Big Ten: No league championship game if college football moves to a 24-team playoff - Yahoo Sports

What the report says

Yahoo Sports, carrying an Associated Press report by Steve Megargee, reported that the Big Ten would drop its football championship game if the College Football Playoff expands to 24 teams. Commissioner Tony Petitti discussed the position Tuesday in Chicago as the conference opened football media days, framing the loss of the league title game as a tradeoff he is prepared to make for a larger postseason field.

Petitti said a 24-team playoff would likely end the Big Ten championship game, which has been staged in Indianapolis each year since 2011. He argued that a larger bracket would keep more teams and more late-season games tied to playoff stakes, including races for entry, seeding and home-field opportunities. He also pointed to the burden on teams that might play a conference title game and then face a quick playoff turnaround, especially if a loss affects their path.

The AP report said the 24-team proposal is backed by the ACC, Big 12 and Notre Dame, while the SEC has not joined that position. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has cited possible harm to conference championship games as a concern. Some SEC coaches have shown interest in expansion, but Big Ten coaches quoted in the story appeared aligned with Petitti, including USC coach Lincoln Riley, who suggested conferences could determine regular-season champions through standings and tiebreakers.

The debate underscores continuing tension between the Big Ten and SEC over the future structure and economics of major college football. Petitti downplayed personal friction with Sankey and said they had spoken multiple times that day, while also noting recent Big Ten national success in football and basketball.