The stakes couldn’t be higher for college football’s future. The Big Ten has unveiled an explosive 28-team playoff proposal that would completely transform the postseason landscape, but there’s one massive problem standing in their way.
Their former partner, the SEC, holds the power to kill this ambitious vision before it ever gets off the ground. What started as the sport’s most powerful alliance has now become its biggest roadblock.
How Would the Big Ten’s 28-Team Vision Transform College Football?
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti dropped this bombshell proposal on athletic directors earlier this week. The numbers tell the whole story: seven automatic playoff spots each for the Big Ten and SEC conferences, fundamentally reshaping how teams reach the championship.
Under this massive expansion, the ACC and Big 12 would each receive five guaranteed playoff spots. The remaining four spots would be divided between smaller conferences and at-large selections, creating the most inclusive playoff system in college football history.
The format would dramatically increase playoff action on college campuses. Instead of the current four campus games, fans could witness around 20 home playoff games spread across the country. Campus atmospheres would become central to determining the national champion.
However, the Big Ten faces a critical obstacle that threatens everything. CBS Sports reported on this development, with Brandon Marcello breaking down the core challenge facing the conference.
He said, “The Big 10 and the SEC hold the voting control power on the CFP’s format. If those two can’t agree, they’ll end up just sticking with the 12-team format that we will see this upcoming season.”
He further continued, “So, the key stakeholder here is whether the Big 10 convinces the SEC that a much larger playoff with as many as 28 teams is something they would be on board with.”
Why Has the SEC Become the Ultimate Deal Breaker?
The irony cuts deep. As Marcello explained, the SEC now controls the fate of the Big Ten’s entire proposal. What makes this situation particularly painful is that these powerhouse conferences were once college football’s most dominant partnership.
The Big Ten and SEC had dedicated eight months to joint expansion planning and collaborative meetings. Both conferences appeared completely aligned on reshaping college football’s postseason structure, working as unified partners rather than rivals.
They formalized this alliance through a 2024 memorandum of understanding. This crucial agreement handed both the Big Ten and SEC joint authority over playoff format decisions beginning in 2026. Any changes after the contract expires require unanimous agreement between both conferences.
Then everything collapsed. In May 2025, SEC coaches voiced strong support for a radically different approach during their spring meetings. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey pivoted to championing the 5+11 format, which allocates five automatic spots to the highest-ranked conference champions and eleven at-large selections.
This 5+11 structure directly contradicts the Big Ten’s core objectives. Rather than guaranteeing seven playoff spots each to the Big Ten and SEC, it would force both conferences to earn most of their postseason berths through rankings and committee evaluations.
The SEC’s departure from their partnership blindsided Big Ten leadership, according to sources. After months of operating as college football’s unified power structure, the alliance suddenly disintegrated without warning.
The Big Ten now confronts an enormous challenge. Without SEC backing, their 28-team proposal cannot move forward. The voting control mechanism that Brandon Marcelo outlined essentially grants the SEC veto authority over the Big Ten’s playoff dreams.
Time is running short for any resolution. The College Football Playoff must notify ESPN of format changes for 2026 by December 1, 2025. With the SEC already committed to their smaller, merit-based approach, the Big Ten faces an increasingly narrow path to implementing their revolutionary 28-team vision for college football’s future.