CFP will remain at 12 teams in 2026 as Big Ten, SEC fail to reach resolution

January 23, 2026

By Will Backus, Brandon Marcello and John Talty, CBS Sports: The College Football Playoff will remain at 12 teams in 2026 after the Big Ten and the SEC failed to reach a resolution regarding any future formats, sources tell CBS Sports’ John Talty and Brandon Marcello. The Big Ten prefers a 24-team field with multiple automatic qualifiers per conference while the SEC is partial to a 16-team “5+11” format.

Under the SEC’s proposed model, which has the backing of the ACC and Big 12, guaranteed bids would go to the five highest-ranked conference champions. The Big Ten has also explored the possibility of a 24-team model with only one automatic bid that goes to the highest-ranked Group of Six champion. The other 23 spots would be occupied by automatic qualifiers.

Read the full story…

College Football Playoff will remain at 12 teams in 2026 as Big Ten, SEC fail to reach resolution

The SEC favors a 16-team format while the Big Ten has been adamant about expanding to 24

CBS Sports

Looking for more SuperWest team news? Find it at our Team News Feed

Author
Recent Posts

News Feed

The SuperWest Sports News Feed does not link to stories behind a paywall. News is added periodically throughout the day, so check back regularly.