Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chair of the College Football Playoff board, revealed that the SEC favors eliminating automatic bids from future playoff formats, highlighting a key disagreement with the Big Ten as a December deadline for expansion decisions approaches. Keenum made these comments on ‘The Paul Finebaum Show,’ emphasizing that the best teams should compete in the national tournament without guaranteed spots, a stance that could reshape college football’s postseason.
Keenum explicitly stated, ‘I’m not a big fan of automatic qualifiers. I think the best teams ought to play in our nation’s national tournament to determine who our national champion in college football is going to be and not have automatic bids.’ He noted that this position is shared by SEC presidents, chancellors, and commissioner Greg Sankey, and likely most other conferences involved in the CFP. The remarks came just weeks before the Dec. 1 deadline to decide on potential format changes for the 2026 season and beyond, adding urgency to the ongoing negotiations.
The SEC’s preference contrasts sharply with the Big Ten’s approach, as commissioner Tony Petitti has advocated for a model with multiple automatic qualifiers, potentially guaranteeing seven spots each for the Big Ten and SEC in an expanded field. While the Big Ten seeks to secure representation through guaranteed bids, the SEC appears willing to rely on at-large selections, which could allow more teams from powerful conferences to qualify based on performance rather than conference affiliation. This fundamental disagreement has stalled progress toward a consensus on expansion.
Background on the CFP expansion talks reveals that a 16-team model with five automatic bids for conference champions and 11 at-large teams gained support from most FBS conferences earlier this year, but the Big Ten remained opposed. The current 12-team format, in its second season, awards first-round byes to the top four teams regardless of conference championships, but stakeholders are exploring changes to accommodate growing conference realignment and financial pressures. The Big Ten and SEC hold significant influence due to their power in previous negotiations, making their alignment crucial for any new structure.
Keenum expressed pessimism about reaching an agreement by the deadline, telling Finebaum, ‘We’re still negotiating. I’ll be honest, I’m not real optimistic that we’ll get to that, but we’ll keep working on it.’ If no deal is struck, the CFP will remain in its current 12-team format for 2026, delaying potential expansion. This stalemate underscores the challenges of balancing competitive fairness with the interests of the most dominant conferences, as automatic bids ensure representation for conference champions while at-large systems may favor teams from stronger leagues.
The implications of this debate extend beyond format details, affecting team selections, revenue distribution, and the overall fairness of the playoff system. A move away from automatic bids could lead to more inclusions from the SEC and Big Ten, potentially marginalizing smaller conferences and altering the competitive landscape. This tension reflects broader trends in college sports, including realignment and financial disparities, where power conferences seek to maximize their advantages in postseason opportunities.
As the deadline nears, stakeholders will continue discussions, but the likelihood of immediate expansion appears low. The outcome will shape the future of college football, influencing how champions are crowned and how resources are allocated. For now, the focus remains on whether the Big Ten and SEC can bridge their differences or if the status quo will prevail, leaving fans and programs to await a resolution that balances integrity with the evolving dynamics of the sport.
