Former Auburn coach Terry Bowden is 18 years removed from his time with the Tigers, but he knows the difference between the treatment of teams from the Power 5 and the Group of 5 because he’s coached at each type of institution.

Now settled in as the head coach at Akron, which plays in the Mid-American Conference, Bowden has a strong opinion on what the College Football Playoff should do to be more inclusive.

He wants the College Football Playoff to expand to eight teams, and to include room for a non-Power 5 conference team within those eight.

Here’s what he told ESPN’s Heather Dinich recently:

“I don’t think anybody in the Mid-American Conference believes that if you go undefeated they’re going to pick you to be in the final four,” he said. “I don’t think they’re going to pick us. There’s always going to be one or two teams with one loss from the SEC or Big Ten that they’re going to pick over an undefeated team. With four teams? Not a chance.

“I don’t think we coaches believe there’s a realistic chance, and I don’t think our players believe the four-team playoff gives us a realistic chance of playing for a national championship,” he said. “I don’t think we have the same luxury. I don’t think we hoodwink our guys into thinking that, as it now stands, there’s some kind of way that an undefeated G-5 can get in.”

Some would argue that Bowden’s hopes for expansion to include a Group of 5 team could enhance the product. In some ways, it is akin to getting the opportunity to root for the underdog, like in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Others would counter saying that an eight-team playoff needs to be between the eight most talented teams, which most years would include all eight teams being from Power 5 conferences.

As it stands, this is all speculation, as the College Football Playoff has given no indication that it is looking to change the current four-team format.