The move from the BCS system to the College Football Playoff was well overdue when it finally came to fruition in 2014. Having computers decide what teams would be the final two standing in a National Championship seemed foolish even in this advanced age of analytics. Now, there's a new problem facing the playoff; four teams isn't enough.
In light of Nicole Auerbach's tweet on Thursday, via The Athletic, the four teams isn't enough idea might be gaining traction with those who are in charge of those heavy decisions.
Expect a press release later today from the College Football Playoff's management committee regarding a recommendation for an expanded playoff format, a source tells @TheAthletic. SI first reported the development.
â Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) June 10, 2021
One thing that needs to be universally recognized is that no matter how many teams are in the College Football Playoff, it will never be enough for everyone.
Look at the NBA playoffs. It had always been eight teams from the East, and eight from the West. The complaint (from few) had been those first couple of teams that often times just barely miss out on the No. 8 seed, thus missing the postseason. Tough luck, get over it and move on.
Instead, the NBA added the play-in tournament this year, providing an opportunity for the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds in both conferences to battle for the last playoff spots. If they stick with the idea, it will eventually be the No. 11 and No. 12 teams complaining. But, the College Football Playoff differs in some major areas that call for a validated expansion.
In the NBA, just get in the top 10 and it doesn't matter, you'll have a shot at the playoffs. Personal biases, whether or not you are deemed âdeservingâ of the spot in the standings, none of that factors in at all. College football is wildly different.
Coastal Carolina went undefeated in the regular season last year. Out of the Sun Belt Conference, they still had literally no shot at making the College Football Playoff.
Small conference team, weaker schedule, they could've won every game by 1o0 and a one or two loss team out of the SEC or Big Ten still would've been prioritized higher than Coastal Carolina.
The University of Central Florida fell victim to this same act. They went unbeaten in 2017 and topped it off by beating SEC power Auburn in the Peach Bowl. The assumption would be that would earn them some respect heading into the following season.
Instead, Central Florida went 12-0 again in 2018 in the regular season and they were still left out of the College Football Playoff.
An expansion is needed for the CFP for that one major reason. It provides opportunities for those outside of a âPower 5â conference to earn a seat at the table. It also provides opportunity for a team to have a little more room to operate even if they lose one game and are in one of those power conferences.
Now, let's not get this twisted. A team like Coastal Carolina or UCF in the past won't change what happens once the College Football Playoff starts. It's still going to be Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State ending up in the grand finale over and over and over again. Added teams won't change that. The lack of parody in college football is alarming but you can push this bad boy out to 32 teams and it will be Nick Saban against Dabo Swinney in the end most years.
However, an expansion and an inclusion for smaller schools that aren't in the Big 12 or ACC or SEC can do wonders for those programs. Being able to point out that your âsmaller conference schoolâ made even an appearance in a College Football Playoff can boost and entire program up and would do just that.
The idea of an expansion isn't to promote and get true parody, that just won't be happening. Sure, there may be a once-in-a-decade type upset but outside of that, expect much of the same.
That shouldn't sour the idea, though. The entertainment value will tick up, that's for sure. More teams equals more games equals more dollars for the NCAA and everyone goes home happy.
The expansion helps the teams that normally wouldn't have a shot after a more than deserving season. It helps pad Mark Emmert's pockets which will make him happy. But it won't upset Alabama or Clemson or anyone in that top tier. Basically think of an expansion as adding more Notre Dame's as it pertains to the smaller conference teams. It's good for the program, great for the NCAA, but everyone knows they have no real shot. That's what an undefeated team from a smaller conference getting in would be comparable to.
The sneaky good part of pushing out the College Football Playoff to add more is those teams from the SEC and Big 10 and Big 12 that just miss it. Based off the final rankings from last year the quarterfinals would've looked liked this:
Alabama vs. Cincinnati
Clemson vs. Florida
Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M
Who says no to that? Great a smaller conference school like Cincinnati gets in and it helps the image of the program immensely. Meanwhile Ohio State plays Oklahoma just to get to the semifinals. Yes to all of that. Yes to an expansion of the College Football Playoff.
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