A Jersey Guy: CFB is $$$ machine

The "agreement" announcement could come as early as next week, although that may be a bit optimistic.

But it will come--College Football will have a 12-team playoff system, starting at the end of the 2024 regular season.

""Yeah, I think so,'' said one veteran college administrator who has been part of the process, but not authorized to talk about it.

There was no joy or excitement in his voice. Just resignation.

College Football as it has almost aways done has followed the money in its blueprint for the future.

This time it is signing off on a deal which could have a payout package of almost $3 billion.

The SEC and the Big Ten have expansion plans ready to go which will bring each conference between $85 million and $100 million in revenue each year, a projection which pleases both SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren

""Let's cut to the chase here,'' said the administrator, ""Look at what is happening in college football. "There is no reason in the world why the Big Ten had to expand to the West Coast, other than the money. None. But we live in a different era.

"Look at the issues we are dealing with NIL, transfer portal, expansion. It's all money driven. Kids are leaving after four games so they can TRANSFER to another school where they might have a chance to make more money. It's all geared towards the next level or making money.'

'Expanding the system will temporarily feed the beast. There will be more ""opportunities'' for teams in the playoff system to create stories.

But almost no one thinks a Final Four will have many, if any, "new' faces.

""The chances are it will be an SEC-Big Ten dominated Final Four,'' said the administrator, "but by opening it up to 12, we give more teams a chance to do things, get some exposure and we all get more money.''

No matter what happens in the next few weeks with future playoff plans, there is also a better than average possibility that this season's Final Four could be an SEC-Big Ten showdown, which would no doubt increase the demand to speed up the playoff expansion structure.

""I think it's going to happen and I think it will be soon,'' said the administrator.