Oklahoma Sooners’ Early CFP Exit Highlights Expanded Playoff Scheduling Issues

This year’s College Football Playoff (CFP) has exposed a glaring flaw in the newly expanded playoff schedule, especially for teams like the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners, making their fifth appearance in 12 years of the CFP, saw their season end early, shining a light on the challenges of the new format.

With 12 teams now in the mix, playoff games start earlier than ever. This shift creates scheduling headaches and chips away at the traditional postseason vibe for teams that get bounced in the first round.

Oklahoma’s 2025 CFP run is a pretty clear example of what’s not working. As the No. 8 seed, they got to host Alabama, a team that’s almost a CFP regular at this point.

Still, their ride ended abruptly on December 19—Oklahoma’s earliest postseason exit ever. That stings. It also raises questions about whether these first-round games feel meaningful at all.

The Evolution of the College Football Playoff

The CFP has changed a lot since it all started. Back in 1998, we had the BCS National Championship to avoid split titles, then a four-team playoff for a decade, and now, suddenly, a 12-team field.

The idea was to give more teams a shot at the title. But honestly, it’s made the schedule a lot messier.

Scheduling Conflicts and Challenges

With 12 teams, the first-round games now land much earlier in December. Gone are the days of waiting for New Year’s Eve to kick things off.

This compressed schedule can be tough for teams like Oklahoma, who bowed out on December 19. That’s not just their earliest postseason game—it feels like one of their quickest exits ever.

Major bowls—the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton—used to be New Year’s Day staples, featuring conference champs and top teams. Champions were crowned after those big games, based on the final AP or Coaches Poll.

Now, the CFP schedule kind of bulldozes over that tradition. For teams that lose early, the postseason feels rushed, maybe even a little hollow.

The Impact of Bowl Game Proliferation

Over the past 75 years, bowl games have multiplied like crazy. We’re up to 41 now, which means nearly two-thirds of FBS teams get a bowl invite.

Critics say this waters down what bowl games used to mean. For Oklahoma, with 58 bowl appearances and 31 wins, the new CFP schedule just makes that feeling worse. Their early loss to Alabama almost made the postseason feel like a non-event, even after a 10-2 season.

Comparing Past and Present Postseason Experiences

Oklahoma’s earliest postseason game before this was the December 24, 1993 John Hancock Bowl. They beat Texas Tech that year.

This time, the December 19 game against Alabama felt different. Nine non-playoff bowls had already happened before the Sooners even played, and 16 more went down the following weekend.

There were still seven more bowls before the end of the year, and even a few non-playoff bowls after January 1. Altogether, more than half the bowl games—27, if you’re counting—were played after Oklahoma was already done.

For the Sooners, it almost felt like they missed the postseason entirely. That’s a weird feeling for a playoff team.

Looking Ahead: Potential for Further Expansion

The 12-team playoff might not be the end of the road. A 16-team field seems likely at some point.

That could mean more chances for teams, sure, but also more headaches with the schedule. Early-round losers may keep feeling like their postseason is cut short or just plain unsatisfying.

Possible Solutions and Considerations

So, what could actually help?

• Adjusting the playoff schedule: Maybe push playoff games closer to the old New Year’s Eve slot. That might make the postseason feel more special and cut down on conflicts.
• Reducing the number of bowl games: Fewer bowls could bring back some of the prestige. Only the best teams would get in, and maybe that’d make it matter more.
• Reevaluating playoff expansion: Before jumping to 16 teams, it’s worth thinking about whether the schedule will even work. Keeping things meaningful for everyone should be front and center.

The expanded College Football Playoff has really put a spotlight on some big scheduling problems. Teams like the Oklahoma Sooners felt the effects right away.

Getting knocked out early in the 2025 CFP just shows how tough a tighter, earlier postseason can be. If the playoff grows to 16 teams, these headaches could get worse.

Something’s got to give—whether it’s tweaking the schedule, cutting back on bowl games, or maybe even rethinking if more teams is really the answer. College football’s postseason should feel special, not rushed or watered down.

For more thoughts on how the expanded playoff is shaking things up for teams like Oklahoma, click here.