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Big Ten considers potential change to conference championship weekend

Multiple conferences have floated the idea of including more teams in their conference championship weekend
Jerred Johnson|
Jim Harbaugh is NFL-bound after leading Michigan to three straight Big Ten titles and the 2023 national championship.
Jim Harbaugh is NFL-bound after leading Michigan to three straight Big Ten titles and the 2023 national championship. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Big Ten, along with the SEC and ACC, is currently considering major changes to their conference championship weekend, as the current format may no longer align with the future landscape of college football.

Under the current system, the top two teams in each conference face off in a championship game, with the winner earning an automatic spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) along with a first-round bye. However, with the CFP committee meeting next week to discuss a potential expansion from the current 12-team format to a 14- or 16-team format, the power conferences are exploring adjustments to their own championship formats in anticipation of securing additional playoff bids.

One proposal being discussed by the Big Ten involves a shift to a multi-tiered championship weekend. Instead of just a single game between the top two teams, the conference would feature a series of matchups with more teams involved: a 1-v-2 game for seeding in the CFP, a 3-v-6 game, and a 4-v-5 game. This new structure would not only create more excitement but also open the door for more teams to secure automatic bids based on their standings in the conference.

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Michigan defensive end Jaylen Harrell pressures Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill during the first half of the Big Ten championship game at Luca Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

If this new format had been in place this year, Oregon would have faced Penn State, Indiana would have battled Iowa, and Ohio State would have clashed with Illinois. While this is still in the early stages of discussion, the Big Ten is closely watching the outcome of the upcoming CFP expansion talks, as their plans hinge on whether more teams are added to the playoff field.

As it stands, much of the decision on these proposed changes will depend on how the rules committee decides to expand the CFP, and whether it will impact the automatic bids that conferences would receive. The CFP committee is also looking at how they award automatic bids and byes as well. A lot of ideas and changes are in the air, but we will not know how it affects any conferences for a while.

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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