The 12-team College Football Playoff format could be short-lived if discussions among the CFP Management Committee continue to develop.

There is “momentum” and optimism for a 14-team format beginning in 2026, according to a report Wednesday by ESPN. The playoff moves from four teams to 12 beginning this fall, but the CFP’s current television deal expires after the 2025 season.

What a 14-team playoff would look like is still being hammered out. Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday that there is a push for a “3-3-2-2-1″ format, that is, three automatic bids each from the SEC and Big Ten, two each from the Big 12 and ACC, one for the highest-rated Group of 5 conference champion and three at-large spots.

Any final decision on further playoff expansion would likely come by mid-March, according to multiple reports. It was widely reported earlier this month that ESPN had reached a six-year, $6.7 billion deal to televise the playoff through 2031, though there has been pushback on those reports from various conference commissioners.