Summary:
Big Ten commissioner Tony Pettitti defended the new 16-team college football playoff format during a media briefing. He emphasized the importance of using conference rankings rather than solely CFP rankings to determine playoff spots, aiming to better connect regular season performance with postseason opportunities. The Big Ten’s proposal includes a "4-4-2" concept shared with CFP leaders earlier this year. However, there’s division among the conferences, as the SEC expressed differing views on the format, while the ACC and Big 12 support a "5+11" model, which includes five conference champions and 11 bids.
Pettitti highlighted the potential for conference play-in games during championship weekend, where matchups could determine automatic CFP berths. He addressed concerns about teams with poor records making the playoffs, arguing that a 6-3 record in the competitive Big Ten should be considered strong. Big Ten coaches, including Ohio State’s Ryan Day, voiced their support for Pettitti’s plan, suggesting that playing tough out-of-conference games without guaranteed berths would be challenging.
