Ryan Day Backs Four Big Ten CFP Spots

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is advocating for the Big Ten to receive at least four automatic qualifiers in a future 16-team College Football Playoff (CFP), citing the league's recent expansion to 18 teams, including former Pac-12 powers Oregon and Washington. Day argues that greater Big Ten representation would reward the conference's size and quality and encourage tougher non-conference scheduling. The SEC supports a similar proposal, while the ACC and Big 12 favor a 5+11 model with five automatic bids and 11 at-large teams. Leaders are debating the playoff's structure for 2026 and beyond, while the CFP will remain a 12-team field in 2025. Critics have expressed concerns that guaranteeing so many spots for the Big Ten and SEC could undermine competitive balance. The debate highlights ongoing power struggles among top college football conferences.