Miami, Florida - After agreeing to a 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) format, it now seems that 12 teams will soon be a thing of the past.

All nine FBS conferences and Notre Dame (independent) have reportedly reached a consensus to expand the College Football Playoff to 14 teams starting in 2026, per ESPN.

A 14-team field will not include a guaranteed spot for a non-Power 5 program, however.

This decision comes as the Group of 5 commissioners and Notre Dame leadership have ceded much control over the format to the SEC and Big Ten as part of a "give and take" negotiation.

"It's like the Godfather's offer you can't refuse," a Group of 5 athletic director told ESPN.

Under the new 14-team playoff model, the field will consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions and then the next nine highest-ranked teams.

This is different from the 12-team playoff format, which includes the six conference champions (including a Group of 5 champion) along with the six highest-ranked non-conference champion teams.

ESPN's agreement to pay around $1.3 billion for a 14-team playoff model starting in 2026 will significantly increase schools' revenue in the following ways:

• Big Ten and SEC schools will make more than $21 million annually, up from nearly $5.5 million.
• ACC schools will receive more than $13 million each year.
• Big 12 schools and Notre Dame are expected to receive more than $12 million annually.
• Independent teams that reach the CFP will get a financial incentive.
• Group of 5 schools' annual payments will increase to just under $1.8 million from $1.5 million while a participation bonus for leagues outside Power 5 will no longer exist.

Will the dominance of the Big Ten and SEC in the College Football Playoff lead to the formation of super conferences in the near future? Only time will tell!