Future CFP proposal included multiple automatic qualifiers from single conference, per report

The dust has finally settled on the immediate future of the College Football Playoff, but the long-term future of the format is still up in the air.

On Tuesday, it was confirmed that the CFP is moving to a 5+7 selection format for the 12-team model. However, the announcement was quickly followed up by a report that the 12-team format is only confirmed through the current contract which runs through the 2025 season.

Everything for 2026 and beyond is up in the air, meaning it’s possible the selection format and even the total number of teams could change in the next contract. The CFP Management Committee (made up of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s AD) is meeting on Wednesday and future formats are expected to be discussed.

According to Ross Dellenger with Yahoo Sports, Washington State president Kirk Schulz is among those who are “worried” about any potential modifications to the current format. That worry includes potential proposals from the SEC and Big Ten that would guarantee the conferences multiple automatic qualifier spots in the Playoff.

“I worry about any league getting a certain number of automatic berths beyond their champion,” said Schulz “I wouldn’t be alone in that.”

While fans prepare for the new-look Playoff, the early national championship odds for 2024 include a host of SEC and Big Ten teams near the top. Fans can track all the action on DraftKings.

Schulz went on to claim there was one idea “floated” that would include a single conference getting 4 automatic qualifiers in the Playoff. While it appears likely the new-look Big Ten and SEC will compete to put 3-4 teams in the Playoff regularly, guaranteeing those spots as automatic conference qualifiers received some skepticism.

“My commissioner tells me that there was an idea floated of a single league getting four [automatic qualifiers] into the playoff,” Schulz told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday. “You go, ‘Boy that doesn’t seem like it’s going to be well embraced by football fans around the country.’ The commissioners are fantastic but they are paid to look out for the betterment of their conference.”

The new 12-team Playoff still looks like a major win for the sport, but the future is already once again clouded in questions. We’ll see what comes from the latest rounds of meetings with attention turning to 2026 and beyond.