Every fall, college football has taken a special place in the hearts of millions of Americans across the country. There is nothing quite like getting to watch dozens of hopeful teams compete against one another in an effort to come out on top. However, the highest possible competition in football, the College Football Playoffs, is so restrictive as to which teams actually get to compete in the playoffs. That is why, as of next season, there will henceforth be 12 teams competing for the national championship title.
This change is one of the CFP Foundation’s best decisions. For starters, this expansion creates opportunities for far more teams not only to make the playoffs but also to compete for a chance to win the national championship. Since the CFP’s introduction in the 2014 season, only 14 teams have had a chance to compete in the playoffs, half of which have only appeared once. The playoffs have been primarily dominated by football powerhouses such as Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia.
Many will say that the reason these teams continue to appear in the playoffs is that they are simply the best, meaning they deserve to take these spots, which is still true. However, time and time again, teams have shown that, despite their lower rankings, they are still able to compete at a level equal to those ranked 1-4. Introducing 8 more teams into the fray creates a far more competitive field of play. Despite this, the CFP will still be more lenient to the top four teams, as the bracket play has the top four resting up for quarter-finals while lower seeds compete for their spot in a lower round.
When considering the fact that lower-seeded teams are pitted against top-ranked opponents just a week apart, it makes sense that these teams have a far more difficult path to the championship. Some see this as a good thing, leaving only miracle teams that truly deserve the championship to come out on top, but others see it as less competitive. This viewpoint stems from the fact that the top four teams have nearly two full weeks of more rest than their opponents, who will have come out of what is already a hard-fought victory over a similarly ranked team. A potential fix to this issue would simply be to space out the games between the first round and quarter-finals, giving both teams adequate time to rest in the latter game.
The biggest concern for the organizers, however, is money, and this becomes of no concern with expansion. The CFP is already one of the most heavily monetized sports events of the year, and introducing 8 more faithful fanbases each year only boosts the viewership potential. In addition, this sparks more media output on the topic, only further expanding the playoffs in terms of popularity.
The big change to be made as of next year is a win-win situation for all parties involved. For conferences, a larger spotlight can be set on teams that so often get ignored with the current standard. For teams, the threshold for actually getting into the playoffs becomes far more lenient, and the chances of taking home a trophy are greatly increased. For the organizers, a larger viewership and greater monetization only lead to greater growth. Most importantly, however, the viewers get a far more exciting experience with college football, getting to see three times the usual teams battle it out for the greatest achievement in college football.
