Why a 24-Team College Football Playoff Could Ruin Everything
College football’s always been a sport tangled up in tradition, wild passion, and those legendary rivalries. The College Football Playoff (CFP) system was supposed to crank up the excitement and make things fairer.
At first, the 4-team playoff format kicked off a storm of debates and controversy, which eventually led to an expansion to a 12-team field. Now, the American Football Coaches Association is pushing for a 24-team playoff, and, honestly, it’s got fans, analysts, and everyone else buzzing—sometimes angrily.
This new idea could really shake things up. Some folks are worried it might water down the competition and make the regular season feel less important.
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The Evolution of the College Football Playoff
When the CFP first landed, the goal was to give us a more thrilling and even-handed postseason. A 4-team playoff was supposed to settle the argument over who deserved the national title.
But it didn’t take long for people to notice how many good teams were still left out. That constant noise about selection criteria and team snubs? It pushed the move to 12 teams.
- Increased TV revenue
- More exciting and high-stakes games
- Enhanced fan engagement
The 12-team format brought playoff games to campus stadiums, which really amped up the atmosphere. Home fans brought the noise, and we finally got to see top teams from different conferences go head-to-head.
Persistent Issues with the Current Format
Even with 12 teams, selection headaches haven’t gone away. Look at the 2025 season: Alabama, despite a blowout loss in the SEC Championship and three total losses, made the playoff over Notre Dame—who had two losses but rattled off 10 straight wins.
And then there’s the Group of Five teams. Two of them made it in, only to get blown out by Power Five teams. Makes you wonder if the selection process is really working.
The 24-Team Proposal: A Step Too Far?
The American Football Coaches Association, with the Big Ten in their corner, is now calling for a 24-team playoff. Not everyone’s thrilled about it.
The SEC, for one, wants to keep it smaller—maybe 16 teams at most. They argue that a 24-team playoff drags the season out too long and lets in teams that probably don’t belong.
Potential Drawbacks of a 24-Team Playoff
There are some big worries with a 24-team bracket:
- Extended Playoff Schedule: More teams means the playoff season stretches even longer, pushing the National Championship Game further into January. The 2026 title game? It was already on January 19, which feels pretty late for college football.
- Inclusion of Undeserving Teams: You could end up with 8-4 Iowa or 9-3 Syracuse sneaking in. Does anyone really want to watch those teams in the playoff?
- Devaluation of the Regular Season: If almost everyone gets in, what’s the point of grinding through the regular season? Teams might schedule cupcake non-conference games and care less about rivalry matchups.
The Impact on Non-Conference Scheduling and Rivalries
One of the best things about college football is that every Saturday can flip the season on its head. But the 12-team format has already started messing with non-conference schedules.
Some classic rivalries, like USC-Notre Dame, have already been dropped. If the playoff expands to 24 teams, that trend could get worse—teams will probably line up easier opponents just to rack up wins, knowing a few conference losses won’t ruin their playoff dreams.
End-of-Season Rivalry Games
Think about those end-of-season rivalry games, like Ohio State-Michigan. If both teams are already playoff-bound, the tension just isn’t the same.
Coaches might even rest their starters, figuring a loss won’t really matter for seeding. That would take a lot of the magic and drama out of games that fans live for.
A More Balanced Approach: The 16-Team Solution
The 24-team playoff idea? Honestly, it just feels like too much. Expanding to a 16-team playoff, though, might actually make sense.
- Accommodate More Teams: It’d give more deserving teams from the SEC, Big Ten, and other tough conferences a shot, which is only fair considering their brutal schedules.
- Maintain Competitiveness: At the same time, it keeps the competition fierce—only strong teams get in, so those playoff games would still have that edge-of-your-seat energy.
- Incorporate Group of Five Teams: Plus, standout Group of Five teams could finally get a real chance without the field feeling watered down.
If you’re curious about the downsides of a 24-team playoff, you can check out the full article here. It’s worth a look if you care about the future of college football.
