Big Ten and ACC coaches question value of conferences after CFP expansion
With the playoff field doubling to 24 teams, coaches argue that eliminating conference championships strips leagues of their primary competitive purpose.
By Martin Reynolds ·
The structure of college football is undergoing a rapid shift as the Conference of the Future takes shape. This week, head coaches from two major power conferences publicly questioned the utility of their current league affiliations.
Jake Dickert, the head coach at Wake Forest, and Eli Drinkwitz, who leads the Missouri Tigers, both raised concerns about the new format. They argued that the expanded College Football Playoff reduces the strategic importance of conference play.
The College Football Playoff will expand from 12 to 24 teams beginning next year. To accommodate the larger tournament, the four major conferences will drop their annual football championship games. Drinkwitz noted the logical consequence of this change. "Why are we associated with conferences anymore if we're not playing for a conference championship?" he asked.
Dickert expressed personal dissatisfaction with the loss of a league title but acknowledged the operational necessity of the change. He pointed out that conference championships can now serve as elimination games for playoff berths. "It just feels odd," Dickert said, adding that the current model creates confusion for teams that are not part of the independent power structures.
The financial implications of the realignment are significant for mid-major members within the power leagues. Mark Coyle, the athletic director at the University of Minnesota, stated that the Big Ten and the SEC have effectively separated themselves from other institutions. The Big Ten's grant-of-right contract ties football and basketball revenue to the conference until 2036, a provision designed to prevent member schools from leaving.
Legislative efforts are also targeting the concentration of power in these leagues. The Protect College Sports Act, which passed the Senate and is currently in the House, includes a provision to cap conference membership at 22 teams. Senator Ted Cruz, a bill author, said the measure aims to stop the Big Ten and SEC from merging into a single super league. Miami University President Joe Echevarria cited a revenue disparity, noting that Big Ten schools received an average of $63 million in media rights in 2025, while ACC members received $25 million less.
The debate extends to the viability of independent status. ESPN contributor Josh Pate suggested that elite programs may eventually determine their value exceeds that of a conference affiliation. He argued that the presence of major streaming partners like Amazon and Netflix makes it easier for large brands to operate without a league patch. "There is no more motivation to be in conference. It is not a question of if that will happen. It's just a question of when," Pate said.
