Sports
Report: Document details Big Ten's 24-team CFP format plan
Jan 17, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of a 2026 logo during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Big Ten didn’t get its wish of a 24-team College Football Playoff field starting in 2026, but that isn’t deterring the conference from pushing for its goal.
The Big Ten reportedly shared an internal document detailing how it sees a 24-team CFP playing out with the conference’s athletic directors and head coaches. ESPN also received a copy of the document, reporting on the details.
The document, which the conference is referring to as the “24 team CFP Format Compromise,” wants to see the CFP expand to 16 teams for 2027 and 2028 and to 24 teams no later than the 2029 season.
The Southeastern Conference reportedly was willing to grow the field to 16 teams for the upcoming season, but the Big Ten would only agree if the SEC agreed to a future 24-team playoff in the near future — which the SEC refused to do.
In the proposed 16-team format, there would be five automatic bids and 11 at-large spots. The bottom four teams would play the second weekend of December, No. 13 vs. No. 16 and No. 14 vs. No. 15.
There would then be six on-campus games in the next round, with the top-two seeds earning byes to the quarterfinals held at traditional New Year’s Six bowl locations on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
That would align with a mid-January national title game, much like it has the last few seasons. It would maintain conference championship games the first weekend of December.
Those would not remain in the proposed 24-team format, which would not have any automatic bids, according to the Big Ten’s vision.
Instead of conference title games, the top eight teams would receive byes while the remaining 16 would play on-campus games, ideally the second weekend of December.
That would be followed by eight more on-campus second-round games, hosted by the eight teams who earned first-round byes.
Like the current format, quarterfinals would be played around New Year’s, semifinals the following week and a mid-January national championship would follow.
The Big Ten also believes that regular-season rematches should be avoided in this 24-team format, although conference opponents who didn’t face off that season could be paired up for opening-round games.
Much of the Big Ten’s desire for a larger playoff stems from its belief that a larger field would allow for more room for error.
“In today’s transfer portal/player movement era, teams may lose a game or two early and gel together later in the season — more playoff opportunities late provides an appropriate safety net,” the Big Ten’s document said.
The debate about expansion will rage without a likely resolution in the coming months. ESPN has mandated a Dec. 1 deadline in order for the 2027 CFP format to be finalized.
–Field Level Media
Sports
BC looks to stop five-game skid with visit from Cal
Feb 3, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Boston College Eagles guard Donald Hand Jr. (13) drives to the basket as Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) pursues during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images Boston College hasn’t won a basketball game since Jan. 21, but the Eagles can end that drought when they face visiting Cal on Saturday afternoon.
Boston College (9-15, 2-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) will be attempting to end a five-game losing streak but may have to do so without guard Donald Hand Jr. Hand injured his leg with 7:45 remaining in the first half of Wednesday’s 70-64 loss to Stanford. He left the court and didn’t return to the game.
Boston College coach Earl Grant said Hand was scheduled to have an MRI on Thursday.
“He walked around pretty good in the locker room at the end,” Grant said following the loss. “I don’t know about (a time frame). I’m not a doctor.”
Hand, who is in his fourth season with Boston College, has started in each of his team’s 24 games. He’s averaging 13.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Cal (17-8, 5-7) has lost two straight games, including Wednesday’s 107-100 setback at Syracuse in double overtime. Dai Dai Ames led the Bears with 23 points in the loss. Ames is averaging a team-high 17.2 points per game and has scored at least 20 points 10 times this season.
“(Ames) is the ultimate warrior,” Cal coach Mark Madsen said. “He’s the guy that’s going to attack. He knocks down shots. He knocks down the three. He makes the long two, and he finishes well at the rim. He made some key plays to help put us in a position, which is all you can ask on the road.
“We have to rebound the ball better. We gave up 13 offensive rebounds to Syracuse. We also put them to the free throw line 42 times. That’s inexcusable. We have to clean that up, and we will clean that up.”
Cal’s John Camden is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers per game, which ranks fifth in the ACC.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs pleads not guilty in alleged assault
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery after an alleged dispute with his personal chef.
The arraignment at Massachusetts’s Dedham District Court had been delayed so Diggs could participate when the Patriots played last Sunday in Super Bowl LX.
The next scheduled appearance in the case is an April 1 pretrial hearing. Diggs was released on his own recognizance.
The alleged incident occurred Dec. 2, a day after the Patriots beat the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football.” The chef told Dedham police that during an argument about compensation he owed her, Diggs allegedly struck and choked her.
Through his attorneys, Diggs has denied the charges, saying the allegations are unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute.
“He is completely innocent of these false allegations that have been alleged against him,” Diggs’ attorney, Mitchell Schuster, told reporters Friday. “We’re confident that after the facts and evidence reviewed in this case, he will be completely exonerated.”
Diggs, 32, signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract that includes $6 million that fully guarantees on March 13. In his first season with the Patriots, he led the team in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,013) with four touchdowns in 17 games (all starts).
New England lost the Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks, 29-13.
The Patriots have not commented on the matter since releasing a statement in support of Diggs after the initial news of his arrest.
“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon,” the Patriots said Dec. 30. “We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Georgia Tech, Notre Dame meet to fight way out of ACC basement
Feb 7, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Damon Stoudamire reacts as he talks with forward Baye Ndongo (11) during a timeout in the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images In a game that could determine which team gets left out of next month’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Georgia Tech visits Notre Dame in a meeting between a pair of basement dwellers on Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Ind.
Georgia Tech (11-14, 2-10 ACC) has dropped six in a row while Notre Dame (11-14, 2-10) is riding a five-game losing streak.
The struggling teams are in a three-way tie with Pittsburgh for last place in the ACC. If the season ended today, all three teams would miss out on the conference tournament in Charlotte in the second week of March.
Fortunately for the Yellow Jackets and Fighting Irish, each side has six games remaining to try and turn things around.
Georgia Tech is coming off a pair of losses to Stanford and Wake Forest by a combined 39 points. For third-year head coach Damon Stoudamire and company, the clock is ticking, and a win on Saturday is desperately needed.
“First and foremost, we need to win. I think that we all understand that,” Stoudamire said. “We’ve got to be better at dealing with adversity. I just don’t think that collectively we’re great at dealing with adversity. When times get tough, we don’t stick together all the time. To me, that is hurting us more than anything at the end of the day.”
Kowacie Reeves Jr. leads the struggling Yellow Jackets with 15.2 points per game, while Baye Ndongo averages 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest.
Notre Dame’s season outlook changed in December when its best player, Markus Burton, sustained a season-ending broken ankle. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Fighting Irish are 1-10, with the lone victory a four-point home win over Boston College.
With center Kebba Njie also out for the season with a knee injury, Notre Dame has had to rely heavily on its guard play.
“We really only have one true post player,” head coach Micah Shrewsberry said. “We play smaller and see if we can spread it out a little bit more. I feel like that’s one of the ways we can try and get more threes is to have more ball handlers, have more shooting out there, have more guys that can attack.”
Freshman Jalen Haralson paces Notre Dame with 15.5 ppg, followed by Braeden Shrewsberry’s 12.
–Field Level Media
BC looks to stop five-game skid with visit from Cal
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs pleads not guilty in alleged assault
