Friday, October 2, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

CFP Holds Off On Major Changes Until Realignment Is Settled

  • The CFP’s executive director said conference realignment needs to be settled before decisions are made.
  • Undecided is how teams will qualify for the expanded, 12-team playoff in 2024.
Syndication: Online Athens

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Wednesday’s gathering of College Football Playoff leaders in Dallas came and went without a decision on any major format changes — at least for now.

CFP executive director Bill Hancock called the meeting productive but claimed the need to “wait until the dust settles” on conference realignment before altering specific details of the expanded, 12-team playoff that begins next year.

Many around college sports are anticipating that instead of the CFP including the six highest-ranked conference champions and the six other highest-ranked teams each season — as originally planned — the postseason could ultimately include the five highest-ranked conference winners and seven at-large bids.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff was in attendance despite the conference’s murky future beyond this season with just four member schools — and potentially fewer next year. Kliavkoff is a member of the CFP group through June 30, 2024.

Hancock called the meeting “cordial,” and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said that “everyone was friendly.”

Clock Is Ticking

The ACC had reportedly wanted to have a final decision on expansion by the start of Week 1, which begins on Thursday with 11 games scheduled across the country.

Pac-12 remnants Stanford and California, along with current AAC member Southern Methodist University, have reportedly been inching closer to joining the ACC, while Oregon State and Washington State are waiting on their West Coast counterparts before deciding the conference affiliation for 2024.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump walks out of the clubhouse during the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster.

Trump’s Year of Sports Gets Busier With CFB, Presidents Cup

The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event.
A Bar of Their Own

Women’s Sports Bars: Novelty Has Worn Off, ‘That’s a Good Thing’

They’re leveling up, but sustainability remains the first consideration.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Randy Levine on the Yankees’ $2.6B Apollo Deal and the Protect College Sports Act

0:00

Featured Today

Hot & Social/Mets

Sports Teams Are Playing a New Role: Matchmaker

The latest promotion at the stadium? Love.
Exclusive
September 18, 2026

Vicious Infighting Is Jeopardizing the Future of Women’s Baseball

The WPBL’s own CEO admits there’s a “power struggle.”
September 17, 2026

Fantasy Football Drafts Are Turning Into Full-Blown Vacations

Leagues are forgoing solo drafts and replacing them with in-person getaways.
Oct 4, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; General action during the first period of the game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Mullett Arena
September 10, 2026

How Military-Style Workouts in College Sports Get Dangerous

For elite athletes, high-intensity training can be “very appealing.”
September 6, 2026

Is Carolyn Tisch Blodgett the Future Face of Giants Ownership?

Amid changes at top of Giants ownership, eyes are on Tisch Blodgett.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks with New York Yankees president Randy Levine as they attend a roundtable event on collegiate sports at the White House in Washington, D.C., March 6, 2026.
Exclusive

SEC and Big Ten Don’t Want to Expand: Randy Levine

Levine argued amending the conference realignment provision would be unnecessary.
Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; A detailed view of the College Football Playoff logo on the pylon during the game between the Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
October 2, 2026

ESPN’s Exclusive Window Closes Next Week As 24-Team CFP Looms

The College Football Playoff has until Dec. 1 to expand for 2027.
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detail view of an NCAA basketball in the hoop during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
October 2, 2026

Ohio Court Reverses Grandfathering of Athletes Into NCAA Eligibility

Parallel litigation remains ongoing in several states.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Exclusive
October 1, 2026

Where Does New Big East Commissioner Stand on PE?

Commissioner Tim Brosnan told FOS that PE firms have approached the league.
Arizona State hockey head coach Greg Powers watches his team before a game against UMass-Lowell at Oceanside Ice Arena on Jan. 12, 2018,
October 1, 2026

ASU Hockey Coach Administrative Leave Isn’t Enough: Attorneys

They also renewed their calls for an independent investigation.
Sep 26, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) passes the ball during warm ups prior to the game against the Missouri Tigers at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 1, 2026

Can Mississippi State Keep Kamario Taylor?

Chiefs star Chris Jones has vowed to try to keep Taylor in Starkville.
October 1, 2026

College Basketball Player in ICE Custody Allowed to Re-Open Case

Kentucky State’s Senegalese center was detained at the airport on Aug. 7.