Before even taking a snap in the 12-team College Football Playoff, there is a proposal to once again expand the tournament. A proposal was drawn up for a 14-team playoff but never officially passed, leaving more questions about the future of CFP expansion. Not an easy subject at the moment, even for somebody like SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
He and Tony Petitti of the Big Ten seemingly have the most control over the playoff’s future. When asked about expansion, Sankey admitted the process would be an easy one if there was no conference realignment in the future.
“We’d be fine if everyone just stayed in their current (conference),” Sankey said at the SEC Spring Meetings on Tuesday via On3’s Jesse Simonton.
Clemson and Florida State are trying their hardest to get out of the ACC Grant of Rights, having lawsuits against the conference. North Carolina and Virginia are expected to be big players in the next round of conference realignment too, with the Big Ten and SEC fighting for them.
Whether moves are made next offseason or in the coming years, decisions on the College Football Playoff will be made based on them.
ESPN recently announced an extension with the CFP, keeping the media rights after the current deal expires after the 2025 season. Reports from Heather Dinich previously stated expanding to 14 teams was nearly finalized and resigning with ESPN means its likelihood continues to increase.
“The field will have at least 12 teams in 2026 and beyond, but sources indicate there is a strong preference for a 14-team field that includes the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next nine highest-ranked teams,” Dinich said in March.
Sankey himself has stated his desire to get to the 12-team playoff era before considering adding two and possibly four more teams to the College Football Playoff.
“We have 12, so let’s get to 12,” Sankey said in March. “We had some options introduced. I think we ought to be careful in that thinking. It does create opportunity. This year was a really good year when you think about, maybe there were some high-quality teams that that larger number could help.
“But people have talked about 12 and 14. Let’s set those maybe as bookends for the conversation, put them on the shelf where bookends belong for a moment, get this 12 thing right, get it locked in. And then, we’ll go forward.”
The post Greg Sankey comments on future of College Football Playoff expansion appeared first on On3.