On Monday night, Miami and Indiana will battle for the 2026 College Football Playoff (CFP) championship. But when it comes to the future of the playoff format itself, much remains up for debate. After Sunday’s discussions, it seems like this contentious issue will continue to be a major talking point for some time.
Commissioners of the Power Four conferences—the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12—met in Miami on Sunday to work toward a resolution on playoff expansion ahead of Friday’s deadline. The debate is primarily between the SEC’s proposed 16-team playoff model and the Big Ten’s 24-team version, with neither side willing to give ground.
These two conferences hold the majority of influence over the 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame, making their ongoing negotiations especially critical. Despite the high stakes, Sunday’s meeting yielded little progress.
The persistent battle between the SEC and Big Ten over playoff expansion has largely been behind the scenes—until now. American Athletic Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti highlighted that any final resolution essentially comes down to just two people: “That’s up to two people in the room,” he said, referencing Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
ESPN has confirmed that there will be no extension beyond Friday’s deadline. If an agreement is not reached by then, the CFP will remain a 12-team tournament for at least another season.
Because the CFP format can be revised annually, any changes must be agreed upon before December 1 of each calendar year. “They will decide and assess the landscape, fans, all the things that go into it,” CFP Board of Managers Chair Mark Keenum told the media on Sunday.
“There are member schools, there are members they represent, and they’ll decide what they think is in the best interest for college football going forward.”
Keenum also emphasized that sticking with a 12-team format next Friday “doesn’t mean you’re locked in for some extended period of time. It can change over the course of this next year and have a different format.”
As the calendar moves closer to Friday, all eyes will remain on the Power Four commissioners—and the future shape of the College Football Playoff.
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/01/whats-the-latest-on-possible-college-football-playoff-expansion.html
