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SEC, Big Ten considering play-in games for College Football Playoff bids
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The SEC and Big Ten are leading the charge for an expanded College Football Playoff to 14 or 16 teams with the 2 conferences getting 4 automatic bids each. With 4 bids, the conferences are trying to figure out how to go about championship weekend. According to The Athletic, the SEC and B1G are looking at championship weekend options that would have multiple contenders take part in CFP play-in games.
The SEC and Big Ten are both reportedly considering 6-team options. The SEC also discussed an 8-team option.
The 6-team option has 3 games for 4 CFP bids. The top 2 teams would play for the conference championship. Both go to the CFP, but the conference champion would receive an opening-round bye in the Playoff. Teams that finished 3-6 in the standings would also play for the last 2 automatic bids (No. 3 vs. No. 6; No. 4 vs. No. 5).
The SEC also discussed the 8-team option of the bids being decided in matchups of No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 4 vs. No. 5, No. 2 vs. No. 7 and No. 3 vs. No. 6.
“It’s one of the ideas on the table,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said Wednesday, per The Athletic.
The SEC Championship Game has been played annually since 1992. The 2024 matchup between Georgia and Texas produced the highest ratings of any non-Playoff game for the season. In December 2023 the SEC announced an extension to keep the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta through 2031.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
