College Football Playoff to remain 12 teams in 2026; impacts on Big 12

In addition to the conference champion automatic bid changes, Notre Dame has also been guaranteed an automatic berth if it ranks within the top 12 in the CFP Top 25. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Just two seasons into the 12-team college football playoff, conference commissioners looked to expand the bracket even more. On Friday, though, the proposed expansion to 16 and/or 24 teams was not agreed upon by the power brokers of the sport. 

This deals a blow to the Colorado football team, along with the rest of the Big 12’s hopes to get multiple teams in. Despite having three teams that won 10 or more regular-season games this past fall, Texas Tech was the only school selected for the opportunity to enter the national championship race. 

There are, however, tweaks to the current format that will take effect for the 2026 season. All Power Four conference champions (SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and ACC) and the next highest-ranked conference champion will receive automatic bids into the bracket, instead of the five highest-ranked conference champions. That would’ve seen a four-loss Duke team replace national runners-up Miami for the final slot in this year’s rendition.

The expansion verdict lied in the debate between the SEC and Big 10, which hold the bulk of the control over the playoff’s future format. The SEC’s frontman, Greg Sankey, was unwilling to compromise with his Big 10 counterpart Tony Petitti’s dream 24-team format, leading to the standstill decision. 

This conversation is not expected to go anywhere soon, though. If the 24-team proposed format comes to fruition at a later date, the Big 12 would be expected to have four automatic berths. Especially after coming so close to making the playoffs two seasons ago, that sounds like music to Buffs fans’ ears.