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Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz dropped an eye-popping College Football Playoff proposal in a recent interview. The new twelve-team format was a resounding success, giving several programs unprecedented opportunities to compete for a national championship. The move was a healthy one for the sport and evens the playing field more between the bigger and smaller schools. Now, more than half the teams in the country will not be eliminated from competing in the playoff before even competing in a game.
Drinkwitz, however, believes the committee should expand beyond just twelve teams. During SEC Media Days, the now sixth-year head coach of Missouri football offered a take that many people will disagree with: expanding the College Football Playoff to 30 teams. Drinkwitz gave a succinct answer to why.
“Now you’re talking about an opportunity for 30 teams, 30 fanbases to be excited and engaged, engaged in giving revenue. You’ve got 30 teams with players who have access to compete for a championship. So, for me, I think that makes a lot more sense.”
One thing that's certain about this take is that it certainly would benefit the Tigers. Drinkwitz has his program heading in the right direction, with Missouri football finishing in the top 25 over the past two years. The 2025 squad is also projected to be ranked heading into the season, with a projected strong offensive line and formidable defense. The starting quarterback position is a question mark with Brady Cook off to the NFL, but if the Tigers can get solid production under center, they could surprise a lot of teams in the SEC.
On paper, the schedule will not be easy for Drinkwitz and company, but it is somewhat manageable. The Tigers have an early-season clash with Kansas before starting their SEC slate a few weeks later against South Carolina. Soon after, Missouri will host Alabama in a game that could determine the trajectory of the season. The two other opponents that could really give the Tigers issues are Texas A&M and Oklahoma, both somewhat enigmas with the potential to contend for College Football Playoff slots.
Overall, Drinkwitz's suggestion is intriguing, but expanding the College Football Playoff to more than 16 teams seems excessive. A 30-team format would give student-athletes many more games to play, increasing their risk of injury, and would certainly diminish the importance of the regular season. 12-16 teams seems like the sweet spot for the College Football Playoff, but maybe a proposal like Drinkwitz's becomes the norm in the near future.
