Greg Sankey reveals deadline for deciding College Football Playoff format for 2026 season

Since before the 2024 college football season began, there has been talk of expanding the College Football Playoff for 2026 and beyond. The 2025 CFB season is just around the corner, and conference leaders have yet to decide on an expanded Playoff format.

At SEC Media Days, Greg Sankey spoke to ESPN’s Heather Dinich about CFP expansion and other related matters. The SEC commissioner revealed the deadline for figuring out a 14- or 16-team Playoff is set by the CFP’s media rights agreement with ESPN. If the conferences can’t agree on a new format, it will remain at 12 teams.

It says you have to determine the ’26 format by Nov. 30,” Sankey told Dinich. “There’s actually a ’26 format. It’s 12 teams and five conference champions. We can change it if we change it by that date, but that’s the only date that I know exists, and everything else in between seems up to the parties making the decision.

The SEC has also yet to set a 2026 schedule because the conference’s scheduling model is now directly tied to the CFP talks. In early 2025, the SEC and Big Ten aligned were aligned on an expanded Playoff model that saw the 2 conferences each receiving 4 automatic bids. At that time, there was even talk of SEC and B1G teams playing each other in the regular season.

Things have changed, though. At the SEC Spring Meetings, the 5+11 model of 5 conference champions and 11 at-large bids emerged as a popular alternative. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has been a vocal supporter of the 5+11 model.

On Wednesday, college football insider Brett McMurphy reported that the Big Ten, which holds joint power on the CFP format with the SEC, is firm in its preference of the 4+4+2+2+1+3 model giving 4 automatic bids each to the SEC and B1G, 2 each to the ACC and Big 12, 1 to the top Group of 5 champion and 3 at-large bids. McMurphy added that the Big Ten will only consider other options, such as the 5+11 model, if it is assured that the SEC will add a 9th conference game for 2026 and beyond.

Sankey indicated his support for the 9-game schedule.

I think we should be working towards that,” Sankey told ESPN. “My life doesn’t end if we don’t. There’s this absolutist notion that he’s going to dictate what’s going to happen. I think we should have an adult conversation. We should be able to make a decision. I think nine games would promote great interest through the year, but it would be hard to coach. I’ve had candid conversations with coaches. I’ve told them that.

We’ll see if the 2-connected matters get resolved by late November.