Finally, the folks in charge of college football came to their senses.
On Friday, in the midst of college football’s week one, ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel broke the story that the CFP Board of Managers has decided on a 12-team playoff. Thamel also reported that the changes are not expected to take place until 2026, after additional details are ironed out. The shift is scheduled to happen after the current CFP contract with ESPN expires in 2025. CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd reports that there is an aim to implement the larger format as soon as possible.
The new 12-team format will consist of the six highest-ranked conference champions, and the six highest-ranked at-large teams.
Indiana’s 2020 team that finished the year 6-2 would have made the CFB under the new proposal. As an 11-seed, the Hoosiers would have headed to Texas A&M, with the winner facing Ohio St.
The CFP board is made up of ten university presidents, with representation across all ten conferences and Notre Dame. Ohio State’s president, Katrina Johnson, is the Big Ten representative. A unanimous vote was required in order to expand the playoff.
Now, implementation sits with the CFP Management Committee, made up of the ten conference presidents and Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick. The will meet Thursday in Texas. At Big Ten Media Days in July, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was “100% supportive” of expanding the CFP.
This story will be updated as additional details become available.
