DESTIN, Fla. — A 16-team School Soccer Playoff mannequin that includes the highest 5 convention champions and 11 at-large groups is gaining traction following SEC spring conferences this week, however the subsequent step in playoff growth for 2026 and past will rely on how shortly the game’s leaders could make a flurry of choices.
A crucial element is the SEC’s selection between staying at eight league video games or transferring to 9, a subject ACC sources say may very well be revisited of their league after years of being dormant if prompted by playoff growth. The lynchpin to these scheduling choices is one factor each convention appears to agree on: the necessity for readability about how the CFP choice committee ranks its groups, beginning with how power of schedule is set and utilized.
“I do suppose there is a want for change,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey stated of the rating protocol Thursday on the conclusion of his league’s spring conferences. “… How do you make these choices? It is laborious, and we belief the committee to do this, and I respect the folks in there, so this is not a criticism of the folks. That is wanting to know the choices. We have now to have higher readability on the factors that inform these choices.”
At the moment, power of schedule is one in every of a number of elements not weighed within the committee’s ambiguous protocol — language the FBS commissioners wrote on the inception of the four-team playoff in 2014. There is a sense amongst some athletic administrators in each the SEC and ACC that transferring to 9 convention video games is possible — if the committee would not penalize groups for shedding two or three video games in opposition to robust opponents.
Some SEC athletic administrators pressured this week that they might solely favor a nine-game league schedule if the convention is assured 4 playoff spots — additionally the Massive Ten’s most popular mannequin.
“If we’re not assured that the decision-making about who will get in and why and what are the metrics round it, it will be actually laborious for a few of my colleagues to get to the 9 video games,” Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts stated. “We have got a timeline that is getting tight, and we acknowledge that. It looks as if every little thing is coming to a head. In a manner it is a little bit bit irritating, in one other manner it feels good as a result of finally, it looks like we’re truly going to get a few of this handled.”
CFP leaders have set Dec. 1 as a deadline to find out the long run format, and Sankey stated he needs to make a scheduling choice in 2026, however did not specify when. The FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua are scheduled to fulfill in-person on June 18 in Asheville, N.C. Sankey was requested if his convention could be unified on a format by then.
“We’ll see,” Sankey stated.
A number of ACC sources stated the convention would favor a 5+11 mannequin, and Massive 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has publicly supported it at his league’s spring conferences this week.
“It has at all times been our first selection,” Yormark informed ESPN. “It is truthful and rewards on-field efficiency. I am not shocked SEC coaches prefer it.”
The Massive 12’s directors agree.
“The assemble of the CFP wasn’t to provide one or two conferences extra worth. It was speculated to be one of the best ways to conduct an actual nationwide championship,” UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir stated. “I believe a 5 plus 11 is one of the best ways to do this, and it will get the most effective groups in.”
If Sankey can deliver his athletic administrators onto the identical web page as his coaches, who this week voiced robust help for a 5+11 mannequin (however with eight convention video games), the Massive Ten would doubtless be the lone league within the room pushing automated qualifiers.
“[We’re] form of vital,” Sankey stated, “a bit vital in that call.”
The Massive Ten and SEC have the majority of management over the playoff’s format in 2026 and past — one thing the opposite FBS commissioners and Bevacqua agreed to once they signed a memorandum of understanding for the brand new six-year deal.
“If we do need to have a nationwide event, we do should get everybody on the identical web page and everybody has to work collectively,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin stated.
The ACC’s issues of a nine-game league schedule had been tabled for just a few years for a number of causes. A number of colleges have already got current rivalries with SEC colleges, plus there’s a built-in settlement with Notre Dame. The ACC would not essentially should determine that for the 2026 season — it is one thing that may very well be phased in, in accordance with a supply.
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne stated two of his essential priorities because the playoff discussions transfer ahead are entry and having “a reasonably clear understanding of what will get you in, what would not.”
“I do know final 12 months I talked about lots of what I learn was two versus three losses, and that was regarding,” Byrne stated. “Granted, finally, it is as much as you and the play you may have on the sphere, and it’s important to acknowledge that, however I additionally do consider that whenever you seemed on the bullet factors for the CFP, power of schedule was the primary bullet level listed. Making an attempt to get some clear understanding of how is that weighed within the room is vital. Our convention due to the play on the sphere, has deserved the good thing about the doubt at instances to be strongly thought of for the CFP.”
On Thursday afternoon, the SEC supplied members of the media with a six-page packet that included color-coded charts utilizing a number of metrics as an instance the league’s dominant schedule power. Sankey stated the duty for figuring out the CFP’s power of schedule element is placing a stability “between human and machine,” referring to the outdated BCS pc system.
“Whether or not you agree or not, that is what we’re ,” Sankey stated of the packet, which included ESPN’s Power of Report, Invoice Connelly’s SP+, Kenneth Massey’s metric, ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index, and ESPN’s Power of Schedule metric. “That does not imply each one in every of these ought to be inserted into the CFP, however I believe it’s important to take into account what it means, as a result of there’s different scores and analysis instruments we have checked out which are very similar to these outcomes.”
Whereas the problems are on the desk, the CFP’s administration committee is infamous for lacking its personal deadlines. Sankey this week did not rule out the opportunity of the 12-team CFP remaining in place in 2026.
“Can I see a state of affairs? Certain, I can see a state of affairs,” Sankey stated. “However is that the probably state of affairs? Come again for extra. I stated – genuinely – we’re concerned about a mannequin. We’re not dedicated to that mannequin, and you have seen that play out this week, the place folks have completely different concepts.”
The query is that if the Energy 4 leagues can put their variations apart — shortly.
“We have to work properly collectively,” Sankey stated. “The emotional maturity wanted proper now could be larger than ever.”
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson contributed to this report.
