CFP Expansion Inevitable as Big Ten Adjusts Championship Plans

WHO:

Fox News - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned that the SEC is exploring options outside of the NCAA.

Fox News - Illinois coach Bret Bielema stated, "I think the forward thinking in college football is an awesome thing."

NY Post - Lincoln Riley, USC coach, stated, "This is something that our room has been unanimous on" regarding the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

Yahoo Sports - Tony Petitti, Big Ten Commissioner, emphasized the need for a decision on the 24-team playoff format to begin discussions on eliminating the championship game.

ESPN - Iowa's Kirk Ferentz warned about the growing gap between the highest-funded programs and others in college football.

ESPN - Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti reiterated the league's desire for a 24-team College Football Playoff.

Fox News - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned the need for certain areas of the Protect College Sports Act to be tied up to avoid loopholes.

Fox News - Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti stated, "We preferred a much skinnier bill than this bill."

NY Post - Lincoln Riley, USC coach

Yahoo Sports - Tony Petitti, Big Ten Commissioner

Yahoo Sports - Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner

Yahoo Sports - Bret Bielema, Illinois coach

WHAT:

Fox News - The SEC has not won more games against other Power Four teams in the College Football Playoff than it has lost, with a record of 2-7 in the NIL era.

ESPN - Iowa's Kirk Ferentz warned that if the funding imbalance continues, it could lead to a situation where only a few teams are competitive, similar to the 1970s.

Yahoo Sports - The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, and Notre Dame support the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams.

Fox News - The Protect College Sports Act revisions include a proposed $20 million retention cap for keeping players on current rosters, with an additional $5 million earmarked for women’s sports.

ESPN - Petitti stated that the Big Ten can eliminate its conference championship game in time for a new playoff format to begin in 2027.

ESPN - Multiple Big Ten general managers expect every football program in the conference to spend $25 million or more this year, with top contenders investing over $40 million.

Fox News - Revisions to the Protect College Sports Act have been sent to conference commissioners for their approval.

Fox News - The SEC and Big Ten received a summary of concessions made around the Protect College Sports Act, which does not mention a cap on how many schools each conference can add in the future.

NY Post - Big Ten football coaches agree on the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams.

Yahoo Sports - The Big Ten Conference would eliminate its championship game if college football adopts a 24-team playoff.

Yahoo Sports - Petitti stated, "Yeah, I think it's pretty much we won't be playing a championship game if we go to 24."

Yahoo Sports - The Southeastern Conference remains a holdout on the 24-team playoff proposal.

WHERE:

NY Post - The discussions took place at Big Ten media days in Chicago.

Yahoo Sports - The Big Ten championship game has been held annually in Indianapolis since 2011.

WHEN:

CNN - College leaders have until 9 a.m. Wednesday to respond to proposed revisions of the Protect College Sports Act.

CNN - Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell are working to finalize the Protect College Sports Act by August 8, when Congress goes on recess.

Fox News - Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell are working on a timeline for a potential Senate vote on the Protect College Sports Act.

Yahoo Sports - Petitti mentioned the possibility of a 24-team playoff back in May.

WHY:

CNN - The Protect College Sports Act was created to address the chaos in college sports due to unrestrained spending and numerous eligibility lawsuits.

ESPN - Ferentz expressed concern that if the funding imbalance continues, it could lead to a situation where only a few teams are competitive, similar to the 1970s.

Fox News - The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act aims to restore order and establish rules in collegiate athletics amid numerous eligibility lawsuits filed recently.

Yahoo Sports - Petitti believes that a 24-team playoff would ensure more late-season games have postseason implications.

Yahoo Sports - Lincoln Riley noted that the lack of a conference championship game would align more with the NFL model, where the national championship is prioritized.

HOW:

Fox News - The SEC and Big Ten are reviewing revisions to the Protect College Sports Act to determine if they align with their expectations before publicly commenting on the matter.

Fox News - The SEC and Big Ten are reviewing the revisions to the Protect College Sports Act to determine if they align with their expectations before publicly commenting on the matter.

ESPN - Petitti mentioned that the faster the decision on the playoff expansion is made, the easier it will be to unwind existing contracts related to the Big Ten's championship game.

Fox News - Officials from multiple conferences held calls with Senators Cruz and Cantwell to discuss the revisions to the Protect College Sports Act.

Yahoo Sports - Petitti explained that the format of a 24-team playoff would create incentives for teams to play hard until the end of the season to secure their playoff positions.

Yahoo Sports - Riley suggested that the revenue lost from not having a championship game could be recouped through additional playoff games.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 17:22 UTC)

The SEC is exploring options outside of the NCAA, as Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed, while Illinois coach Bret Bielema expressed enthusiasm for the forward-thinking changes in college football. Currently, the SEC holds a record of two wins to seven losses against other Power Four teams in the College Football Playoff during the NIL era, and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz cautioned that ongoing funding imbalances could lead to a competitive landscape reminiscent of the 1970s. College leaders have until 9 a.m. Wednesday to respond to proposed revisions of the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to tackle the chaos in college sports stemming from unrestrained spending and various eligibility lawsuits.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 11:41 UTC)

Lincoln Riley, the head coach at USC, expressed that there is unanimous support within his team for expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, a sentiment echoed by the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, and Notre Dame. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti highlighted the urgency of making a decision on this playoff format to facilitate discussions about potentially eliminating the championship game. Meanwhile, Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell are working to finalize the Protect College Sports Act by August 8, aiming to address the current chaos in college sports caused by unrestrained spending and eligibility lawsuits.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 10:51 UTC)

Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has raised alarms about the widening financial gap in college football, warning that it could lead to a scenario where only a handful of teams remain competitive, reminiscent of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has emphasized the league's ambition for a 24-team College Football Playoff, indicating that they could eliminate the conference championship game in time for the new format to kick off in 2027. With expectations that each Big Ten program will spend at least $25 million this year, and top contenders exceeding $40 million, the urgency for decisions on playoff expansion is clear, as Petitti noted that quicker resolutions would facilitate the unwinding of existing contracts.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 06:50 UTC)

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey emphasized the importance of tightening certain areas of the Protect College Sports Act to prevent loopholes, while Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti expressed a preference for a more streamlined version of the legislation. Revisions to the Act have been sent to conference commissioners for their approval, and both the SEC and Big Ten received a summary of concessions that notably does not include a cap on future conference expansions. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell are currently working on a timeline for a potential Senate vote on this bipartisan legislation, which aims to bring order to collegiate athletics amid a wave of eligibility lawsuits.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 05:55 UTC)

Big Ten football coaches have reached a consensus on expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, which would lead to the elimination of the conference's championship game, as confirmed by Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. During discussions at Big Ten media days in Chicago, Petitti stated that if the playoff format changes, "we won't be playing a championship game," a move that aligns more with the NFL model, according to USC coach Lincoln Riley. While the Southeastern Conference remains hesitant about the proposal, Petitti believes that a 24-team playoff would enhance the stakes of late-season games, creating incentives for teams to compete fiercely for playoff positions.