Big Ten Reportedly Proposing 24- or 28-Team College Football Playoff Format
Well, that's what the Big Ten has in mind. Conference commissioner Tony Petitti has formed proposals that would expand the CFP to 24, if not 28, teams, ESPN reported.
The format proposal would eliminate conference championship games, while granting the Big Ten and the SEC seven automatic playoff bids apiece, with the ACC and Big 12 each getting five automatic bids. There would also be two automatic bids for non-power-conference schools and two other at-large teams. In all, there would be 20 CFP games on college campuses.
Last season, college football debuted the 12-team CFP, which granted four conference title winners an automatic first-round bye and had four first-round playoff games played on college campuses. Neutral-site matchups began in the quarterfinal round. The Big Ten led the way with four teams in the CFP, followed by the SEC with three.
[MORE: How 2024-25 CFP Would've Looked Under Proposed Expansion Formats]
As for the 2025 season, the 12-team CFP format remains intact but with some tweaks, such as the top four overall ranked teams receiving a first-round bye as opposed to the top-four ranked conference champions receiving a bye (e.g. independent Notre Dame can get a first-round bye, whereas it previously couldn't because it's not part of a power-four conference). While still being one of the top-five ranked conference champions ensures a playoff berth, it no longer locks in a first-round bye for the top-four ranked conference winners.
In the wake of each of the four teams that received first-round byes in last year's CFP losing in the quarterfinal round (Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Clemson), there has been rampant speculation throughout this offseason about altering the format again; a potential 16-team format has been a topic of discussion.
Last season, Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the national championship tilt; both teams were at-large bids.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL preseason live updates: Caleb Williams debuts under head coach Ben Johnson, Tyler Shough starts for Saints
[NFL preseason schedule | NFL team feeds | NFL preseason live blog] The second week of NFL preseason action is in full swing, and there are plenty of storylines to follow. Caleb Williams is starting for the Bears on national television Sunday night vs. the Bills, our first glimpse of the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick under new head coach Ben Johnson. That game headlines Frank Schwab's top QB situations to watch this week. Later, Tyler Shough gets the start for the Saints as he competes with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for QB1 in New Orleans. He threw for 165 yards on 15-of-22 passing in the Saints' preseason opener. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] On Saturday, Giants rookie Jaxson Dart put up another impressive preseason performance coming off his gem last week against the Bills. On Saturday against the Jets, he completed 14 of 16 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown to go along with a TD run. Could starting QB Russell Wilson be hearing footsteps? Rookie Dillon Gabriel saw his first action of preseason Saturday, and it was an up-and-down day for the third-round pick. He finished 13-of-18 for 143 yards passing but also turned it over twice. He thew a pick 6 and also lost a fumble on a botched handoff exchange. He was otherwise solid and in control in the passing game. Fellow rookie QB Shedeur Sanders sat out due to an oblique injury. Much will be made in the coming days, especially on the talking heads shows, about his in-game comments of the QB competition he's in with Sanders. Gabriel later clarified he was referring to the media, not Sanders. Elsewhere in the QB world, the Colts battle for the starting job continues to heat up, with Daniel Jones ending up 7 of 11 passes for 101 yards while Anthony Richardson competed 6 of 11 passes for 73 yards. Those two appear to be neck-and-neck for the starting job, and head coach Shane Steichen told reporters he plans to decide the starter "very soon." You can watch all preseason games on NFL Network, and also on NFL+. Here's a full look at this weekend's schedule. NFL preseason Week 2 schedule/results Sunday, Aug. 17 (times ET) Jaguars at Saints, 1 p.m. (NFL Network)Bills at Bears, 8 p.m. (Fox) Monday, Aug. 18 (time ET) Bengals at Commanders, 8 p.m. (ESPN) Friday, Aug. 15 Titans 23, Falcons 20Seahawks 33, Chiefs 16 Saturday, Aug. 16 Texans 20, Panthers 3 Browns 22, Eagles 13 Patriots 20, Vikings 12 Packers 23, Colts 19 Dolphins 24, Lions 17 49ers 22, Raiders 19 Giants 31, Jets 12 Bucs 17, Steelers 14 Rams 23, Chargers 22 Ravens 31, Cowboys 13 Broncos 27, Cardinals 7 NFL team feeds AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers AFC South: Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers NFC East: Dallas Cowboys | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | Washington Commanders NFC North: Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Minnesota Vikings NFC South: Atlanta Falcons | Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks NFL preseason live blog Follow along below as Yahoo Sports tracks all the updates from NFL preseason and training camps:
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cleveland Browns add speedster to offense before 2025 regular season
Cleveland Browns add speedster to offense before 2025 regular season originally appeared on The Sporting News After a little bit of confusion on the signing with Isaiah Bond, becoming a Cleveland Brown, Mary Kay Cabot confirmed on Sunday morning that Bond was in Cleveland on Saturday night and intended to sign a three-year contract with the team. Bond has a history with Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees whom he was paired for two years in Alabama, before Bond transferred to Texas in 2024. Bond never blew out the stat sheet with just over 1,000 yards receiving in 2023 and 2024 combined, but with his 4.39 official time in the 40 in Indianapolis, he quickly moved up draft boards and was a projected second-day pick for most. Bond then found himself in some off-field troubles that led to this signing. But today I want to focus on what Bond potentially brings to the Browns, not the off-field chatter. One positive is the history between Rees and Bond. In a situation like this, there was likely a glaring recommendation for Andrew Berry to pull the trigger and bring Bond in. Rees likely trusts the character and thinks that he could have a role in the 2025 offense. Similar in size and assets, Bond could have a similar role as what they anticipated Anthony Schwartz to have, who never quite worked out. Schwartz had incredible straight-line speed, but was never able to translate it to the NFL. Bond has the opportunity to earn a spot on this roster with a few specific plays in mind. He would likely be utilized in the end-around game, which has become so popular to get defenses honest, and the team would utilize his speed to run him deep and clear underneath crossing routes in the play-action game. With no structure of the agreement out yet, it's tough to say how guaranteed Bond will be to make the roster this year, but the reports of a three-year deal mean he will likely be on the 53-man roster. And while the Browns don't have an overwhelming stack of talent at wide receiver, there are certainly four guys who appear to be locks on the roster in Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, Jamari Thrash, and Diontae Johnson. That likely leaves room for one or two others, with guys like Kaden Davis and Gage Larvadain having spectacular camps so far.
USA Today
21 minutes ago
- USA Today
SEC ESPN Football Power Index rankings for 2025
The 2025 college football season is upon us. Week zero is six days away, and the Oklahoma Sooners play football in less than two weeks. The Oklahoma Sooners are trending toward a bounce-back season in 2025 on the arm and legs of John Mateer and an improved offensive line. Experts like Josh Pate believe the Sooners are a top 10 team to open the season. The Sooners are among several SEC teams with a chance to contend in the conference and secure a playoff spot. But it's a deep league, and the Sooners have a tough road ahead. In the latest update to the ESPN Football Power Index, the Oklahoma Sooners are one of 12 SEC teams in the top 25. Eight of those SEC teams appear on Oklahoma's schedule this season. If you add Michigan, which came in at No. 15, the Sooners have a daunting nine teams inside the top 25 of the ESPN FPI on their schedule. Here's how the SEC stacks up in the latest Football Power Index compared to where they ranked in the spring. 16. Mississippi State Bulldogs Overall: 54 Post-Spring Ranking: 52 Projected Win-Loss: 4.4-7.6 Jeff Lebby has a big task in front of him after the Bulldogs finished 2-10 in 2025. At times, Mississippi State was playing competitive football, but there simply wasn't enough talent last year to keep them in games. Quarterback Blake Shapen is back to lead the way and if the offense can take a step, Mississippi State could be contending for bowl eligibility. 15. Vanderbilt Commodores Overall: 49 Post-Spring Ranking: 56 Projected Win-Loss: 5.1-6.9 Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt stole the show in 2024 when they upset the Alabama Crimson Tide. They were the talk of the SEC in a season that welcomed Texas and Oklahoma to the conference. What do Pavia and head coach Clark Lea have in store for an encore? 14. Kentucky Wildcats Overall: 43 Post-Spring Ranking: 34 Projected Win-Loss: 5.2-6.8 Kentucky brought in Zach Calzada to give the offense a little life after the Wildcats finished 119th in the nation in points per game. The Wildcats failed to score 20 points in seven of their 12 games last year and scored more than 30 just three times. 13. Arkansas Razorbacks Overall: 27 Post-Spring Ranking: 22 Projected Win-Loss: 5.9-6.1 After a strong season in 2024, Taylen Green may be one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the conference heading into the season. If he can improve on his breakout season a year ago, which included a win over Tennessee, the Razorbacks could be a lot of fun to watch in 2025. 12. Missouri Tigers Overall: 23 Post-Spring Ranking: 23 Projected Win-Loss: 7.3-4.8 Missouri is still trying to figure out its quarterback situation. Beau Pribula was expected to be the starter, but Sam Horn has pushed the former Penn State backup, and it's a full-blown quarterback competition. The schedule is manageable as the Tigers play Central Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana before hosting South Carolina on Sept. 20. 11. Auburn Tigers Overall: 21 Post-Spring Ranking: 14 Projected Win-Loss: 6.9-5.1 The Auburn Tigers had the biggest drop of any SEC team from the post-spring Football Power Index to the preseason rankings. Auburn has a big nonconference matchup with Baylor in Waco that could be an indicator of what their season could be. 10. Oklahoma Sooners Overall: 20 Post-Spring Ranking: 16 Projected Win-Loss: 6.3-5.7 The computer's expectations aren't very high on the Oklahoma Sooners, and a lot of that is due to the limited recent success. Brent Venables and his staff have recruited well, with more than 70% of the roster comprising of blue-chip players. The defense is going to be really good and quarterback John Mateer and the offense will be significantly better in 2025. 9. Florida Gators Overall: 13 Post-Spring Ranking: 18 Projected Win-Loss: 7.1-4.9 Quarterback D.J. Lagway has been battling some lingering injuries this offseason but the expectation is that he'll be good to go for 2025. However, if he has a hard time staying on the field, the Gators will struggle to win games against one of the toughest schedules in the nation. 8. LSU Tigers Overall: 12 Post-Spring Ranking: 12 Projected Win-Loss: 7.7-4.3 The computers are lower on the LSU Tigers than a lot of people and it's largely because the defense hasn't been consistent enough to project them much higher. Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense are good to go. They'll be explosive and put up big numbers this year. But if the defense can't find consistent stops in big games, it may put a damper on LSU's championship aspirations. 7. South Carolina Gamecocks Overall: 11 Post-Spring Ranking: 15 Projected Win-Loss: 7.9-4.2 If the South Carolina Gamecocks are going to improve upon their 9-3 season from 2024, they'll need a big year from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and the defense will have to replace several impact players. 6. Ole Miss Rebels Overall: 10 Post-Spring Ranking: 13 Projected Win-Loss: 8.5-3.6 There are high expectations for the Ole Miss Rebels despite the departure of Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris, Chris Paul Jr. Walter Nolen, and Princely Unmanmielen. The Rebels had one of the best defenses in the country last year under Pete Golding. If Austin Simmons is ready to lead the way, Ole Miss will have a chance to exceed their projected win total. 5. Texas A&M Aggies Overall: 9 Post-Spring Ranking: 8 Projected Win-Loss: 7.9-4.2 Mike Elko's fingerprints are all over this team. They'll run the ball well and play good defense. Marcel Reed has a high ceiling and proved capable of leading the Aggies last season. If he takes a step in his development, he could be the most exciting quarterback in college football this season. 4. Tennessee Volunteers Overall: 8 Post-Spring Ranking: 10 Projected Win-Loss: 9.0-3.1 Tennessee might be the most overrated team in the Football Power Index. The Volunteers lost a ton of talent from last year's run-heavy squad and projected starting quarterback Joey Aguilar didn't get the benefit of spring ball with the team. 3. Alabama Crimson Tide Overall: 3 Post-Spring Ranking: 3 Projected Win-Loss: 9.5-2.8 Alabama named veteran quarterback Ty Simpson the starter for 2025. The expectation is that Simpson is a better fit for Kalen DeBoer's offense than multi-year starter Jalen Milroe was last year. Alabama may have had a down year in their first season after Nick Saban's retirement, but there's still a bunch of talent on the roster. 2. Georgia Bulldogs Overall: 2 Post-Spring Ranking: 2 Projected Win-Loss: 9.6-2.8 The Georgia Bulldogs projected win total dropped below 10 from the post-spring Football Power Index update. If anything, it highlights the wide-open nature of the college football and SEC landscape heading into 2025. But the Bulldogs are led by the best coach in college football, Kirby Smart, and you can bet the defense will be one of the best in the nation in 2025. 1. Texas Longhorns Overall: 1 Post-Spring Ranking: 1 Projected Win-Loss: 10.4-2.2 The Texas Longhorns are the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation after taking the top spot in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. The pressure is on for the preseason favorite after back-to-back semifinal exits. Can Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns live up to the hype? We'll get our first answer in week one when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. What is the ESPN Football Power Index? The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete. - ESPN Football Power Index Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
