The Big Ten Conference is reportedly trying to expand the College Football Playoff to 24 or 28 teams in the future, per reports.

The Big Ten placed six teams in the top 25 of both the preseason AP Poll and CBS Sports 136, including Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in the upper tier. Others are lurking, as Iowa, Nebraska and USC could challenge the SEC's depth if they exceed expectations in 2025.

According to Thamel, the new model proposed by the Big Ten suggests eliminating conference title games and awarding more auto bids for the four power conferences. In a 28-team playoff, the Big Ten and SEC would receive seven auto bids each, while the ACC and Big 12 would get five auto bids each, per Thamel.