The first season of the 12-team playoff format was widely considered a success. During the 2024-2025 season, the new 12-team format was introduced, with automatic byes going to the Power Four conference champions.
Last season, that included Arizona (Big 12), Boise State (Mountain West), Georgia (SEC), and Oregon (Big Ten). While the expanded format was deemed a success, the College Football Playoff Committee determined there were more kinks to work out.
As the CFP Committee continues tweaking the format, the Big Ten has been discussing ideas of its own when it comes to the size of the CFP.
Most people agree that the CFP will not stay at only 12 teams, but there has not been any agreement on how many teams the Playoff should expand to.
The Big Ten is aiming high in terms of the number of teams added to the playoff bracket, using an Oprah-style method.
And you get a playoff bid, and you get a playoff bid, and you get a playoff bid!
The Big Ten is, indeed, in the *very* early stages of discussing the idea of a 28-team College Football Playoff model, source confirms to @NBCSports (as ESPN reported).
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 16, 2025
Would eliminate conference championship games & have most spots designated per league.
NBC Sports lead college football and basketball insider Nicole Auerbach confirmed that sources told her that the Big Ten is in the "very early stages" of discussing a 28-team CFP model.
The model would effectively end conference championships, and more spots would be designated per league.
Auerbach went on to state that the proposed format would include seven bids for the Big Ten and SEC, five for the Big 12 and ACC, two for Group of Five, and two at-large bids.
It is still very early in the process, but there is support in the Big Ten for this model or other models that expand the CFP to include more teams.