ESPN senior college football writer Pete Thamel said that a new College Football Playoff format is set to be finalized by midday Friday on Thursday.
The new CFP format, which is expected to be agreed upon by all FBS conferences as well as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, will be a 14-team format.
The 12-team College Football Playoff format will only exist for two years
The 12-team CFP format will only be used by the NCAA for 2024 and 2025, should all the conferences reach an agreement as expected.
If the agreement is reached, the new 14-team format will come into effect for the 2026 season. The 12-team format will have five automatic qualifiers. Those automatic qualifiers come from the five highest-ranked conference champions.
The rest of the playoff will be filled out with seven at-large bids. The format for a potential 14-team playoff is expected to be the subject of an ongoing discussion.
Group of 5 conferences have reportedly been put in a tough spot as they have no leverage over the larger conferences like the SEC and the Big Ten, one Group of 5 athletic director said in an ESPN article.
“It’s like the Godfather’s offer you can’t refuse,” one Group of 5 athletic director told ESPN on Thursday.
The Big Ten and the SEC will make more than $21 million per school in the new format. Power Five conferences are currently paid $5.5 million per school.
The ACC will make slightly more than the Big 12 at $13 million and $12 million per school, respectively. Group of Five schools will make just under $1.8 million per school.
Fans have mixed opinions regarding the potential new College Football Playoff format
College football fans have mixed opinions regarding the potential 14-team format that could come into effect in 2026. Some claim the quick changing of formats is ill-advised since the 12-team format hasn’t been tested at all.
I don’t get it. They wouldn’t budge off 4 for years, now finally agree on 12 and now they’re jumping right to 14 without yet having played with 12… this is insanity
— Pat Shea (@RunIrish74) March 14, 2024
THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS AT THIS POINT! STOP BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE WHAT A DISASTROUS DECISION BY THE NCAA! 12 was too much as it is and their hasn’t been a single 12 team playoff game played and their expanding already. It’s just too much
— Will Thompson (@willyt2234) March 14, 2024
Oh great, the 12-team one must’ve been a success! Right? Surely they’ve already tested out the new format before changing it? Right?
— Archibald Hawk (@ArchySports) March 14, 2024
Others claim that the decision to move to a 14-team layout in the CFP is a decision steeped in greed and it will ruin the unique product that is college football.
Unchecked greed is destroying a beautiful historic game right in front of eyes. It’s sickening.
— Meh (@Meh97020725) March 14, 2024
At this rate, why is the G5 even in this thing? This sport is embarrassing and greedy. The numbers are embarrassing
— Titus (@Titus_252) March 14, 2024
Money talks
— Steve Franklin (@MyGuySteve) March 14, 2024
According to Thamel, it’s unknown whether a version of the 12-team format will see the light of day as a decision on the enactment of the 14-team layout could come in the upcoming months.
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