What happened: Fox analyst Joel Klatt told Dallas station KTCK-FM 96.7 The Ticket on Wednesday, per Football Scoop, that the SEC and Big Ten will announce a formal non-conference scheduling partnership almost immediately after a 24-team College Football Playoff is ratified. The agreement is built to match programs across the top, middle, and lower tiers of both leagues to expand marquee non-conference inventory. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said earlier this month that playoff expansion will carry a conference mandate of at least 10 Power 4 games per team to upgrade early-season slates.

Why it matters: Guaranteeing cross-conference inventory lets both leagues capture more regular-season television value once a 24-team bracket reduces the elimination pressure of individual losses. However, ESPN's Dan Wetzel warned that a 24-team format could push Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State toward independence alongside Notre Dame. Wetzel noted those three programs could double or triple their media revenue and stage eight or nine home games annually without splitting conference payouts or accepting assigned television windows.

What to watch: Formal ratification of the 24-team College Football Playoff format, targeted to take effect as soon as next season, must pass before the SEC and Big Ten announce specific cross-conference pairings.