Petitti’s objective: More Huge Ten games affecting CFP

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Elder WriterFeb 14, 2024, 06:19 PM ET

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• College football reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.ROSEMONT, Ill.– As the College Football Playoff management committee continues conversations about the future of the sport’s postseason, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti wishes to ensure much deeper conferences have access points that take full advantage of the stretch run of the routine season.In a wide-ranging interview Wednesday with ESPN, Petitti stated he is concentrated on ensuring the Huge 10, which will increase to 18 members with four West Coast additions this summer, has November schedules packed with games that carry CFP implications, like a number of the professional leagues do.”We’ve got some work to do to determine what that [future model] is, because clearly, it has real impact on your routine season,”Petitti informed ESPN. “You wish to ensure that your teams have the capability to have a breakout season and certify. And we likewise need to be sensible about what ought to get you gain access to, in regards to number of wins. Look, we desire meaningful games late in the season. “We desire fans to believe that you understand a game in the 2nd week of November, even if you have actually currently lost 2 or three games, still

  has a great deal of worth. That’s the objective.”Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Washington State president Kirk Schulz, who serves on the CFP board, told ESPN that a vote on a model for the 2024 season– the setup would

  include the 5 highest-ranked conference champions and the next 7 highest-ranked teams– was most likely Tuesday. Petitti and the other commissioners, who comprise the management committee, are set to meet Feb. 21 in Dallas.The commissioners are anticipated to analyze access and other topics as they discuss the CFP’s future agreement.”When you’re as deep as we are, we have actually got to do things to make sure that we have the access to the postseason that we believe we deserve and needs to be made on the field,”Petitti said.

  “I’m a big follower in that, and that helps your regular season. More teams playing more significant games later in the season, I believe we still can do more there.” Previously this month, the Big Ten and SEC announced a joint advisory group to deal with major topics and difficulties around the college sports landscape. After dealing with the

  SEC as a television executive previously in his career, Petitti stated a more formal group made good sense. Petitti went to the SEC workplace in Alabama soon after being employed at the Big 10 and has maintained a consistent discussion with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.The advisory group will consist of presidents and chancellors, along with athletic directors from the 2 wealthiest and most effective conferences.”Both people taking a look at the depth of things that were changing so rapidly, how do we increase our

  rate of our thinking, of our method, to satisfy these difficulties?”Petitti said.” We have [athletic director] groups that are truly knowledgeable, that work well together, so it became an extremely natural thing.” Petitti stated the collaboration is not meant to produce an”seclusion chamber”which the two leagues are intending to produce initiatives that benefit the whole college sports”environment.””I don’t believe it puts us in an adversarial position with anybody else,”he stated.”It’s simply, we got to

  find some services here.”Petitti called his very first football season as Big 10 commissioner”amazing,”keeping in mind the national championship won by Michigan, the very first Huge 10 team to make a title considering that Ohio State in 2014. The Big 10’s decision to enforce in-season discipline for Michigan– coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the group’s last three regular-season games– amidst the NCAA’s investigation into prohibited off-campus hunting and signal stealing drew substantial criticism for Petitti. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, in a piercing declaration following the suspension, called the Huge 10’s actions throughout an NCAA examination”completely unethical”and”an attack on the rights of everyone.”Petitti said he and Manuel have actually moved past the friction and even sat beside each other at a dinner the night before Michigan played Alabama in the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Petitti called Manuel” among the leaders in our space.””People sometimes misconstrue, these are never ever individual things, this is not personal,” Petitti stated.”This has to do with doing what’s right for the conference, what’s right for our organizations. It doesn’t suggest everybody’s going to concur with choices that come from the league workplace, however that’s the task.”At the end of the day, it has to do with doing what you think is right while doing so. That’s what we did, and there’s response to that, and we just worked our way through it.”