Already a format with a long track record of change, the College Football Playoff expansion model may soon be up for debate again in light of recent conference realignment.
According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports, two CFP commissioners told Dellenger that the upcoming 12-team format “should be re-examined.”
The 12-team format will debut in 2024, bringing an increase from four teams over the first 10 seasons of the CFP era. Under the newly agreed-upon format, the six highest-ranked conference champions will earn spots in the Playoff and the remaining six highest non-conference champions will receive at-large places.
The possibility of reexamination comes in light of recent conference expansion moves.
In July, Colorado announced it would join the Big 12 Conference in 2024, and on Friday Arizona, Arizona State and Utah received admittance to the Big 12 and will depart the Pac-12 that same year.
Additionally, Oregon and Washington will join the Big Ten Conference starting also in 2024. This will leave the Pac-12 with four programs: Cal, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State.
The impending expansion moves mean the Big Ten will have 18 programs beginning in 2024 and the Big 12 will have 16. The Atlantic Coastal Conference has not been impacted by expansion despite the possibility in the air, and the Southeastern Conference will have 16 schools upon the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas in 2024.
Once all of the current programs join their new conferences, it is understandable for the new 12-team CFP format to be subject to change. It could mean one thing or another regarding automatic bids and seeding, and it must be addressed before three conferences contain 50 Power 5 programs.
