ASHEVILLE, N.C. — It’s back to the starting line for the College Football Playoff after a proposal introducing new tweaks to metrics utilized by the selection committee effectively reset discussions amongst executives over the postseason format for 2026 and beyond.
What struck a chord this week after two days of closed-door meetings at the historic Biltmore Estate in North Carolina is the CFP staff’s proposed changes to strength-of-schedule metrics utilized by the selection committee. The new metrics would place more emphasis on nonconference scheduling, effectively making the difference between eight and nine conference games negligible, a touchstone for the SEC’s criticism of the selection process, sources told CBS Sports. WIth new data to ponder, the conferences have hit the reset button on their preconceived notions.
If instituted, the new metrics could strengthen the SEC’s resolve to stick with eight conference games, fueling momentum for a CFP that includes less automatic qualifiers and more at-large berths — an option the Big Ten has been reluctant to consider. Big Ten officials have long desired the SEC and others play nine conference games.
SEC administrators have debated over the last three years whether to move to nine conference games, but decisions were delayed after several rounds of conference realignment across the country and the expansion of the CFP in 2024. The SEC believes its scheduling philosophy is contingent on the playoff format and the selection process.
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-playoff-format-talks-go-back-to-drawing-board-as-sec-gains-momentum-to-keep-8-game-schedule/
Author : Brandon Marcello
Publish date : 2025-06-19 14:01:00
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