The Big 12 is Reportedly Pushing Back on Proposed Playoff Format

Casey Lundquist | May 15, 2025

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Big 12 logo and stadium during the game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Big 12 and the ACC are pushing back against a new College Football Playoff format, according to a report from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports. The Big Ten and the SEC are proposing a new 16-team playoff format that would begin in the 2026 season.

The conference commissioners appear to be aligned on the number of teams: 16. It's the automatic berths, however, that are causing a lot of controversy. In the proposed plan created by the SEC and the Big Ten, those two conferences would get four automatic bids each in the College Football Playoff every year.

After the Big Ten and the SEC, the Big 12 and the ACC would get two automatic bids each. Lastly, the highest-ranked Group of Six champion would receive an automatic bid as well, leaving three remaining spots for at-large bids.

According to Dellenger, "Leaders at the Big 12 and ACC want more than just two automatic spots." In the counter-proposal, the ACC and the Big 12 would get three automatic bids each, leaving just one at-large spot for a team like Notre Dame.

"Perhaps one of the more fascinating aspects of the proposed format is the ability for conferences to play season-ending, conference-tournament style play-in matchups where the Big Ten and SEC pit their third, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-placed teams against one another."

- Ross Dellenger

If the Big 12 is granted two or even three automatic berths, it could create an opportunity for a similar conference-tournament play-in style tournament to determine the teams that make the College Football Playoff.

The Power Four commissioners plan to meet again "soon". The future of the College Football Playoff will be decided over the next few months.