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Big Ten, SEC considering play-in games for College Football Playoff bids

Andrew Olson

By Andrew Olson

Published:

The Big Ten and SEC 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).

“One of the things that we’re going to continue to prioritize is trying to find ways to make our regular season as exciting as we possibly can,” Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman told The Athletic. “How can we keep as many fan bases engaged into November? How can we create meaningful football games in November? So, any ideas that strike at that are things that are going to be worth having conversations about.”

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.

Andrew Olson

A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.