Ross Dellenger breaks down ramifications of SEC not going to nine games

The SEC potentially adopting an additional conference game has been one of the most widely-discussed topics this offseason. As discussions surrounding changes to the College Football Playoff format ramp up, a nine-game conference schedule could be on the horizon.

Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger joined Paul Finebaum on the beach in Miramar Beach, Florida at the 2025 SEC spring meetings to discuss the current state of college football. He hinted at what might have to happen for the SEC to remain at its current eight-game format.

“If they don’t go to nine conference games, I think in the 4-4-2-2-1 model — it’s almost a requirement to go to nine conference games, right? If you don’t go to nine conference games, then you’re probably in this 5-11 (format), or you’re at the current format.

“We’re looking at a situation here where a lot of things are coming to a head. You have the four power conferences and each of them, in a way, wants something a little different with this format. The four conference commissioners have met multiple times by themselves. They’ve met with the other FBS conference commissioners in the in the CFP room. And you’ve got a wide range of disagreements right now.”

Those disagreements stem from multiple proposed format models to the College Football Playoffs. The 4-4-2-2-1 model refers to the amount of automatic qualifiers a conference would receive in this format: SEC (4), Big Ten (4), ACC (2), Big 12 (2), G6 (1). The 5-11 model refers to having the five highest-ranked conference champions, as well as 11 at-large bids.

Depending on which model gets passed, if it’s even one of these two at all, the SEC may have to adjust its schedule accordingly. However, getting every conference on the same page has proven to be one of the most difficult tasks of this ordeal, as conferences like the ACC and Big 12 feel as though they’re being short-changed when it comes to automatic qualifiers for the CFP. According to Dellenger, the decision may not be immediate, either.

“I think you’re looking at a summer decision, maybe even into the fall on a CFP. That’s what it looks like,” he told Finebaum. “It looks like this thing might drag out just a bit longer than everybody expected. And that means the eight-nine game debate drags out. They really need to make that decision if it’s going to be for next year or 2026. They need to make the eight-nine game decision by probably late July, August at the latest.”