SEC commissioner Greg Sankey engaged in discussions with league football coaches about a new playoff format, proposing a 16-team model with five automatic bids for the highest-ranked conference champions and 11 at-large invitations. This approach marks a shift from previous calls for automatic qualifiers and aims to redefine the selection criteria ahead of the 2026 playoff structure. Sankey also highlighted the urgency around scheduling decisions that still need to be made despite uncertainties surrounding playoff frameworks and expressed frustration with current delays affecting decision timelines.
"They talked about -- I'll call it a 5+11 model -- and our own ability to earn those berths," Sankey stated, indicating discussions regarding a new playoff format for college football.
"I need to make a scheduling decision in 2026," Sankey mentioned, emphasizing the urgency for clarity in playoff formats affecting conference scheduling.
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