Paul Finebaum explains why there is so much urgency to further expand College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff wants to keep expanding and Paul Finebaum explained the urgency to do so by the committee.

The long time ESPN host and college football commentator already said 12 or 14 teams doesn’t make much difference. But when the jump from four to 12 teams was approved, it was about one thing and one thing only.

The ability of the College Football Playoff to print money, essentially, with its TV contracts.

“I assume that it’s about television contracts which are up and have to be negotiated and there would be a difference between 12 and 14,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “Yeah, it would only be great to see it, but the way this thing moves, it’s always hard to have that opportunity. 

“But quite frankly, I don’t think there’s a tremendous distinction between 12 and 14. There’s a tremendously large  distinction between four and 12 or four and 14, but at this point, I think we’re talking about similar type schools getting in. I don’t think it’s going to upset the balance of the tournament very much.”

Reports indicated multiple ideas the CFP is considering after the 2026 season when the current deal with ESPN expires. A 14-team model has been proposed, and reported discussions also included automatic byes for the Big Ten and SEC following their expansions. 

However, ESPN reported the CFP is reconsidering that idea after public backlash – including from Big 12 and ACC coaches.

Reports surfaced recently that the SEC and Big Ten are fighting for their champions to be the only ones to receive a bye in the new-look College Football Playoff. There was understandably some public backlash about that possibility, and other leagues don’t seem thrilled about that proposal, either.

Now it seems as though auto-byes for SEC and Big Ten champions might not happen, according to a report from ESPN.

According to ESPN’s Heather Dinich, the idea of the Big Ten and SEC champions being the only ones to receive byes was “an unpopular proposal that was met with significant pushback.”

That means that it could be back to the drawing board as conferences continue to work on a College Football Playoff format that works for everyone.

The SEC and Big Ten have separated themselves from other leagues in terms of revenue and top teams. The SEC and Big Ten have combined to win the past five national titles and 15 of the past 18.Those two leagues are set to get even stronger with the SEC adding Oklahoma and Texas and the Big Ten bringing in Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA.