College football leaders weigh 16- or 24-team playoff, but need time to sort out revenue details

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DENVER (AP) — College football leaders gathered Wednesday to debate the merits of expanding to 24 or 16 playoff teams. They need more time, though, to sort out the details of what could be the most important number — money.

Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, said the meetings between commissioners and a few others were “very healthy” but didn’t lead to anything concrete.

“We’ve got a lot on the table to just help us to continue to move the ball forward,” Clark said. “We have a little homework to do coming out of there. ... We have a good idea what we need to bring back to them to help them with their decisions."

They will keep studying the impact that expanding the playoff from 12 to 16 or 24 teams could have on venues, the schedule, the future of now-imperiled conference title games. And, of course, how much extra games might go for on the open market.

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey has lobbied for 16 teams, while Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference leaders have widely agreed on their preference for a 24-team scenario that the Big Ten first put forward and still supports.

The playoff expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024, but after executives failed to reach an expansion agreement, the CFP will use the same model for the 2026-27 season.

“I feel like we made progress and sometimes, even though you don’t get to the answers, you understand more about what you need to get to the answer,” Clark said. “My goal is for us to make the most informed decision that we can. If it takes time, I would rather be deliberate about this than rush into something that was half-baked or not fully thought through.”

Asked if they were any discussions on sports wagering, Clark responded: “Nothing that I’m wanting to talk about.”

It remains a hot topic in light of Brendan Sorsby, the transfer quarterback who now won’t play for Texas Tech this fall and instead plans to enter the NFL supplemental draft. Sorsby’s decision ends his legal fight over the college eligibility of a player who had acknowledged betting on college and pro sports, including bets on his own team.

The next meeting for the leaders of college football is slated for September, but another could be scheduled if they’re “able to gather the facts and the information that they need," Clark said.

Like how scheduling might work and, of course, maybe more insight into revenue.

“We have to look at everything,” Clark said. “I feel very optimistic about the way the meeting went, and I know our team, we feel like we have some good marching orders on what we need to provide to the commissioners to help them.

"It’s just a matter of us now going through that process and getting that information.”

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football