Tony Petitti pushes back against 5+11 College Football Playoff format, addresses concerns

As the SEC continues to push for a 5-plus-11 format in the College Football Playoff, the Big Ten continues to back a 4-4-2-2-1 model. Conference commissioner Tony Petitti further defended that idea ahead of Big Ten Media Days.

Speaking with Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Petitti addressed his concerns with the 5-plus-11, which would increase the CFP to 16 teams while maintaining the five highest-ranked conference champions in the bracket. There would also be 11 at-large spots. The Big Ten, however, is supporting the 4-4-2-2-1 – four spots each for the SEC and Big Ten, two apiece for the ACC and Big 12, one for the Group of 6, and three at-large.

Petitti said his worries about the 5-plus-11 center on the selection criteria and the need for more data. As a result, he’s still pushing for the multiple automatic qualifiers, as well as play-in games.

“I’ve heard my colleagues around other leagues say that a lot of work has to be done to the selection committee and that’s where I have a hard time on what that actually means,” Petitti told Dellenger from Las Vegas. “In talking to some of the folks in our room, our ADs that have been on that (selection) committee, I’ve yet to hear someone say they need more data or stuff to look at. You can come up and make metrics, but ultimately it’s just people evaluating what’s put in front of them.”

Tony Petitti: CFP will expand if format, access ‘make sense’

The Big Ten and SEC have the bulk of control around the College Football Playoff’s future, meaning they are at the forefront of the conversations. But discussions shifted a few times, and On3’s Brett McMurphy reported the Big Ten won’t support the 5-plus-11 so long as the SEC stays with an eight-game conference schedule.

At last week’s media days, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said expansion does not necessarily need to happen. More specifically, he said the 12-team format currently in place can stay if the sides don’t agree.

Tony Petitti also pointed out the Big Ten doesn’t necessarily support CFP expansion simply for the sake of expanding. That’s why he told Dellenger he’s fine with staying at 12 teams if things go that direction.

“Earlier on, we felt expansion would be a good thing, but we’re not going to expand unless we really feel like the format and access makes sense,” Petitti said. “It has to make the regular season better. If it doesn’t do that, why are we doing it?”