon League, Patriot league, etc playing a #1 seed was totally ignorant. I know there have been upsets but they don't stand a fart in a whirlwinds chance of winning it all so it's like Tulane playing Univ of Northern MS or James Madison and Oregon.

 

[DT4248]

Alabama won a playoff game and Indiana is blowing everyone out. A G6 team is a virtually guaranteed blowout every time. Nobody wants to see 6 blowouts in the 1st round of the playoffs. There's a reason everyone is demanding the P4 stop playing so many non-P4 games in the regular season. They're mismatches, now in the NIL/portal world much more than ever, that no one really wants to see.

Then they need to split into different playoff systems. No one complains about March Madness.

It's stupid that a team can go undefeated and "not deserve" a playoff spot. The **** is the point of playing the games.

If you're proposing P4 splits from G6 and they have separate playoffs then sure. But as of right now all FBS conferences deserve an equal opportunity to be an FBS champion.

 

[patdog]

Then they need to split into different playoff systems. No one complains about March Madness.

It's stupid that a team can go undefeated and "not deserve" a playoff spot. The **** is the point of playing the games.

If you're proposing P4 splits from G6 and they have separate playoffs then sure. But as of right now all FBS conferences deserve an equal opportunity to be an FBS champion.

What undefeated G6 team has been left out of the playoffs since they expanded past 4 teams? But yes, I do agree they need to split into a P4 division and a G6 division and let both have their own playoffs. But I don't know when or if that will happen. Until then, 1 G6 team is plenty. Maybe a provision that if 2 go undefeated and beat a P4 team, they both get in.

 

[MississippiTexan]

I think this year proves that 16 is not too many. Miami is about to play for the national championship and barely got in the 12 team playoff. Who is to say that Notre Dame or Texas couldn't have made a similar run. Both are in with a 16 team playoff. Of course both would have also been in with a 12 team playoff without the automatic bids, which also would have made the first round blowouts against the G5 teams not a thing. But I think it's hard to get rid of those automatic bids at 12 without too much complaining from the G5 teams.

I think they should go to 16 and get rid of the auto bids. The expansion gives the G5 teams 4 more ranking spots to get eligible and if you can't get top 16 play a tougher schedule and win so you can. And just because you won a crappy conference shouldn't guarantee you a spot. Clearly, the ACC's best team didn't even play in the conference championship and I'm not talking about Wake Forest. I also like 16 because I hate the byes.

 

[RocketDawg]

Disagree. Get rid of bowl games and increase the playoffs. But I would probably stop at 24.

It's possible I may have misunderstood the original post by 85. I read it to mean "increase the SEC membership to 24".

If it meant number of playoff teams, 16 is probably a good number but I don't really care.

 

[DT4248]

What undefeated G6 team has been left out of the playoffs since they expanded past 4 teams? But yes, I do agree they need to split into a P4 division and a G6 division and let both have their own playoffs. But I don't know when or if that will happen. Until then, 1 G6 team is plenty. Maybe a provision that if 2 go undefeated and beat a P4 team, they both get in.

We've only had two years of it. You don't react to an obvious flaw when it ***** up. You proactively put the prevention plan in place.

And again your premise against it is that it may produce some blowouts. Oh well. That's why we play the game. And 18 at larges is more than enough for the SEC to get 7+ teams in every year so why whine.

 

[msstatelp1]

Do you feel the same about March Madness?

Yep but smaller conferences have a better chance in basketball vs football.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Give every team access that if they go undefeated, they're the national champion.

Alabama got blown out too. Blowouts happen. Turning down more football because you're scared of blowout games (especially when there is 12 games that round) is weird.

Dude, what? Alabama actually won a game before getting blown out in the 2nd game.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Do you feel the same about March Madness?

I do. NIL and the portal has completely destroyed the NCAA tournament as well. Look as last year’s results. Zero teams in the Sweet 16 from outside the P4. The mid-majors no longer matter there, either.

 

[Perd Hapley]

What undefeated G6 team has been left out of the playoffs since they expanded past 4 teams? But yes, I do agree they need to split into a P4 division and a G6 division and let both have their own playoffs. But I don't know when or if that will happen. Until then, 1 G6 team is plenty. Maybe a provision that if 2 go undefeated and beat a P4 team, they both get in.

Do a G6 play-in game that occurs during the week of conference championships.

 

[DT4248]

Dude, what? Alabama actually won a game before getting blown out in the 2nd game.

Alabama, Oklahoma, James Madison, Oregon, and Tulane all would have been blown out by Indiana. If we're afraid of blowouts happening, why even play the game. Just crown em.

 

[patdog]

Do a G6 play-in game that occurs during the week of conference championships.

That might not be a bad idea. Of course G6 teams have their own conference championship games. Maybe do the play in game the open week between the conference championship games and the 1st round of the playoffs. With no college football other than Army-Navy game (which I think may be moving to an earlier weekend) and a chance at a competitive game with a playoff spot on the line, I think it would get pretty good ratings.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I think this year proves that 16 is not too many. Miami is about to play for the national championship and barely got in the 12 team playoff. Who is to say that Notre Dame or Texas couldn't have made a similar run. Both are in with a 16 team playoff. Of course both would have also been in with a 12 team playoff without the automatic bids, which also would have made the first round blowouts against the G5 teams not a thing. But I think it's hard to get rid of those automatic bids at 12 without too much complaining from the G5 teams.

I think they should go to 16 and get rid of the auto bids. The expansion gives the G5 teams 4 more ranking spots to get eligible and if you can't get top 16 play a tougher schedule and win so you can. And just because you won a crappy conference shouldn't guarantee you a spot. Clearly, the ACC's best team didn't even play in the conference championship and I'm not talking about Wake Forest. I also like 16 because I hate the byes.

This is why, to me, we should abolish conference championship games and just award based on record. Would it result in multiple champions? Yes. Would it result in teams getting lucky with an easier conference schedule sometimes? Yes. But who cares. The latter gives hope, and they get to hang a banner for conference title.

So this year you'd have as champions:

SEC: Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M
B1G: Indiana, Ohio State
ACC: Virginia
Big 12: Texas Tech, BYU
G5: Highest ranked champion

Pick 5, 1 in each list based on CFP ranking, as auto qualifiers: Georgia, Indiana, Virginia, Texas Tech, Tulane

Rest of 16 teamer: Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, BYU, Texas, Vanderbilt.

Rank them. #1 gets G6 as a reward. Indiana vs. Tulane. The debate at 16 and 17? Who cares. Vandy vs. Utah? Bleh. Give it to Vandy, give it to Utah. Flip a coin, move on.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Alabama, Oklahoma, James Madison, Oregon, and Tulane all would have been blown out by Indiana. If we're afraid of blowouts happening, why even play the game. Just crown em.

James Madison and Tulane? Sure.

Oregon - you’re pulling 20/20 hindsight on this one. Yes, they did get blown out, but the regular season matchup was pretty close.

Alabama - same as Oregon, but without the regular season data point. A few folks picked Bama to win that one.

Oklahoma - who knows?

 

[Perd Hapley]

That might not be a bad idea. Of course G6 teams have their own conference championship games. Maybe do the play in game the open week between the conference championship games and the 1st round of the playoffs. With no college football other than Army-Navy game (which I think may be moving to an earlier weekend) and a chance at a competitive game with a playoff spot on the line, I think it would get pretty good ratings.

Or just do during the week of conference championships to avoid the Army - Navy conflict (if they are ever one of the teams).

G6 team can decline the bid for the conference championship if they are selected, and whatever league can just select the next two teams….who cares? Or, they can decline the CFP play-in bid because they know they’ll just get crushed in the first round, accept the conference championship bid, and the CFP just takes the next available. Again, who cares?

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Or the idea that you should have to earn it on the field. No do overs.

That's kinda what the playoff is for.

I guess you hate the NFL playoffs too?

 

[Perd Hapley]

Then they need to split into different playoff systems. No one complains about March Madness.

Just wait. March Madness is already dead. People just aren’t aware of it yet. The wealth consolidation of basketball talent has seriously handicapped the mid-majors.

 

[L4Dawg]

That's kinda what the playoff is for.

I guess you hate the NFL playoffs too?

No, the NFL is strictly decided on the field. There is no beauty contest involving votes involved.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Wish they’d do away with the auto bids.

I’d rather they take the top 16 and leave it at that. If your conference champion isn’t strong enough to be in the top 16, you really don’t deserve a place in the playoffs.

Amen.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

No, the NFL is strictly decided on the field. There is no beauty contest involving votes involved.

Can't do that when you have 130 teams involved, spread out over a bunch of uneven conferences, dumb17.

I suppose the next thing you'll say is that we need to restructure the conferences to create a bigger NFL. Well that would be great. Tell me how that happens, you going to petition Sankey? We are working in reality, here. You obviously are not, and just keep moving the goalposts (trying to shift the convo from rematches to votes). And many would argue lumping NFL teams into regional divisions results in some weaker playoff teams making it.

Bottom line, NFL has numerous rematches in the playoff from the regular season. Your point is not valid.

 

[olblue]

Give every team access that if they go undefeated, they're the national champion.

Alabama got blown out too. Blowouts happen. Turning down more football because you're scared of blowout games (especially when there is 12 games that round) is weird.

Give every team access that if they go undefeated, they're the national champion.

Alabama got blown out too. Blowouts happen. Turning down more football because you're scared of blowout games (especially when there is 12 games that round) is weird.

Very weird, especially if you are a business person. At this point the SEC should just go along with whatever the B1G is proposing to maximize revenue potential.

 

[anon1768925248]

I think 16 is enough.

16 is enough, but for our school I hope it goes to 24. We need all the help we can get.

 

[olblue]

Alabama won a playoff game and Indiana is blowing everyone out. A G6 team is a virtually guaranteed blowout every time. Nobody wants to see 6 blowouts in the 1st round of the playoffs. There's a reason everyone is demanding the P4 stop playing so many non-P4 games in the regular season. They're mismatches, now in the NIL/portal world much more than ever, that no one really wants to see.

6.2MM people would dispute your opinion that nobody wants to see blowouts in the 1st round.

 

[anon1768925248]

No, the NFL is strictly decided on the field. There is no beauty contest involving votes involved.

Do you hate every fbs college postseason in existence then?