Aresco: 5 +7 CFP design is a needs to if Pac-12 ends

• Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterSep 26, 2023, 08:27 PM ET

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  • College football reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of Indiana University

ROSEMONT, Ill.– American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco said a playoff model that rewards the five highest-ranked conference champions is something “we have to have” in the brand-new 12-team College Football Playoff format if the Pac-12 dissolves.Aresco, who talked to a small group of reporters following the first day of CFP meetings at Huge Ten head office, said the CFP’s management committee didn’t speak about the future format on Tuesday, however are likely to on Wednesday morning.The present proposition consists of the six highest-ranked conference champs plus the next 6 highest-ranked teams– a model developed to reward the Power 5 champions and the leading Group of 5 winner.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated The format was agreed upon before the sweeping realignment changes this summer decimated the

Pac-12, leaving

the conference

with Oregon State and Washington State tied up in a legal fight as they determine the very best course forward.If the Pac-12 folds, several sources have indicated to ESPN that there is a strong choice to alter the design to 5 +7, indicating

the five highest-ranked conference champs, plus the next 7 highest-ranked groups. “I’m great myself with the 5 +7, presuming we remain at 12 groups,”Aresco said.”The 5 +7 is something we truly have to have, since otherwise, what’s

the point of all the work we provided for 6 +6? If there’s no Pac-12, you’ve got 4 [power conferences], but you still desire that fifth [spot] so that our group– 65 schools– has a shot at the playoff. “Aresco’s public assistance for the 5 +7 design is a critical part to the closed-door discussions since he has been singing in his urging to consider remaining at the 6 +6

model even if the Pac-12 liquifies because it would offer the Group of 5 schools two guaranteed groups in the CFP. Even with what seems frustrating assistance for 5 +7 within the space, however, there is hesitancy to commit to it with a lot uncertainty looming in the Pac-12. According to the NCAA bylaws, an FBS conference requires a minimum of 8 full FBS members that satisfy all bowl neighborhood requirements. The NCAA provides conferences a two-year grace duration, however, when they no longer fulfill subscription requirements before changes are needed.Multiple sources suggested they don’t even know if Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff, who went to the conferences however didn’t speak to press reporters, has a vote. There’s still a possibility the Mountain West schools merge with the Pac-12 to try to benefit from its brand name and possible properties, but that opens the challenging concern of whether the Pac-12 would still be considered a Power 5 conference, which gets the advantage of 80%of the CFP income. The Group of 5 schools get 20%. According to the NCAA, a conference’s status as an autonomy conference is identified by the Department I Board of Directors.”It’s going to need to go through a serious discussion, “Aresco stated. “Without concern. Definitely.

You’ve heard the idea of playing as a two-team conference, and what are your voting rights? There’s a material change here.

There are things that weren’t pondered in the agreement. All of those things need to be gone over. “