Paul Finebaum opines on why SEC, Big Ten offering ACC, Big 12 two playoff spots each in 14-team field

The 12-team College Football Playoff is coming in 2024, but there are already talks about expanding the Playoff to 14 teams. In that new model, the SEC and Big Ten would seemingly get much of the control of the sport, pushing for guaranteed byes for the two conferences.

In that new proposed model, the SEC and Big Ten are also offering two spots in a 14-team field each to the ACC and Big 12, which is a decision that Paul Finebaum recently opined about while making an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.

“Very little of this makes common sense,” Paul Finebaum said. “But, I’m told, because I’m really not that privy to the information, that a lot of these decisions that they’re making, Group of Five, inclusion of other conferences, is simply to avoid litigation.”

Under the proposed 14-team College Football Playoff model, the SEC and Big Ten would each get three automatic bids while the Big 12 and ACC would get two. There’d also be a Group of Five automatic qualifier and three at-large bids. On top of that, the SEC and Big Ten are pushing for guaranteed bye weeks.

As Paul Finebaum explained, he doesn’t think every team is going to be deserving, but inclusion matters for legal reasons.

“If the Big Ten and the SEC, allegedly, bully their way through here and cut everyone else out, then there could be some exposure for collusion. I, frankly, don’t understand it very well, but I know when they get in these rooms they’re trying to make sure that everybody signs off. Now, we’re all tired of that. Okay? But that’s where we are right now,” Finebaum said.

“So, I think the feeling is, add a few more spots and if you give one or two away that probably don’t deserve it, then what are we really talking about? The difference between 11 and 12, 12 and 13, 13 and 14. It’s probably not that significant.”

The earliest a 14-team College Football Playoff could begin is 2026.

Why Big Ten-SEC push for guaranteed byes in 14-team Playoff is ‘gross’

One person who is very against the proposed model giving Big Ten and SEC teams a guaranteed bye week is On3’s Andy Staples, who broke down his thoughts on the proposal during an episode of Andy Staples On3.

“Could the Big Ten and the SEC get guaranteed byes in a 14-team Playoff? As in, their champions are guaranteed the No. 1 and No. 2 seed. Guaranteed the byes. That is part of the most recent model being socialized, is the word they used. Ross Dellenger from Yahoo reported it yesterday. … Remember last week, when the 14-team talk came up? And I said the only reason they’re doing 14 is so the Big Ten and the SEC can protect their championship games by having some stakes so that there can be two byes, and their champs can get those two byes? That’s the only reason. Otherwise, you just go to 16, because that’s more games to sell in the College Football Playoff package. More money for everybody. Same number of rounds. That’s why they want to do 14,” Staples said.

“This is gross, by the way. Absolutely gross. If the SEC and the Big Ten really want to do this. You don’t codify this. I get that they’re not going to sue you, because you’re giving the highest risk Group of Five champ access. You’re giving the ACC and the Big 12 to automatic bids. So they’re gonna shut up. You’re gonna take most of the money, through the Big Ten and the SEC, because you can. But just make it where the top two seeds get the byes. You don’t have to guarantee that to yourselves. You’re gonna get that anyway most years. Like, if you’re gonna do this, then just don’t worry about the bridge, and go to the Super League.”