Joey McGuire on College Football Playoff format talks: 'We've got to take some of the bias out of conferences'

As the SEC and Big Ten take on prominent roles in College Football Playoff format talks, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire shared where he stands on the issue. He called for conference champions to get in, then the best teams from there.

McGuire’s solution is in line with the 5-plus-11 format being discussed by officials. Under that 16-team CFP model, the five highest-ranked conference champions would be in the bracket along with 11 at-large teams. It’s also a shift from a 4-4-2-2-1 format that was floated, which featured four bids each for the SEC and Big Ten, two each for the ACC and Big 12, one for the Group of 6, and three spots for at-large teams.

McGuire called for some of the “bias” in conferences to be out of the discussions. He wants to leave it on the field, rather than set aside spots based on league affiliation.

What's the perfect solution to the College Football Playoff?@JoeyMcGuireTTU shared his thoughts to @DustyDvoracek & @dannykanell.@TexasTechFB pic.twitter.com/utQUXGXEYR

— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) June 4, 2025

“I think you’ve got to earn it on the field and if you’re a conference champion, you should be in,” McGuire said on SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “And then everything after that, we’ve got to figure out who the best teams are to get in the playoffs. It’s not who the best teams are in certain conferences. It’s who the best teams are in the country. If you’re not going to say that you’re going to have automatic qualifiers for every Power Four conference and it’s all equal, then, man, let us do it on the field. If you win your conference, you’re in, and then find the best teams that way. I think that’s the way we should do it.

“We’ve got to take some of the bias out of conferences – that, ‘This is a tougher conference because of this and this and this.’ Let’s fight it out on the field. I’m all for that. If we win the Big 12, then we should be in the playoffs.”

College Football Playoff took center stage in Destin

On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed Big Ten athletics directors discussed the 5-plus-11 format on their weekly call last week as the SEC held its annual spring meetings in Destin. Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger also added the sense is most would not support the model if the SEC stays at eight league games.

The College Football Playoff was a key talking point in Destin. The SEC presented documents and graphics illustrating the “gauntlet” of the regular season. It showed the strength of the conference through multiple metrics such as Massey Ratings, SP+ and strength of record.

However, coaches started to show support for the 5-plus-11 model rather than the 4-4-2-2-1 during the meetings. Yahoo! Sports then reported the SEC received “pushback” from coaches and data, which is why the league is indicating it no longer supports the 4-4-2-2-1 format.