Urban Meyer claims SEC, Big Ten getting four automatic qualifiers for College Football Playoff is 'not maybe'

College Football Playoff expansion is on the horizon while the Big Ten and SEC look for a bigger piece of the pie. The two conferences reportedly want four automatic bids into the field, leaving the ACC/Big 12 with two a piece, a Group of Five representative, and an at-large spot — mainly for Notre Dame.

To this point, nothing has been finalized as non-Big Ten and SEC conferences fight back on the idea. But if you ask Urban Meyer, this is already a foregone conclusion. Four bids will be going to each of the Big Ten and SEC when the field grows greater than 12.

“I made a phone call when I saw this and it is going to happen,” Meyer said via The Triple Option. “This is not maybe. Remember, in the fall, that the commissioner of the SEC and the commissioner of the Big Ten get together. Those are the big dogs and it really is unchallengeable. So what drives the big dogs? College football is now synonymous with money. It is money and then you starting throwing — you get $4 million to qualify, $6 million for the semi.”

Without automatic bids, the SEC got three teams into this year’s CFP while the Big Ten had four. If the field was set at 14, Alabama would have been included and given the SEC four teams too. Without the guarantee of spots, those two conferences still dominated the field.

Even so, Meyer says the SEC/Big Ten are going to get what they want. Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti are going to flex their muscles at some point, telling the rest of the room how things are going to go. As Meyer describes them, the “big dogs” take over at some point.

“The seeding, I would not be surprised if they adjust it this year,” Meyer said. “But for sure, I can imagine Commissioner Sankey and Petitti at the Big Ten just said ‘You know what? We’re going to make some decisions here.’ I know this is pretty bold but it’s probably not conversation, it’s ‘We’re going to demand this. We are going to do this or we take the ball and go play.’ … I can promise you there’s going to be four SEC teams in the playoff.”

The promise from Meyer comes based on the SEC’s relationship with ESPN. After all, the Worldwide Leader is the one running the College Football Playoff.