The conference commissioners of college football are currently experiencing a deadlock regarding the expansion of the College Football Playoff. As deadlines approach, there appears to be no consensus among the leaders from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12, each staunchly advocating for their preferred playoff structures. Only a uniform model for seeding was agreed upon, set to be implemented in the 2025 season.

Commissioner of the SEC, Greg Sankey, has indicated a willingness to consider several playoff expansion models, proposing options such as 5+7, focusing on automatic bids for conference champions, including one from the Group of Six.

In contrast, Tony Petitti of the Big Ten is resistant to the notion of five automatic bids, arguing in favor of the existing 4-4-2-2-1 format, which impacts the distribution of playoff spots among the conferences. He expressed skepticism about the need for additional data in the selection process, noting current assessment methods.

Brett Yormark from the Big 12 continues to push for 5+11, emphasizing the necessity of earning playoff bids based on performance.

In a vein of optimism, ACC’s Jim Phillips supports increasing playoff teams, provided that the champions from conferences receive guaranteed spots. He notes current playoff success is vital, following last season’s less favorable postseason record.

As discussions persist, the key question looms: will the leaders find a way to collaborate for a unified expansion approach?