Opinion: SEC, Big Ten become mob bosses while holding College Football Playoff hostage

• College Sports Inc.’s two mob bosses sat together in a show of strength Thursday, and although no horse’s head sat in front of them, their message resonated.
• SEC's Greg Sankey, Big Ten's Tony Petitti hold future College Football Playoff format in their hands.
• Current playoff format is on the books for 2024, '25 seasons. After that, it's subject to change, and SEC, Big Ten wield major control.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – College Sports Inc.’s two mob bosses sat together in a show of strength Thursday, and although no horse’s head sat on the table in front of them, their message resonated.

If Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti don’t get what they want, on your (horse’s) head be it.

That’s especially true of the College Football Playoff.

Sankey and Petitti, the heads of the SEC and Big Ten families, respectively, said they’ll closely evaluate this current playoff format that’s on the books for this year and next while determining the format they want for 2026 and beyond.

They stated no explicit ultimatums to the playoff selection committee, but fine-tuned ears could not miss their hints: Give us the at-large bids, award us the desirable seeds, or we'll get to work on tilting the playoff more in our favor.

Consider this current 12-team playoff format a two-year glory period that enjoys no guarantee of lasting past the 2025 season.

The playoff format for 2026 and beyond rests in the ruthless palms of Sankey and Petitti. Technically, the other conferences retain a voice, a voice that registers as a whisper. Sankey and Petitti wrested control of the playoff’s future format last spring.

So, here’s the deal: This season’s playoff will be a litmus test, and Sankey and Petitti will read the test strip.

“This just has to go incredibly well,” Sankey said. “This has to be a successful launch.”

I’m envisioning a playoff selection committee member holding a sign that reads: MuSt SeLeCT B1g aNd SeC TeAMs, oR ThEY’Ll hAvE my HeAd. HaVe MeRcY oN My sOuL!

SEC, Big Ten quietly threaten playoff selection committee

If this trial run of the expanded playoff works beautifully in favor of the SEC and Big Ten maybe this format retains a chance of continuing. But if the selection committee doesn’t do the bidding of the SEC and Big Ten, expect Sankey and Petitti to change the selection rules.

Speculation runs rampant that the two leagues might break off from the other conferences and stage their own hoedown. But, why build a new sandbox when you control the current terrain and the other conferences reside under your oppressive thumb?

And if the ACC, Big 12 or others decide to grow a spine and tell Sankey and Petitti that they don’t run the playoff? Well, good luck with that, because if Sankey and Petitti don’t get their way, they hold the trump card to take their ball, go create their own playoff, and watch the revenue chase their tails.

Within the existing sandbox, what might playoff evolution look like? Consider a playoff format in which the Big Ten and SEC earmark as many as three or even four automatic bids apiece for their conferences before the season ever kicks off.

If the committee does not select and seed in December to the liking of Sankey and Petitti, virtually anything is on the table.

What a sickening twist, that would be: A playoff that technically includes representation from several conferences, but in which more than half the bids would reserved for two conferences. Forget meritocracy, and insert aristocracy.

Sankey pathetically and successfully grandstanded last season for one-loss Alabama to make the final four-team playoff instead of undefeated Florida State. No such grandstanding will be necessary this year, because he – and his shadow, Petitti – control the future of the playoff. All Sankey needs to do to earn the benefit of the doubt is nod to that horse’s head.

Do you want that equine noggin placed in your bed?

The 13-person playoff selection committee will award their seven at-large playoff bids in December with a guillotine hanging above their necks, and Sankey and Petitti control the trigger.

You shouldn’t need a divination guide to tell you who would get the final playoff spot if it comes down to 10-2 Texas A&M or 11-2 Clemson. Enjoy your 11-seed, Aggies, awarded by 13 selectors held hostage by two mafiosos.

Greg Sankey, Tony Petitti flex muscle over College Football Playoff

Sankey and Petitti met at a summit here Thursday, along with their conference’s athletics directors. Afterward, the conference commissioners convened with a small group of national reporters in a show of strength.

I directly and repeatedly asked Sankey and Petitti what they needed to see this year to support continuing this current playoff format, which reserves five bids for conference champions and seven selections for at-large qualifiers.

They repeatedly dodged and ducked my questions, but Petitti, at least, offered a few hints.

“How the committee evaluates strength of schedule,” Petitti said, in reference to what he’s monitoring from the selection committee.

Petitti also stressed the number of premier games the Big Ten plays in the season’s final month. See Ohio State vs. Penn State, Oregon vs. Michigan and Michigan vs. Ohio State.

Left unsaid: Petitti doesn’t want the B1G's top teams penalized too stringently for losing late-season games against quality opponents.

What might look mighty appealing to the Big Ten and SEC? The two leagues teaming up for, say, six of the seven at-large bids and claiming three or even all four of the first-round host sites.

The playoff selection committee members retain free will – sure they do – so long as they ignore the mob henchmen in the corner.

If those playoff selectors should dare ignore the B1G and SEC mafiosos, a horse’s head will be served.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

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