Playoff explanding to 16 in 2026?

[LandoComando]

Why College Football Playoff expansion could push out to 16 teams sooner than you may think

Some invested parties already prefer a 16-team format, and future CFP rightsholders might as well

www.cbssports.com

By 2030 we'll be at least at 20...if not 24.

 

[blair10]

I hope not. This sounds like greed and money are driving the number of playoff teams to go higher and higher. I don’t want college football to become like the NHL where there is a low bar for teams to make the playoffs.

 

[LandoComando]

I hope not. This sounds like greed and money are driving the number of playoff teams to go higher and higher. I don’t want college football to become like the NHL where there is a low bar for teams to make the playoffs.

If the playoff expands to 16 it would be only 12% of the teams making the playoffs...24 teams is only 18%. That's not a low bar at all.

10 conference winners and 14 at large is perfect and I do truly believe we'll be there, like FCS, within a decade. I can't wait.

 

[NITTANYJGK]

Hell, let's make it 64 teams and we can play maybe into March. Why not? NIL and transfers have ruined college football so let's ruin it some more by making the regular season irrelevant. Finishing 4-8 should be good enough to get in the Grand Playoffs.

 

[LandoComando]

Hell, let's make it 64 teams and we can play maybe into March. Why not? NIL and transfers have ruined college football so let's ruin it some more by making the regular season irrelevant. Finishing 4-8 should be good enough to get in the Grand Playoffs.

Basically what it takes to get to a bowl which you apparently like. 24 teams makes the regular season far meaningful. Currently few teams even have an opportunity day 1. FCS does 24....its not unreasonable at all. 16 will happen very soon.

 

[LMTLION]

If the playoff expands to 16 it would be only 12% of the teams making the playoffs...24 teams is only 18%. That's not a low bar at all.

10 conference winners and 14 at large is perfect and I do truly believe we'll be there, like FCS, within a decade. I can't wait.

I have conversed in other threads on the topic. I think a 12 -24 team playoff is awful for cfb. You cannot de-emphasize the conference schedules. The conference rivalries are what make cfb special. I prefer to create 3 super conferences with their own mini tournaments and no more than 8 teams in a playoff.

 

[LandoComando]

I have conversed in other threads on the topic. I think a 12 -24 team playoff is awful for cfb. You cannot de-emphasize the conference schedules. The conference rivalries are what make cfb special. I prefer to create 3 super conferences with their own mini tournaments and no more than 8 teams in a playoff.

A playoff doesn't diminish those games though. I mean, as much as many here dislike the concept we're getting 12 and it will go beyond that. I think once we start making the playoffs (which will happen occasionally when it goes to 12 and should almost always happen as it goes beyond that) they'll quickly change their minds. Time will tell. The reality though is the current system is antiquated.

 

[HailToPitt725]

I hope not. This sounds like greed and money are driving the number of playoff teams to go higher and higher. I don’t want college football to become like the NHL where there is a low bar for teams to make the playoffs.

The NBA is even worse than the NHL. At least hockey has two more teams in the league, meaning 50% of teams make it. 66% of the Association makes the postseason with the addition of the play-in tournament.

 

[Ian]

Bowl system is done, dead, gone the way of the looney bird. CFB has to install a solid and expanded playoff system and I’m not sure why 8 teams doesn’t work with 5 conference champs and 3 wild cards. That’s 3 weeks of play and seven games using major Bowl sites. Not in favor of December home games for anyone. Everyone else vies for other bowl games.

 

[LandoComando]

Bowl system is done, dead, gone the way of the looney bird. CFB has to install a solid and expanded playoff system and I’m not sure why 8 teams doesn’t work with 5 conference champs and 3 wild cards. That’s 3 weeks of play and seven games using major Bowl sites. Not in favor of December home games for anyone. Everyone else vies for other bowl games.

Because there's 10 conferences and only 8 of 133 teams getting in seems absurdly low

 

[bdgan]

Bowl system is done, dead, gone the way of the looney bird. CFB has to install a solid and expanded playoff system and I’m not sure why 8 teams doesn’t work with 5 conference champs and 3 wild cards. That’s 3 weeks of play and seven games using major Bowl sites. Not in favor of December home games for anyone. Everyone else vies for other bowl games.

Imagine a December 21st playoff game in Beaver Stadium.

• Crappy weather to travel through the mountains
• In the middle of the Christmas Holiday
• No students
• Difficult tailgating in cold weather, muddy parking lots

I always preferred an 8 team playoff. Play them in the traditional 4 major bowls. Only 2 extra games (semi finals & finals)

 

[The Spin Meister]

A playoff doesn't diminish those games though. I mean, as much as many here dislike the concept we're getting 12 and it will go beyond that. I think once we start making the playoffs (which will happen occasionally when it goes to 12 and should almost always happen as it goes beyond that) they'll quickly change their minds. Time will tell. The reality though is the current system is antiquated.

12 is terrible as it gives the traditional big boys a bye week, a huge advantage come the second round. Which is probably why the NCAA went to 12 instead of 8.…..the big boys wanted that advantage before signing on. No one should get a bye week. 8 is fine because even a 10th ranked team doesn’t have a realistic chance so 16 is too many.

There is a surprising difference once you get past the top five or six teams. It’s rare for for even an 8th ranked team to beat a top three when they meet in the regular season or conference title game……..not counting the first half of the seasons when the rankings aren’t close to being accurate.

 

[blair10]

Imagine a December 21st playoff game in Beaver Stadium.

• Crappy weather to travel through the mountains
• In the middle of the Christmas Holiday
• No students
• Difficult tailgating in cold weather, muddy parking lots

I always preferred an 8 team playoff. Play them in the traditional 4 major bowls. Only 2 extra games (semi finals & finals)

I like the concept of an 8 team playoff. However, the bowls are a thing of the past. I prefer the idea of the CFP selecting great venues just like the NFL.

 

[AvgUser]

Here comes another 184 deluge of replies why someone thinks they are correct with their opinion

 

[LandoComando]

12 is terrible as it gives the traditional big boys a bye week, a huge advantage come the second round. Which is probably why the NCAA went to 12 instead of 8.…..the big boys wanted that advantage before signing on. No one should get a bye week. 8 is fine because even a 10th ranked team doesn’t have a realistic chance so 16 is too many.

There is a surprising difference once you get past the top five or six teams. It’s rare for for even an 8th ranked team to beat a top three when they meet in the regular season or conference title game……..not counting the first half of the seasons when the rankings aren’t close to being accurate.

But they should be given the opportunity to earn it on the field. The small percentage that make the playoffs is unheard of and expansion is needed to include all conference winners. If not split FBS into 2 levels.

 

[LandoComando]

Here comes another 184 deluge of replies why someone thinks they are correct with their opinion

Ad opposed to the replies who are just reluctant to accept change?
Expansion is coming no matter how much you hate it. College football will be incredibly different within 5-8 years and that's a good thing. It will greatly benefit all other college sports as well. $$$

 

[The Spin Meister]

But they should be given the opportunity to earn it on the field. The small percentage that make the playoffs is unheard of and expansion is needed to include all conference winners. If not split FBS into 2 levels.

They do have that opportunity. It’s called the regular season.

Percentages don’t apply. Can‘t compare to any pro sport because those leagues are strictly operated in several ways to maintain some competitive balance amoungst the teams. That does not exist in college football…thus you have a huge disparity in the top three or four vs the tenth team or the fifteenth team.

Having the 24th ranked team play the number one team…..or the ninth team….will result in boring blowouts that few will watch. And giving the top teams a bye week is giving them a huge advantage on top of the huge advantages they already have.

 

[LMTLION]

A playoff doesn't diminish those games though. I mean, as much as many here dislike the concept we're getting 12 and it will go beyond that. I think once we start making the playoffs (which will happen occasionally when it goes to 12 and should almost always happen as it goes beyond that) they'll quickly change their minds. Time will tell. The reality though is the current system is antiquated.

With concerns about player safety along the realities of transfer portal and opt outs, I fail to see the viability of going into a 24 team playoff. It won’t happen and if it does it will be a dud. I am cool with the current top 4 and would not go above 8.

 

[LandoComando]

They do have that opportunity. It’s called the regular season.

Percentages don’t apply. Can‘t compare to any pro sport because those leagues are strictly operated in several ways to maintain some competitive balance amoungst the teams. That does not exist in college football…thus you have a huge disparity in the top three or four vs the tenth team or the fifteenth team.

Having the 24th ranked team play the number one team…..or the ninth team….will result in boring blowouts that few will watch. And giving the top teams a bye week is giving them a huge advantage on top of the huge advantages they already have.

The regular season doesn't give all teams that opportunity. See 10 conferences. Compare it to other college sports. How is that different than the first round of other college sports? And there will be the occasional upset which makes it worthwhile for that Cinderella story.

 

[LandoComando]

With concerns about player safety along the realities of transfer portal and opt outs, I fail to see the viability of going into a 24 team playoff. It won’t happen and if it does it will be a dud. I am cool with the current top 4 and would not go above 8.

It's going above 8...you know that right? And there's already talk or 16 or 20 by 2026 and more by 2030. Just like March Madness might so to 90.

The reality is a playoff doesn't work without all conference winners. You may think 4 teams was enough this year but Penn State Alabama and others could have made noise in a playoff and they should have that opportunity as should all G5 conf champs.