Overview
- AFCA, the national coaches’ association, publicly outlined Tuesday a package that urges a maximum-size playoff field, scrapping conference championship games, finishing by the second Monday in January, cutting scheduled byes to one, setting at least six days between games, and preserving a standalone Army–Navy window.
- The recommendations carry no formal authority, so any change still depends on the CFP governance group of 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame’s AD, with the 12‑team format locked in for next season and another round of commissioner talks set for mid‑June.
- Key power brokers remain split, with the Big Ten pushing 24 teams and the SEC preferring 16, while the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame’s Pete Bevacqua have shifted toward 24 in recent weeks.
- Money and media rights loom large, as league title games are valued near $250 million and new playoff inventory could draw outside bidders, with Fox’s Eric Shanks backing 24 teams and ESPN’s current deal covering only formats up to roughly 14 teams.
- The calendar faces a choke point around the Army–Navy game, which holds a protected December TV window by executive order and a long-term CBS deal, and academy officials are exploring new dates to avoid colliding with early playoff rounds that would start sooner.