Big 12 commissioner doubles down on preference for 5-11 playoff model if CFP expands
'We have the responsibility to do what's right for college football ... not what's right for one or two or more conferences,' Yormark said Tuesday at Big 12 football media days. 'I think 5-11 is fair. Earn it on the field, assuming we want to expand. I love the current format, but if we're going to expand, let's do it in a way that's fair and equitable and gives everyone a chance.'
While the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten will have more of a say on the playoff format starting in 2026, when ESPN's $7.8 billion contract kicks in, Yormark believes the 5-11 format would be good for now and in the future. He said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips feels the same way, and is expected to express that during his league's media days in two weeks.
'We do not need a professional model because we are not the NFL,' Yormark said. 'We are college football and we must act like it.'
In the 12-team format still in place for this season, the five highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed spots in the playoff. The difference this year is that the top four highest-ranked champions are no longer guaranteed the top four seeds that come with first-round byes.
Among potential 16-team formats would be four automatic qualifiers from both the SEC and Big Ten, and two each for the Big 12 and ACC. The Big 12 last season had only conference champion Arizona State make the playoff last season.
'We want to earn it on the field,' Yormark said. 'It might not be the best solution today for the Big 12, given your comments about (automatic qualifiers), but long term, knowing the progress we're making, the investments we're making, it's the right format for us.'
Yormark, who is going into his fourth year as Big 12 commissioner, believes that the landmark NCAA House settlement will have a positive impact for all conferences, especially if the College Sports Commission works the way it is intended in enforcing the rules in the remade system.
'It will. I have a lot of faith in Bryan Seely,' Yormark said of the former Major League Baseball executive named CEO of the new CSC. 'It should create a level playing field, and I'm not giving that up.'
The Big 12 was already in transition and still at 10 teams when Yormark arrived in 2022. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joined the league the following year.
Texas and Oklahoma, who won football national championships while in the Big 12, completed their long-planned move to the SEC last year. That is when Pac-12 schools Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah came into what is now a 16-team Big 12.
'I think parity matters, and I think ultimately over time, and that's hopefully sooner than later, there'll be a couple of our schools that will emerge, you know, as elite schools that are always part of the conversations at the highest levels. And that's what we're working towards,' Yormark said. 'But it starts with parity and being competitive top to bottom. And I think we're there.'
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Deion Sanders was in his usual form when he met with reporters at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday, exuding his typical charisma while at the podium. However, the Colorado coach didn't provide updates on his health. Sanders said he wanted to keep the focus on his football team when he was asked about the challenges he's faced as he's been away from the program for the last couple of months due to an unknown health issue. "Average day, I'm looking good. I'm living lovely," Sanders told reporters. "God has truly blessed me. Not a care in the world. Not a want or desire in the world." While he was coy about his health status, Sanders thanked Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and the rest of the conference's coaches for checking up on him during his recent struggles. "I love them, they've been calling and checking on me, making sure I'm straight," Sanders said. Sanders, who'll turn 58 in early August, missed Colorado's annual summer camps in June due to the undisclosed health issue and has been spending time at his home in Texas. Big 12 Media Days were held in Frisco, which is roughly 90 minutes away from Sanders' residence in Canton, Texas. The only information Sanders has shared about the illness came when he appeared on former NFL player Asante Samuel's podcast in late May. As Samuel wished Sanders well, the Colorado coach said what he was "dealing with right now is at a whole 'nother level" and that he had lost 14 pounds. Still, Sanders said he planned to return to coaching whenever the illness subsided. Sanders certainly spoke like someone who would be back on the sideline for the upcoming season on Wednesday, fielding numerous questions over his near-20-minute-long press conference. In terms on-field matters, the biggest question surrounding Colorado is its quarterback situation. 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The former Liberty quarterback is 20-4 all-time as a starter, winning Conference USA's Most Valuable Player in 2023 as he helped the Flames go 13-0 before losing in the Fiesta Bowl. He threw for 1,886 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 587 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 11 games last season. Lewis, meanwhile, was widely viewed as one of the best quarterback prospects in the 2025 recruiting class. The incoming freshman was ranked as the 10th-best quarterback in the class by 247 Sports. Sanders also weighed in on larger matters throughout the college football landscape on Wednesday. When he was asked about his relationship with Texas Tech head Joey McGuire, Sanders ribbed his counterpart for the recent spending the program has done to land top transfers and recruits. "Joey got some money! Joey, where you at, baby? Spending that money! I love it," Sanders said with a wide grin. "Once upon a time, you guys was talking junk about me going in that portal. 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San Francisco Chronicle
39 minutes ago
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Sanders, who'll turn 58 in early August, missed Colorado's annual summer camps in June due to the undisclosed health issue and has been spending time at his home in Texas. Big 12 Media Days were held in Frisco, which is roughly 90 minutes away from Sanders' residence in Canton, Texas. The only information Sanders has shared about the illness came when he appeared on former NFL player Asante Samuel's podcast in late May. As Samuel wished Sanders well, the Colorado coach said what he was "dealing with right now is at a whole 'nother level" and that he had lost 14 pounds. Still, Sanders said he planned to return to coaching whenever the illness subsided. Sanders certainly spoke like someone who would be back on the sideline for the upcoming season on Wednesday, fielding numerous questions over his near-20-minute-long press conference. In terms on-field matters, the biggest question surrounding Colorado is its quarterback situation. Colorado brought both Kaidon Salter and Julian "JuJu" Lewis to Big 12 Media Days this week, with Sanders saying he hasn't decided which one of the two will replace his son yet. "We brought both of them because we don't know which one is going to start," Sanders said. In a follow-up, Sanders said there would be situations where he would feel comfortable playing both quarterbacks. "As long as they're doing their jobs and winning," Sanders said. "We definitely want to continue to develop JuJu. But Kaidon is unbelievable. Kaidon is off the chain. He's been there, done that and he can get the job done. I wouldn't have brought him here if I didn't trust him. But JuJu is coming around the mountain when he comes. I love him. I love what he brings to the table. "I don't know how it's going to play out, as long as it plays out. We can't lose either way, with either of those two." Salter was one of the top quarterbacks to transfer this past offseason. 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The approval of the lawsuit brought further questions about the future of college sports as schools will be allowed to spend roughly $20.5 million in revenue-sharing deals with student athletes for the 2025-26 academic year. In his first comments since the approval of the lawsuit, Sanders iterated that he'd like to see a salary cap be implemented in college football moving forward. "That's what the NFL does," Sanders said. "The problem is, you've got a guy that's not that darn school and you could give him a half-million dollars and you can't compete with that. That don't make sense. "All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent, and you understand darn near well why they're in the playoffs. It's kind of hard to compete with somebody that's giving $25, $30 million to a freshman class. It's crazy. We're not complaining. … But what's going on right now don't make sense." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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