How SEC's Proposed 16-Team Playoff Would Impact USC

The annual spring meetings for the SEC have brought up some interesting storylines... How would a 16-team College Football Playoff expansion impact USC?

Oct 15, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; SEC commissioner Greg Sankey introduces Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The annual spring meetings for the SEC have brought up some interesting storylines.

Last year’s hot topic issue was implementing a nine-game conference schedule, which will be in effect this upcoming season. This year’s agenda includes NIL governance and meetings with coaches, presidents and athletic directors, but the significant subject is the SEC’s stance on a potential College Football Playoff expansion.

Following the 2025-2026 college football season, there has been much speculation of the CFP extending from 12 teams to 24. Programs and media personalities alike have vouched for an expansion yet one conference has yet to agree on the matter – the SEC.

Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; SEC commissioner Greg Sankey talks with staff before SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Greg Sankey and the SEC Support 16-Team CFP Format

According to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, a 24-team format would conflict with the conference’s television contracts. SEC football is exclusively broadcasted by ESPN/Disney, appearing on networks such ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network and ESPN+ with the SEC Championship game on ABC.

A 24-team format, which is backed by the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12, would eliminate conference championship games. The proposed format would also lead to a calendar change to the season, moving Week 1 to the original Week 0 slot. Sankey would rather keep the Labor Day kickoff, so the stance on tradition makes their support of 24-team format highly unlikely.

“Four to 12 was monumental, I think it was justifiable, and you want to be careful about how far you go,” Sankey told reporters during the spring meeting press conference.

Jan 14, 2023; Athens, GA, USA; SEC commissioner Greg Sankey speaks at the Georgia Bulldogs national championship celebration at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Sankey pointed out that “good teams” were eliminated by September in the old four-team format. In the 12-team format, teams like Oklahoma were able to make the cut. The Sooners finished the year 10-3 with a 6-2 conference record. After tough ranked losses to Texas and Ole Miss in October, their season would have been over in the past. OU went on to win big against Alabama, Tennessee and LSU to punch their ticket into the CFP.

“Maybe you bring more teams into the conversation and you make a judgement…A game that may not have the same type of leverage, if you will, or that same type of value because both teams could be in, that's minimal. The ability to bring more teams into the conversation, that would have been out, creates value in the regular season.” 

Would USC Qualify in a 16-Team CFP Expansion?

Last season, USC finished with an overall record of 9-4 (7-2 in conference), finishing fifth in the Big Ten. The successful season led to an Alamo Bowl appearance and a top-25 spot in the final AP Poll, but still not good enough for a CFP berth.

But if it were a 16-team format, USC would have barely made the cut. The original playoff rankings done by the Selection Committee (Dec. 7, 2025) had USC at No. 16. Tulane and James Madison, who made the final bracket due to automatic bids, would have been pushed out for Notre Dame and BYU.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley gestures during the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Aside from the original top-10 contenders, the additional four teams joining USC would have been Texas (No. 13), Vanderbilt (No. 14) and Utah (No. 15). There would have been a total of three three-loss teams and the SEC would have the most representatives with seven teams. The Big Ten would come in second with four teams.

While this format is made in favor of the SEC's programs, Big Ten programs USC still has a shot of cracking the list. It sets precedent that a three-loss team can qualify and rewards tough matchups in the latter half of the season.

In a hypothetical 16-team playoff this upcoming season, USC would still have a solid chance of making the cut. Battling the likes of Ohio State and Indiana at the end of October and start of November would not be a detrimental with wins against Penn State (Oct. 10) and Washington (Oct. 3). The light non-conference games would also tilt the scales in the Trojans favor.

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