Under the proposed changes, Notre Dame would be guaranteed a playoff berth with a top-12 ranking, and automatic bids would go to the champions of the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12. Notre Dame’s payout would exceed $12 million annually, plus about $6 million if it reaches the playoffs, bringing its overall revenue closer to that of the sport’s traditional power conferences in years it is invited.
Meanwhile, the ACC’s top team Duke and 11th-ranked Notre Dame were snubbed from the playoff in recent projections, while Group of Six champions Tulane and James Madison jumped into the field under the current system. The broader issue of expansion, however, remains unresolved as talks stall amid the power struggle between the SEC and Big Ten.
The core dispute centers on control. The two heavyweight conferences long sought governance leverage to shape the playoff’s future. The SEC backed a 16-team format with at-large bids, while the Big Ten pushed for a broader field—up to 24 teams with multiple automatic qualifiers and the potential to replace conference title games with seeding matchups. Both sides argue that expansion should reflect automatic access, not just at-large prestige.
If expansion moves forward in 2027, a 24-team model would bring a significant shift in scheduling, including as many as 16 home games for first- and second-round rounds. The top eight would receive byes, seeds 9–16 would host, and seeds 17–24 would travel, amplifying home-field advantage. The Big Ten has leaned toward 24 or even 28 teams, and Fox Sports executive Eric Shanks has publicly backed the 24-team concept, while ESPN’s current rights deal adds to the momentum for change.
The current 12-team format has yielded strong early financial returns, fueling ESPN’s enthusiasm for expansion through 2031. The shift would also affect the Big 12’s position, as a broader field could improve its playoff prospects, potentially allowing two or three teams to reach the field if 16 teams are adopted. Commissioner Brett Yormark has been a vocal supporter of a 16-team approach as a clean compromise for the Power Four, leaving the door open to a larger reconfiguration in 2027. The question now is whether the SEC and Big Ten will loosen their grip enough to allow a broader consensus.
