College football has an ever-changing landscape, and another shift could happen relatively soon.

Reports say a switch to a 16-team College Football Playoff field has been discussed and could start as soon as 2026. As part of that proposal, how to set up automatic bids is a key part, with the Big Ten firmly wanting to have four of them. It would also give the SEC four automatic bids, two bids for both the ACC and Big 12, one for Group of Six conferences and three at-large spots up for grabs.

But is that a fair request by the conference?

Will Horstman: Big Ten should have four automatic bids

With reported talks of a potential 16-team College Football Playoff happening in the near future, figuring out how to set up automatic qualifiers has been a hot topic.

There’s a chance of a 5+11 model, which would include the top-five conference champions receiving automatic bids followed by 11 at-large selections. However, the Big Ten and commissioner Tony Petitti reportedly wants the “4-4-2-2-1-3” system. It’s the most fair option.

Especially after its West Coast additions, the Big Ten should have at least four teams ranked in the top 16 almost every year. Last season, the final College Football Playoff Rankings saw four Big Ten teams in the top 16 with No. 1 Oregon, No. 4 Penn State, No. 6 Ohio State and No. 8 Indiana.

Thus, there really shouldn’t be any concerns if this model would allow a team undeserving of the playoff into the field. But if the fourth-highest Big Ten team is closer to the top-16 cutoff, that squad shouldn’t have to worry about missing the playoff.

Most 9-3 Big Ten or SEC squads would likely be a bubble team in a 16-team playoff. Last year’s final rankings included No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 15 South Carolina, No. 19 Missouri and No. 20 Illinois — all of whom went 9-3.

Now, the debate of how to rank 9-3 Big Ten and SEC teams on the bubble seems like it will be a heated discussion, but eliminating the amount of at-large teams makes it more fair for the Big Ten.

Each year, the Big Ten plays nine conference opponents while the SEC only plays eight. This small difference allows most SEC teams to schedule a weaker squad in November — such as South Carolina hosting Wofford in 2024 — whereas a Big Ten team is facing a conference foe.

Additionally, the Big Ten and SEC taking up eight auto bids gives those two conferences priority they deserve over the ACC, Big 12 and group of six.

Last year’s playoff saw Penn State blow out ACC title runner-up SMU, 38-10. The Nittany Lions had another favorable matchup in the Fiesta Bowl by taking down Boise State, 31-14. Texas also had its way with ACC champion Clemson with a 38-24 win in the first round.

The playoff should use a “4-4-2-2-1-3” format as it gives the Big Ten the priority it warrants by giving it more auto bids and less risk of being passed over in the at-large bid selection process.

Lyle Alenstein: Big Ten shouldn’t have four automatic bids

One of the changes made to college football last year was the expanded playoff format, jumping from four teams to 12.

The amount of teams headed to the College Football Playoff will once again be 12, but this might be the last year of that due to another potential expansion, with reports saying that a 16-team field is possible within the foreseeable future.

The two conferences would make up half the field if this were to go through. If this were the case, it would shift college football drastically once again in its ever-changing landscape, but the ramifications of this is more than what meets the eye.

It showcases a shift in power. The Big Ten and SEC are perceived by most as the two premier conferences in college football. Whether you agree or not, the proposal indicates that the two leagues do in fact have the upperhand.

“The right thing to be talking about is the two best conferences in all of college football are the Big Ten and the SEC,” James Franklin said in November. “We should have the most teams in. I don’t think there’s any questions to that.”

Seven of the teams that made it represented the pair of conferences this past year. It’s more than just talent though with both the Big Ten and the SEC dominating deals with broadcast networks and viewership numbers.

If this were to be the case, it gives breath to a long-standing rumor — the Big Ten and the SEC forming a super league.

While this situation deals with hypotheticals, as it does with the 16 team-proposal, it doesn’t mean the idea isn’t possible.

Yes, it is a stretch to say that having a pair of conferences with four automatic qualifiers will lead to the creation of a super conference down the road, but the fact that this concept has been talked about means you can’t rule it out.

Talent wise, the narrative is that the Big Ten and SEC have more of it. Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State have been on a dominant stretch in recent memory, being frequent visitors during the four-team era. With the 12-team playoff, programs like Penn State, Michigan, Oregon, LSU and Tennessee likely are going to make the playoffs consistently.

The best schools in the country should be competing at the end of the year for a chance at a national title, but that doesn’t mean there should be parity. There was a small percentage of people that thought TCU would make the championship game in 2023. The same can be said about Boise State and SMU making the playoffs last year.

By giving the Big Ten and SEC a quartet of schools that will be in every single season, it will result in the same colleges making it over and over again, taking away from the rare possibility of the underdog story that makes college football special.

At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?

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ATLANTA — Aaron Judge hit his 36th home run of the season and tied Alex Rodriguez for sixth place in Yankees history as New York defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Sunday.

Judge’s solo homer in the first inning was his 351st with the Yankees, matching A-Rod and behind Babe Ruth (659), Mickey Mantle (536), Lou Gehrig (493), Joe DiMaggio (361) and Yogi Berra (358).

“Just an incredible honor, especially, you know, growing up watching A-Rod for so many years and watching what he did in pinstripes,” Judge said. “He’s a legend. One of the best ever players.”

Judge’s homer on Sunday was his 36th of the season. He is two behind MLB leader Cal Raleigh of the Mariners, who won the Home Run Derby in Atlanta on Monday.

The homer traveled 409 feet to right field off Grant Holmes, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead. It was his eighth home run in his last 17 games.

Judge also scored from first on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s double in the seventh and finished 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

Marcus Stroman (2-1) worked six strong innings in his fourth start since returning from a knee injury. He gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks in his longest outing of the season.

Paul Goldschmidt was 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored, and Giancarlo Stanton was 3 for 5 with a run scored.

Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a solo home run, his 13th, in the ninth off Devin Williams, who earned his 14th save for the Yankees.

Matt Olson hit a 442-foot homer, his 18th, that hit the top of the Chop House in right field in the sixth inning for the Braves’ other run.

Holmes (4-9) gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings.

Trailing 2-0 in the third, the Braves put the first two runners on with the top of the order coming up. Jurickson Profar popped a bunt up to third baseman Jorbit Vivas, and Olson hit into a double play to end the threat.

The win kept the Yankees within three games of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East ahead of a three-game series in Toronto starting Monday.

Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón (10-6, 3.08) will open a three-game series in Toronto against RHP Kevin Gausman (6-7, 4.19) on Monday. Braves RHP Bryce Elder (3-6. 5.65) will oppose Giants RHP Hayden Birdsong (4-3, 4.11) in the opener of a three-game series in Atlanta on Monday.