College Football Playoff Board Expected to Vote to Expand
Ever since the College Football Playoff format was introduced in 2014, there has been debate about the potential of expansion to 8, 12, or even 16 teams.
Proponents of the change feel it would provide a more distinct feeling to the playoffs and allow for more playoff upsets.
Detractors believe the playoff games would be disappointing due to a large disparity in play between the top 4 teams and the bottom 4. Some also say it devalues the regular season too much.
We may get a chance to see both of those opinions put to the test.
The College Football Playoffs Board of Managers is expected to vote to expand the playoffs to 12 teams. The board includes presidents and CEOs of universities representing each of the FBS conferences.
The vote must be unanimous but if it passes, the change will likely take effect in 2024.
Obviously, it won't be as simple as just adding a few more games to the schedule. The methodology of selecting the teams, the television rights, potential home-field advantages, and the actual calendar scheduling all must be worked out by the time the expansion would go live.
@CFBPlayoffEdits on Twitter made a graphic that explains how a proposed expansion could work using the top teams from last season.
At the end of the day, if this expansion goes through, it means more college football and a more competitive playoffs system.
Personally, I'm a fan of this. I believe this model balances what is currently a system that overvalues things like strength of schedule, conferences, and ranked wins.
A 12-team playoff gives chances for Cinderella stories and improbable runs that college football fans love.
The vote will happen on Friday, expect the outcome to be talked about all season, no matter what is chosen.