Coaches in college football are pushing forward with their support of a playoff expansion to the maximum, possibly to a total of 24 teams, as well as multiple other changes to the game, according to a report Tuesday from Yahoo Sports.
Per American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) executive director Craig Bohl, it was voted recently by the AFCA to make a recommendation to increase the College Football Playoff (CFP) bracket to a peak amount of teams, nix conference title games, conclude the campaign in January’s second week and make sure the Army-Navy game has its own exclusive time window. (RELATED: Missouri’s JJ Bush Arrested On Felony Charge, Suspended Indefinitely By Tigers: REPORT)
It’s not been revealed publicly by the AFCA their choices on the switchups, however, college football coaches throughout the country have made it clear where they stand, per Yahoo Sports.
Earlier in 2026, Big Ten and SEC officials were in a deadlock regarding CFP formats in the future. It is preferred by the Big Ten to have 24 teams with several automatic qualifying spots in each conference, with the SEC preferring a “5+11” format with 16 teams.
The American Football Coaches Association’s Board of Trustees are expected to release its decision to support a 24-team playoff and the elimination of league title games, per @RossDellenger.
The most-discussed 24-team CFP model includes an at-large bracket determined by CFP… pic.twitter.com/xOTmeAVkim
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 6, 2026
In the SEC’s prior model that was proposed, once having the support of the ACC and Big 12 before backing moved over to a 24-team plan, the five highest-ranked conference champions would receive automatic bids. A bracket of 24 teams is preferred by the Big Ten with debate still going on about the selection process of programs.
One model from the Big Ten makes the suggestion for one guaranteed qualifier, which would be the highest-ranked champion out of the Group of Six, while having 23 at-large selections decided by the CFP rankings from the selection committee. In theory, the format would see the Big Ten and SEC get rewarded due to the advantages they have with strength-of-schedule in comparison to the rest of the Power Four.
For football coaches at any level, the AFCA is their main professional entity, having more than 10,000 members all across the world and being in representation of coaches in the NFL, NCAA, NJCAA, NAIA and high school.