Report: College Football Playoff expansion meetings upcoming with 12-team format 'favored outcome' among decision-makers
College football fans that support the current, four-team format of the Playoff system aren’t going to like this report.
In the coming weeks, the powers that be in college football are set to decide whether to expand the Playoff or not, and according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, the “favored outcome” going into those meetings is a 12-team postseason format.
Here is a portion of Thamel’s latest column on the subject:
Yahoo Sports spoke to more than a dozen stakeholders Monday on every side of the playoff decision – university officials, athletic directors, media executives and others around college sports. Amid those conversations, a surprise emerged — officials on campuses, in conference offices and in the television world have expressed an openness toward a 12-team playoff as the most likely result.
While it’s unfair to say momentum has built toward a 12-team playoff before models have been presented to the commissioners or presidents, the 12-team model has emerged as the favored outcome over the eight-team playoff within the industry.
While allowing more teams into the Playoff is something many fans are clamoring for, it’s important to consider what that will do to the sport’s regular season.
If the Playoff field was set at 12, Florida likely would have made it to the Playoff last season after losing to both LSU and Alabama to close out the regular season. Georgia may have made it after losing to Alabama and Florida.
During the 2019 season, the epic showdown between LSU and Alabama in Tuscaloosa would have meant little more than seeding, instead of deciding which SEC West program advanced to Atlanta and had a clear path to the Playoff.
Be prepared for an Iron Bowl with Alabama resting starters, that’s likely coming if the Playoff expands to 12 teams.
There may be more teams in the Playoff in the years to come but that will only make what happens on the field leading up to the postseason tournament less meaningful.
Be careful what you wish for.