SEC, Big Ten Discussing Conference Title Game Format Changes, Play-Ins for CFP

The SEC and Big Ten are discussing changes to their conference championship weekends, to the point where play-in games are now being discussed.

Seth Emerson and Scott Dochterman of The Athletic relayed that news Wednesday, noting that the play-ins would be in response to a proposal where the SEC and Big Ten each get four guaranteed teams into an expanded 14-team College Football Playoff field.

"The most discussed proposal has been to have the two top seeds meet in the SEC Championship Game as usual, both teams ensured a Playoff bid but playing for a bye, and two play-in games, matching the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds and No. 4 and No. 5 seeds," The Athletic wrote.

"But the SEC has discussed a more radical idea: four play-in games, matching No. 1 and No. 8, No. 4 and No. 5, No. 2 and No. 7 and No. 3 and No. 6."

The Big Ten's proposal is the same as the SEC's aforementioned six-team play-in, with the top two teams fighting in the championship and No. 3 playing No. 6 and No. 4 playing No. 5 for additional CFP spots.

In that scenario, the top two teams would have already secured a CFP berth. The Athletic added that "nothing is finalized, but there’s potential for the games to take place on campuses or even all three in two days at one venue."

The key for play-in games seems to be making the regular season more meaningful for a greater number of teams.

“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 fanbases 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.”

Obviously, a 12-team CFP field accomplished that already after a decade of a four-team CFP tournament, which was preceded by a two-team BCS Championship Game (1998-2013). Prior to that, of course, there was no playoff or championship, with teams ending their seasons in bowl games and polls deciding the national title.

But a 14-team playoff with play-in games in college football's super conferences will pique fanbases' interests.

The Athletic article dropped after SEC and Big Ten officials met in New Orleans "to discuss several issues." It appears conversations will continue, per Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione.

“The conversations were really creative and innovative and robust and ended up with several suggestions that we could provide our leadership, our commissioners, as they go forward with a couple of key meetings in the next couple weeks,” Castiglione told The Athletic.

It will be interesting to see if this play-in idea has any steam, as it would create a radical shift in how the playoffs work. The 12-team 2025 CFP field is locked in, but there's room for change beyond that.

In particular, the eight-team play-in idea is an eye-opener, as it would create a chance for an eighth-place SEC team to make the CFP.

That idea also might create some great consternation. It could, in theory, create a situation where a team that isn't even ranked in the Top 25 of the CFP leading up to conference championship weekend steals a bid, leaving a team with a better resume from another league out in the cold.

However, The Athletic noted the SEC "will be reluctant to just do away with its championship game," so perhaps the eight-team idea never sees the light of day.

Still, based on the smoke coming out of these meetings, it doesn't appear that seismic college football change is over any time soon.