Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Does Big Ten's push for CFP expansion come down to its TV partners?

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated Feb 24, 2026 2:47 PM ET

The future of the College Football Playoff is in some doubt moving forward. It's clear that the major conferences, or at least the ones with most of the power, the SEC and Big Ten, want to expand the field. The problem is that neither of them can quite agree on a format.

There are plenty of smaller details to work out once the size of a field is decided, like how seeding works and how automatic bids are handled, but the most important debate is on how many teams to expand the field to. The SEC is pushing for a 16-team field. The Big Ten would like to see it jump to as many as 24 teams.

Publicly, the Big Ten appears to be on an island with this idea. However, it's still managed to create a stalemate as it relates to the expansion of the CFP.

Could the Big Ten want to expand to 24 teams for its TV partners?

The Big Ten is currently partnered with Fox for its media rights deal. That is one of the most lucrative deals in the entirety of college athletics, worth $7B.

One thing that Fox does not have is the right to show College Football Playoff games. ESPN holds those rights through the 2031-32 season in a deal worth $1.3B annually.

With the expansion to 24 teams, the way media rights would work would change. With more games, more networks would likely be needed to cover everything. In turn, that would open up the Big Ten to hosting games they aren't able to now. So, it stands to reason that making the push to expand the field would be the Big Ten acting as a good partner. Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks even pointed this out last Fall.

“I don’t see any reason why the CFP can’t be 24 teams,” Shanks said in October. “You can fit it into the schedule. … That would give the CFP the opportunity to have more networks involved.”

The Big Ten has stayed quiet publicly

One thing is clear under Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. He doesn't speak to the press much. That's in stark contrast to Greg Sankey of the SEC.

There are a few effects this has. For many fans, it makes Sankey the bad guy, as he's a major face of college sports in a way Petitti isn't, despite holding similar power. It also lets Sankey set the narrative more consistently. So, while it's clear that the Big Ten wants the 24-team model, what's less clear is why it wants it.

Some would argue that it's the less competitive choice. After all, it seems like the conference would get more teams in with that sized field. After all, it would have doubled the size of the Big Ten contingent from three to six teams.

So, perhaps helping Fox is a happy side effect of getting more Big Ten teams in the field. Maybe it's more the point of expansion than anyone realizes. Without public comments, there's only speculation on why the conference is standing so firmly with an unpopular expansion idea.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

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