ESPN's Heather Dinich predicts a disagreement between Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti will prevent the adoption of a new College Football Playoff format. With the current format at 12 teams, discussions and speculations have been rampant about potential expansion. The next logical step is 16 teams, but Petitti and the Big Ten advocate for a 24-team playoff with automatic qualifiers. Dinich highlights the leverage battle between the SEC and the Big Ten, suggesting that the Big Ten's influence could lead to a 16-team playoff in the future if the SEC agrees to a 24-team format. However, she predicts that the current format will remain unchanged due to the inability of Petitti and Sankey to reach an agreement by the January 23rd deadline. Dinich's sources indicate that the majority of people believe the format will stay at 12 teams, as the two commissioners are unlikely to agree. The Big Ten and SEC's control over the playoff format is evident through a memorandum of understanding, where the Power Four champions and Group Five teams are protected. Despite the Big Ten's desire for a 24-team playoff, Sankey is not ready to commit to it in the near future. Dinich emphasizes that the January 23rd deadline will be crucial, with the College Football Playoff likely sticking to 12 teams in 2026-27 or expanding to 16 teams.
