Photo Credit: AP Photos/George Walker IV
A new 16-team College Football Playoff (CFP) model is gaining support following the SEC’s spring meetings. The proposed format would include the top five conference champions and 11 at-large teams. But the next steps for the 2026 playoff and beyond will depend on how quickly leaders across the sport can agree on several major decisions.
One key issue is whether the SEC will move from an eight-game to a nine-game conference schedule. Sources within the ACC say this could also prompt them to reconsider their own scheduling plans, which have been on hold for years. At the center of these talks is the need for a clear understanding of how the CFP selection committee ranks teams—especially how it evaluates strength of schedule.
“I do think there’s a need for change,” said SEC commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday. How do you make those decisions? It’s hard, and we trust the committee to do that, and I respect the people in there, so this isn’t a criticism of the people. This is wanting to understand the decisions. We have to have better clarity on the criteria that inform those decisions.”
Right now, strength of schedule remains one of several vague elements in the committee’s ranking process. FBS commissioners crafted that language when they launched the four-team CFP in 2014. Some SEC and ACC athletic directors believe a nine-game conference schedule makes sense—if the committee avoids punishing teams for losing tough matchups.
SEC Wants Guarantees Before Expanding Schedule
SEC athletic directors made it clear this week they would only support a nine-game schedule if their league secures four playoff spots, a position the Big Ten also supports.
“If we’re not confident that the decision-making about who gets in and why and what are the metrics around it, it’s going to be really hard for some of my colleagues to get to the nine games,” said Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts. “We’ve got a timeline that’s getting tight, and we recognize that. It seems like everything is coming to a head. In a way it’s a little bit frustrating, in another way it feels good because eventually, it feels like we’re actually going to get some of this dealt with.”
The CFP has set a deadline of Dec. 1 to finalize the new format. FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua will meet in person on June 18 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Sankey wouldn’t say whether the SEC will be united on a playoff model by then. “We’ll see,” he said.
5+11 Has Support Across Multiple Conferences
Multiple sources from the ACC say they favor the 5+11 model. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has also publicly supported it during his league’s spring meetings.
“It’s always been our first choice,” Yormark told ESPN. “It’s fair and rewards what happens on the field. I’m not surprised SEC coaches like it.”
UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir agreed. “The CFP was never supposed to favor just one or two leagues. It was supposed to give us a true national championship,” he said. “5+11 does that and gets the best teams in.”
SEC coaches this week showed strong support for the 5+11 model—especially if they can stick with an eight-game conference schedule. If Sankey can get his athletic directors to support that too, the Big Ten might be the only remaining league pushing for multiple automatic bids.
“We’re kind of important,” Sankey said of the SEC’s influence in the process.
The Big Ten and SEC have the most control over the CFP’s future format, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed last year as part of a new six-year playoff deal.
“If we do want to have a national tournament, we do have to get everyone on the same page and everyone has to work together,” said Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said.
The ACC’s past hesitation to expand its schedule came from existing rivalries with SEC schools and its unique agreement with Notre Dame. One source said any changes to the ACC’s schedule could be phased in rather than rushed by 2026.
Understanding Strength of Schedule
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said two of his main concerns moving forward are playoff access and having a clear understanding of what qualifies a team.
“I know last year I talked about a lot of what I read was two versus three losses, and that was concerning,” Byrne said. “Granted, ultimately, it’s up to you and the play you have on the field, and you have to recognize that, but I also do believe the committee placed strength of schedule as the first bullet point for the CFP. Trying to get some clear understanding of how they weigh that in the room is important. Our conference, because of how teams perform on the field, has earned the benefit of the doubt at times and deserves strong consideration for the CFP.”
On Thursday, the SEC gave reporters a six-page packet filled with color-coded charts and advanced metrics to show how tough their teams’ schedules are. Sankey said figuring out how to measure strength of schedule in the playoff will involve a balance between human judgment and data—like the old BCS computer system.
The packet included ESPN’s Strength of Record, SP+ rankings by Bill Connelly, Kenneth Massey’s ratings, the Football Power Index, and other strength of schedule tools.
“Whether you agree or not, this is what we’re looking at,” Sankey said. “That doesn’t mean every one of these should be inserted into the CFP, but I think you have to consider what it means, because there’s other ratings and evaluation tools we’ve looked at that are much like these results.”
Will the CFP Stick with 12 Teams?
Despite all the talk, Sankey didn’t rule out the possibility of keeping the current 12-team playoff format for 2026.
“Can I see a scenario? Sure, I can see a scenario,” he said. “But is that the most likely scenario? Come back for more. I said — genuinely — we’re interested in a model. We’re not committed to that model, and you’ve seen that play out this week, where people have different ideas.”
With time running short, the question now is whether the Power 4 conferences can quickly come together.
“We need to work well together,” Sankey said. “The emotional maturity needed right now is higher than ever.”
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This report used information from ESPN.
