Big Ten Pushing for Expanded College Football Playoff

The UCLA Bruins could have even more chances to make college football's ultimate dance.

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs leaves the field with a rose in his mouth following the 42-17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers in the College Football Playoff first round game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. Ohio State will face Oregon in the Rose Bowl. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins, as a result of their membership with the Big Ten, kicked off a series of events whose consequences are now starting to reveal themselves.

When UCLA decided to leave the Pac-12, it gave the Big Ten the power it needed to match the SEC in branding. NIL allowed the conference to use its vast financial resources to overpower the forces of the South, and the conference's back-to-back National Championships in football give them the authority to wield their power to create an expanded playoff.

According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, a meeting to discuss playoff expansion occurred last week.

"The four power conference commissioners held an in-person meeting in New York on Thursday to discuss several issues, including a future playoff format, sources tell Yahoo Sports," Dellenger wrote. "Big Ten & SEC - they control future format - continue to favor multiple AQs for their conferences.

The four power conference commissioners held an in-person meeting in New York on Thursday to discuss several issues, including a future playoff format, sources tell @YahooSports. Big Ten & SEC - they control future format - continue to favor multiple AQs for their conferences.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) May 8, 2025

Dellenger noted one possible format that would include four SEC teams, four Big Ten teams, two ACC teams, two Big 12 teams, one other G6 team and three at-large teams that would follow "season-ending inner-league play-in games."

The way the Big Ten and SEC are consolidating power, they'll likely have an at-large bid each to make it five teams each conference sends to the playoff. Even if they don't, it guarantees four teams in the playoffs.

If a 16-team format was used in 2024, this is how it would have worked out:

SEC: Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss

Big Ten: Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana

ACC: Clemson, SMU, Miami

Big 12: Arizona State, Iowa State

G6: Boise State, Notre Dame (Independent)

This structure will likely be the path forward, and here's why. The SEC and Big Ten will agree to it because it gives them the slots they desire. The ACC and Big 12 will agree because it gives them more slots than they originally had.

In this format, the ACC's Miami and the Big 12's Iowa State make it into the final dance. If there weren't conference bids, South Carolina of the SEC would have jumped Iowa State.

One strong start to its season, and there would be no reason UCLA wouldn't be dancing into January under this proposed expansion.

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