Ohio State AD Supports CFP Reduction to Four Teams for Competitive Edge
In a recent interview, Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork shared his thoughts on the College Football Playoff (CFP) format. He admitted he’d “selfishly” like to go back to the old four-team setup.
This comes as the CFP expands to 12 teams in 2024. There’s even talk about stretching it to 24, which feels like a lot.
Bjork’s comments really shine a light on the tension between keeping things fair and chasing bigger paydays in college football.
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The Current State of the CFP
The College Football Playoff has changed how the national champion is decided. Before 2024, only four teams got in.
Ohio State’s been a regular, making the tournament five times and snagging the national title in 2024. Still, Bjork thinks the bigger playoff waters down the regular season.
Ohio State’s Performance
The Buckeyes have stayed solid in the CFP era. They won it all in 2024 and made it to the quarterfinals, but lost to Miami in the Cotton Bowl.
Bjork says the expanded format takes away from what they do in the regular season. For example, Ohio State went undefeated, lost the Big Ten championship to Indiana, and then lost to an ACC team that didn’t even play for its own conference title.
Arguments for a Four-Team CFP
Bjork’s push for a four-team CFP is all about fairness. He feels a smaller playoff rewards teams for what they’ve done all season.
Expanding to 12 or 24 teams, in his eyes, just makes those regular-season games matter less.
Competitive Fairness
He argues that four teams means only the best get a shot at the big prize. Teams that didn’t do well in their conferences wouldn’t sneak in.
For Ohio State, that could mean a more direct path to the title game. They wouldn’t have to go through teams like Miami, who didn’t even win their conference but still advanced.
The Case for Expansion
Even so, Bjork gets why expansion is tempting. More games equal more TV viewers and, honestly, a lot more money for the schools.
That kind of financial boost is hard to ignore, especially now when live sports are a goldmine for networks.
Financial Incentives
Extra games bring in higher ratings. That means more cash flowing into college football.
Bjork sees the value in expansion because it creates more content, which is huge when people can watch whatever they want, whenever they want. More content, more money—it just works.
Keeping the Regular Season Alive
Bjork also thinks a bigger CFP can make regular-season games more exciting. With more teams in the hunt, each game feels like it matters more.
That kind of tension can drive up viewership and make games more valuable. It’s a win for everyone if you look at it that way.
The Future of the CFP
There’s no clear answer on what the perfect CFP size should be. Sure, 24 teams sounds wild to some folks, but it could open doors for programs like BYU and Notre Dame that have been left out before.
More spots mean more teams get their shot. That could shake things up in a good way.
Potential Pitfalls
But let’s be real—expanding to 24 teams isn’t all sunshine. More games could wear down the players and maybe even lower the level of play.
Plus, if almost everyone gets in, do the regular-season games really matter as much? That’s a tough one to answer.
Balancing Act
The choice to expand the CFP isn’t simple. It means weighing competitive fairness against the lure of more money.
Bjork prefers sticking with four teams, and honestly, that’s pretty reasonable. Still, it’s tough to ignore how extra games and a bigger tournament might boost excitement and revenue for college football.
For more detailed insights, check out the full article on Ohio State AD Would ‘Selfishly’ Be Okay With Moving CFP Back to Four Teams.
