According to reports, the Big Ten conference is currently exploring the idea of significantly expanding the College Football Playoff, potentially to 24 or 28 teams.
This would drastically increase the size of the postseason tournament and could eliminate conference championship games. Greed is completely taking over the sport of college football. Last year was the first 12-team playoff, but there were already talks of expanding to 16 teams, and now possibly more. The CFP is expected to expand to 16 teams starting in the 2026 season.
While the exact format is still being finalized, the leading proposal includes automatic qualification for the champions of the five major conferences (Power Five) and at-large bids for the remaining 11 teams. The expansion is driven by a desire to include more teams and potentially generate more revenue. However, there are concerns about potential scheduling conflicts with the NFL and the impact on regular season games.
Watering Down the CFP
The more they expand the playoff, the more they will not just water down the regular season, but also water down the playoff. There are only so many quality teams that can compete for a national championship and continuing to expand is all about money and revenue. Especially when the 12-team playoff is still in its infant stage.
The proposed expansion of the CFP to 24 or 28 teams underscores the growing influence of financial motives in college football. While the move to a 12-team playoff in 2024 was already a significant shift, the rapid push for further expansion—potentially to 16 teams by 2026 and beyond—raises serious concerns about the sport’s integrity. The promise of increased revenue through more games and broader market appeal is undeniable, but at what cost?
Diluting the regular season’s significance risks diminishing the stakes of historic rivalries and marquee matchups that define college football’s allure. Moreover, an oversized playoff could stretch the definition of a “quality” contender, flooding the postseason with teams that lack the caliber to compete for a national title. This trajectory mirrors professional sports leagues, where postseason bloat often overshadows regular-season excellence.
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The potential elimination of conference championship games further erodes tradition, prioritizing TV contracts over competitive merit. Fans and analysts alike must ask: does expansion enhance the sport or merely pad wallets? As college football navigates this pivotal moment, stakeholders must balance financial ambition with preserving the game’s unique spirit. Otherwise, the pursuit of greed may irreparably dilute what makes college football special.
