Big Ten proposes 24- or 28-team playoff with campus games

The push to reshape the College Football Playoff is intensifying, as the Big Ten has floated a 24- or 28-team model that would overhaul how teams earn a postseason place, drastically alter conference championship games, and shift a substantial portion of high-stakes playoff action to college campuses. The prospect surfaces as the sport operates under a 12-team playoff in its second year, with ongoing discussion about whether and how to expand beyond that format in 2026 and beyond.

Under the Big Ten concept currently under consideration, the field would be divided into a large number of automatic bids distributed among the power leagues and other qualifiers. In this model, the Big Ten and the SEC would each receive seven automatic bids, with the ACC and Big 12 receiving five apiece, and two automatic slots earmarked for non-power conferences. In addition, two at-large berths would be available, and as many as 20 playoff games could be staged on college campuses rather than in traditional neutral-site bowl settings. The overall intent is to create a broader, more inclusive postseason while maintaining a seeded playoff that would be determined by the selection process.