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Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer
ROSEMONT, Ill. — The College Football Playoff governing committee did not discuss format changes to an expanded 12-team field starting next season, choosing instead to continue to wait to see what the future holds for the gutted Pac-12 as , CFP executive director Bill Hancock said Wednesday.
After a summer of conference realignment, only Washington State and Oregon State are left to determine the future of the Pac-12 in 2024 and beyond. The NCAA gives conferences a two-year grace period if they no longer meet membership requirements before changes are necessary, but the idea of a two-team league competing with the CFP have decision makers in a pattern to prevent future format.
Hancock, who spent five decades in college athletics, called it the “most unthinkable” scenario.
“Something that happened that I never expected to happen, happened,” Hancock said. “… It’s totally awesome and everyone knows it.”
Hancock also said that just because there isn’t a two-team conference “doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do.” He wouldn’t speculate on whether the CFP will ever know the winner of the two-team league.
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff, who attended the meetings but did not speak to reporters, participated in the votes “on everything related to this season,” Hancock said. There is a possibility that schools in the Mountain West will join the Pac-12 to try to benefit from the brand and possible assets, but this opens up the controversial and subjective question of whether the Pac-12 can even be considered a conference. of the Power 5, which earned. the benefit of 80% of the income of the CFP. The Group of 5 schools received 20%.
According to NCAA rules, an FBS conference needs at least eight full FBS members to satisfy all bowl subdivision requirements. A conference’s status as an autonomous conference is determined by the Division I board of directors.
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said the CFP governing committee did not discuss potential FBS status with the Pac-12 — with or without the Mountain West merger.
“We’re not spending any time on it,” Swarbrick said.
Most of the two-day meetings at Big Ten headquarters, Swarbrick said, were spent listening to potential partners on television. ESPN is currently the sole rights holder through the current 12-year agreement, which expires after the 2025 season, and it has first rights to new games in the first round, which will be held on campuses. The general consensus among CFP leaders, however, is to have more broadcast partners when the next contract begins.
Hancock said five television companies have sent executives to make presentations, and “four or five more have expressed interest, and that streaming is an option.
“Streaming adds an element,” Hancock said. “We’re not refusing to stream some games. I don’t expect us to stream all of them, but right now nothing is off the table.”
The question is whether they will change the format before this contract expires.
There have been discussions among commissioners privately about changing the currently agreed-upon 6+6 model, which rewards the six highest-ranked conference champions and the next six highest-ranked teams.
If the Pac-12 were to dissolve, or lose its status as a Power 5 conference, keeping a 6+6 model for the next two years would allow guaranteed access for both Groups of 5 champions. The current model was agreed upon before the Pac-12 realignment. If the Pac-12 folds, sources have indicated to ESPN that there is a strong desire to change the model to 5 + 7, meaning the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest ranked teams.
For the time format change for the 2024 season, however, it must be unanimous, and American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco said Wednesday that he will now vote against changing the current contract. .
“[I] will vote 6-6 at the moment, “said Aresco. “If a nuanced proposal that needs to be developed, I will consult with my conference membership.”
While the format remains a question, the group continues to strengthen other details, such as the approval to begin the search for the next host city after Houston, Atlanta and Miami.
There are still other pressing details to be worked out, but Swarbrick said there is no doubt the CFP will be ready to implement the 12-team field in time for the start of the 2024 season.
“We’re on track to implement two years early, which is great,” Swarbrick said. “Yes, there are details to improve. Some of them are small details and some are big details, but we are on the way. No one thinks that we will not expand to [years] 11 and 12.”