At next week's meeting of the College Football Playoff management committee, the commissioners who make up The Alliance — the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 — are expected to re-raise the topic of an eight-team format with automatic qualifying spots for each Power 5 champion, multiple sources directly involved in the process told The Athletic. It is believed that the ACC is the league most attached to the eight-team format, though some administrators also characterized the Big Ten as “in lockstep” with the ACC on the issue.

The Pac-12, sources said, is open to both the eight-team format and the 12-team model favored by other key players; it just needs expanded access above all. The Pac-12 has not had a team qualify for the Playoff since the 2016 season.

Much of the conversation around expansion over the past four months has centered on a 12-team format that would include the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large teams. That proposal was put forth back in June by a four-member CFP working group made up of Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson.