Big 12 coaches back 24‑team playoff, eye 10th game
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- Big 12 coaches voted unanimously to support a 24‑team College Football Playoff field after a CFP presentation at their spring meeting.
- Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said a 24‑team format would likely give the conference five playoff spots but would require dropping the championship game, which is “very valuable.”
- Houston coach Willie Fritz argued that a 24‑team playoff and an extra 10th conference game would give late‑season games more meaning and help bubble teams earn a berth.
- College Football Playoff model projected that, under a 24‑team system, 15 of the 16 Big 12 schools would have qualified since 2014, with an average of three appearances per team and five teams in 2023 alone.
- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey remains the lone holdout, favoring a 16‑team field, while the ACC and Big Ten commissioners have voiced support for a 24‑team expansion.
Why it matters: The Big 12 stands to gain up to five playoff berths and extra TV revenue by expanding to 24 teams, while sacrificing its championship game, reshaping conference scheduling and media contracts.
