24-Team CFP Bracket, New Season Start Date and More Rule Changes Eyed at Big Ten Meetings

It was just two years ago that the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, and it now sounds like there's hope it will grow even further.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that the Big Ten held its annual meetings in Southern California this past weekend, and one of the main topics of discussion was the expansion of the CFP to 24 teams.

"It's clear from the early snippets of conversation that the Big Ten coaches remain convicted on moving to a 24-team College Football Playoff, an idea that began in the conference less than a year ago and has gained support across the ACC and Big 12," Thamel stated.

Thamel added that the 24-team CFP "is clearly the model favored by Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti." However, the proposal will need support from the SEC, which is viewed as the most powerful conference in college football despite the last three national champions hailing from the Big Ten.

"It's got tremendous steam and power behind it, especially from the 18 head coaches in the Big Ten," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said of the 24-team model, explaining that it would lead to "more meaningful" November games. "When you do a lot of things that everybody's 18-for-18 for what we should do, I think it speaks volumes."

Thamel noted that implementing the 24-team CFP "would have to coincide with other changes, including the elimination of conference title games and moving the start of the season to Week 0," which would end the season earlier.

"The season needs to be pushed up," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "We need to finish the season much sooner. Let's have this all done by the first week in January so we have a season that makes sense."

During the meetings, discussions were also held about college football having its own competition committee, similar to the NFL, to navigate rule changes and other issues. Thamel added that the new punting alignment rule that passed this year generated "the most spirited discussion," with Big Ten coaches being "strongly against it, as they have deemed it nearly impossible to officiate."