Dan Mullen expects future CFP expansion, potential to 'let go' of traditional bowl system
Florida wasn’t one of the four teams to make the College Football Playoff this season, as the Gators ended up at No. 7 in the final CFP rankings following a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. However, if the CFP was expanded to include more teams, then it’s possible Florida would have had an opportunity to contend for the national title.
There have been plenty of comments from those around the sport pushing to expand the CFP to a larger field in recent years. This season, the only four teams that had an opportunity to compete for the national championship were Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame. Even if the field was expanded to eight teams, it would give double the number of teams a chance.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “Championship Drive” on Monday, Florida head coach Dan Mullen shared his thoughts on the matter, as he indicated that he believes playoff expansion and the removal of the traditional bowl system could be on the horizon at some point.
“When the playoff started and it went to four games, I think it became a matter of time,” Mullen said on the show (h/t Dean Straka of 247Sports.com). “Now, is that time now, or in the future? But I think what we have to do to expand the playoffs is be willing to let go of the old system.”
And if that happened, Mullen acknowledged that things are going to be much different from how they were in the past.
“It’s going to change,” Mullen said. “I think you have to be ready to just embrace the change. Let’s kind of start over, maybe, and say, moving forward, this might be the best way to do it. Now, for a lot of people, that will be a sad day. …
“Now the experience of going for a week to a bowl game … to enjoy the whole bowl festivities is great, but with the playoff, I think college football is moving in a different direction from that, and we have to be ready to accept that if we’re going to expand.”
Florida has yet to make the College Football Playoff since the format began with the 2014 season. But if the field soon expands, it would increase the Gators’ odds of making it in the future. They came close during 2020, so they may already be on the cusp of contention.
What are you going to do about the total number of games that the players have to play, Dan? Also the semis are blowouts as it is, it is just going to get worse the more teams you allow in.
You’re right, a lot of the playoff games since the inception of the CFP have been blowouts. I’m not sure expanding the field will change that or realistically result in a team not ranked in the top 5 winning the NC.
Its not up to Mullen, and definitely none of us posting on message boards to figure out about extra games. Some people believe letting more teams in is a better thing, and will help all schools get better recruits. I know so far the CFP hasn’t really helped college football as a complete group. Something needs to be done to include the group of 5 too. Currently they can’t even play for a NC of any kind.
Is the purpose of the CFP to help all teams equally? Did the BCS do that? G5 should have their own championship, including them just for the sake of including them accomplishes little.
I agree with the G5 getting their own NC, but yes the CFP pretends to include them currently.
The opposite is likely to happen. With more teams having the opportunity to get in, it should open up recruiting for more teams to get the top 4 and 5-star recruits. Most will not automatically just go to a select few teams as is the case now.
drop 1 non conference game? I want the best 4,6, or 8 teams in, i dont agree with the “tie ins” most want i.e. the 5 confrence champions and then best group of 5…..
A home game makes most P5 schools millions of dollars. Schools that don’t make the playoffs won’t be able to make that money up. The rich will just keep getting richer.
Expanding the playoffs would provide an incentive for affected players not to opt out.
They ha e to expand it or they will simply cause a loss of interest.
Ohio St being allowed to be in the Playoffs is ridiculous since theybdidnt even play the minimum number of games ti be in the Big Ten championship game… until thatbrule was modified.
If we are just going to anoint the same 4-5 teams every year, why bother playing the season… just play the NCG game and randomly choose 2 of the 4-5 teams every year.
And just as LSU beat the Gators whe. No one expected it, or when in 2006 the Gatora steam rolled the “unbeatable” OSU Buckeyes… they play the game because on any given saturday, anyone can pull off an upset.
Shadow, you need to either slow down typing or enter spell check into your life.
The problem we seem to be currently facing is with the bowl games outside of the 4 playoff teams and players deciding not to bother playing. That will destroy the current bowl system. The UF team that played Bama was not the one we saw vs. Oklahoma. I don’t think that was just UF’s isolated problem.
The non-playoff bowl games are being marginalized and likely will never be the same as they were in the past. As a college football fan, that’s sad – but it’s reality.
Yes have to agree. Current system has created a funnel effect for the top tier recruits which has lead to the same teams in the playoff every year. You can just about bet Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State will be in the playoff next year. And the year after…
Someone said it’s not about being fair. Maybe not. But in order to generate the revenue that is needed to continue this level of interest nationally, fans need to believe their team, or at least their conference has a chance.
Include the 5 conference champions, two highest ranked at large, the group of 5 best team.
Blowout or not, let the players settle it on the field.
Let’s keep more players from opting out by still believing they have something play for and fans still watching because they believe the same.
LMAO at Gator fans who are feeling left out of the 5 star recruiting funnel. Maybe you should tell your lazy coach to get off his a@$$ and do some recruiting.
Or if we look at the entire post I made… Take this year for example- Oklahoma vs Florida would/could have been a playoff game. Maybe Florida with full complement of players gets by OU, or maybe OU still runs over UF. But this would allow the Big 12 Conference champion that initially stumbled out of the gate but is playing its best ball at the end of the season to compete for title.
Same thing for the Cincinnati vs Georgia game- would/could have been a playoff game. Could a UGA team with a renewed offense under Daniels make a run? Who wouldn’t want to see those teams against Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama?
As a college football fan, I would love to have seen any of those matchups. And I would bet the final game would have been more competitive that what we saw Monday night.
To me the headline says “Dan Mullen expects to be let go”. He hopes. Lol. He’s quitting like UF coaches do.
Reading comprehension shouldn’t be that hard