CFP Thread

[FearlessF]

so, the sport's not dead yet?

[FearlessF]

According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the College Football Playoff is expected to remain at 12 teams for the 2026-27 season. Speculation about the field expanding to 16 teams had been running rampant for months, but officials from the power conferences couldn’t seem to agree on the format for an expanded field.

Reporting from On3 stated that the decision to maintain the status quo stemmed from a stalemate between the SEC and the Big Ten. The SEC wants a 16-team model. The Big Ten wants a 24-team model. The other 8 FBS conferences are “ready” to expand to 16 teams for the 2026 season, according to the report.

An initial deadline to settle next year’s format was set for Dec. 1, 2025. ESPN extended that deadline to Friday. With the sport’s two most powerful leagues still in disagreement over the future of the field, nothing changes and the proverbial can gets kicked to 2027.

[MikeDeTiger]

Guess I'll have to start using fSEC and fB1G.

[SFBadger96]

Or...good job on deadlocking because 12 is better than 16.

[FearlessF]

those 4 teams fighting for the bye week!

[ManHawk]

Ok I guess the CFP will be 12 teams for at least 1 more year in 2026.

But the new bowl contracts, which usually are 6-year contracts, have been on hold until they settle on  the CFP format.  Now what are they going to do?  Do the conferences just start signing 1 year contracts with their bowl game tie-ins going forward?  Actually that probably makes some sense.

The other thing I guess is not settled, is the Rose Bowl always a quarterfinal game played on NYD,  or is it sometimes a semi-final played a week after NYD?