Commissioners of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big Ten Conference announced their support for changing the seeding format in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The move comes as both leagues aim to give their respective teams a more equal chance at advancing to the playoff. While no official changes have been made, the two conferences are working together to discuss potential updates.
According to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, the current system allows for conference champions to secure top seeds, while other teams may be left out despite their strong rankings. The proposed new format would use the selection committee’s ranking to seed teams, giving more weight to team performance rather than just conference affiliation. This change aims to provide a fairer opportunity for all participating teams.
The 2025 season is not set in stone, but any changes will need to be unanimously agreed upon by all FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. Sankey emphasized that the current system’s inconsistencies have led to frustrations among coaches and administrators.
Petitti expressed support for a “straight seeding” format where team rankings directly determine seeds, eliminating any discrepancies between conference champions and non-champions. This change would also benefit Notre Dame, which cannot compete in conferences.
Sankey stated that his league has discussed various aspects of the playoff format, including automatic qualifiers and scheduling issues. However, he declined to provide specific details on these topics.
The joint meeting took place just days before a thorough review of the inaugural 12-team playoff will begin, with discussions set to take place next week in Dallas. While there is no consensus yet, both Sankey and Petitti highlighted their commitment to improving the playoff format through collaboration and open communication.
The key issues discussed during the meeting include:
– The selection committee’s decision-making process and potential inconsistencies
– Automatic qualifiers for league champions
– Regular-season scheduling and its impact on the final standings
Sankey emphasized the importance of understanding the selection committee’s perspective and applying it fairly to ensure a more accurate representation of team strength.
Source: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43924031/sec-greg-sankey-big-ten-tony-petitti-agree-cfp-seeding-needs-change