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Changes to CFB Playoffs? Likely for 2026 not 2025

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skyman said:
Doesnt espn have full dibs unless it expands past a certain point? Makes sense on not having to renegotiate.. Fox has done a great job of propaganda pushing 24 to get their foot in door, terrible decision
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Correct. I believe they are entitled to two games, still can bid for more, if it goes past 14

ESPN holds exclusive broadcast rights to the College Football Playoff up to a 14-team format, a portion of which it has sublicensed to TNT. Beyond 14 teams, additional playoff games go to the open market, which is exactly why the network would very much prefer to keep the entire postseason for itself.
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24 imo ONLY works if you eliminate conference champ games and make it a “play in” game featuring teams 9-24. So top 8 are all in and get a bye. 9-16 get home play-in game vs 17-24. But even that just seems kinda absurd to me. If anything I think max it should probably be top 12 get the bye and then the next 8 are in the play-in game. Play in game decides final 4 seeds….

I really don’t like it though. I like 12 team. 16 team max imo. 20-24 ONLY works if it is a play-in system imo
 
Calinative said:
24 imo ONLY works if you eliminate conference champ games and make it a “play in” game featuring teams 9-24. So top 8 are all in and get a bye. 9-16 get home play-in game vs 17-24. But even that just seems kinda absurd to me. If anything I think max it should probably be top 12 get the bye and then the next 8 are in the play-in game. Play in game decides final 4 seeds….

I really don’t like it though. I like 12 team. 16 team max imo. 20-24 ONLY works if it is a play-in system imo
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I still think 4 rounds is too much with conference championships as it is. There is no way imo you can have both conference championships and 5 rounds of playoffs.

Give me 15 rounds of regular season, 1 BYE. No conference championship, and 4 rounds of playoffs. Idc about the difference between 12 and 16 teams.
 
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cookies said:
Exactly; we saw Alabama pull out a struggle win against a coachless Auburn team and then get throttled by UGA who they previously beat.

They, really i mean DeBoer since he saved his job, redeemed themselves by beating OU however it’s ridiculous that their loss against FSU was never talked about when considering them against the other playoff-bubble teams. There was zero justification for Alabama ahead of Miami when Miami beat their common opponent.

I don’t know if a 24 team playoff will bring back home & homes however I know it’s more likely that way than it would be at just at 16.

Moreover, I’d want to see TT play Texas, OU play Ok State, UCLA v Berkeley, and ofc Miami v UF or Miami v Nebraska/Penn State/UCF etc. I don’t understand why p4 schools play FCS schools.

My ideal scenario, however unlikely, is for there to be 2 OOC p4 matchups, 1 cupcake or non-p4 regional game Ala usf vs miami, and 9 conference games for each p4 team.
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I think an fcs game should replace spring games and not have it count for anything. The fcs schools would still get paid, attendance would be awesome cause everyone would be jonesing. I can't believe it hasn't been considered yet.
 
The 24 team playoff mirrors the 12 team playoffs we have already because in both formats 1/3 of the teams are given 1st round byes. It would also eliminate conference championships.

The 16 team playoff should mirror the 4 team playoffs whereby no team gets a bye week. So far, the 16 team models I’ve seen from the SEC do not do that. Nor would the 16 team models eliminate conference championships.

Before the natty, the main proposal was a 5+11 model with 4 p4 conference champions plus the top ranked G6 squad automatically qualified. There would be a playin round with 13 hosting 16 and 14 hosting 15 running concurrently with the conference championship week.

Still, in the 16 team model previously proposed, two conference champions get a double bye…. And we all know that means; the SEC and B1G get double byes to the quarterfinals—while everybody else has to play extra games.

Wouldn’t be surprised if they stay at 12 for the duration of the tv contract.
 
Calinative said:
24 imo ONLY works if you eliminate conference champ games and make it a “play in” game featuring teams 9-24. So top 8 are all in and get a bye. 9-16 get home play-in game vs 17-24. But even that just seems kinda absurd to me. If anything I think max it should probably be top 12 get the bye and then the next 8 are in the play-in game. Play in game decides final 4 seeds….

I really don’t like it though. I like 12 team. 16 team max imo. 20-24 ONLY works if it is a play-in system imo
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The bolded is exactly the current proposal for 24.

I could get behind 16 if they do away with conference championship games and eliminate all byes. I haven’t once seen that option presented.

The underlined would seemingly be a perfect compromise between the two sides; yet, i haven’t seen it discussed at all which leads me to conclude that the contract with ESPN as well as conference championships have been deemed too sacrosanct to move off of.

Between what’s been proposed, i prefer the 24. Ideally, i love the underlined better than 24 or 16. If there were no byes or conference championships with the 16, I’d be all for that option. I don’t see that happening IMO. I don’t see staying at 12 for the 2027 season & beyond happening either although it is always an option.
 
Kn[]_[]ckles3o5 said:
I think an fcs game should replace spring games and not have it count for anything. The fcs schools would still get paid, attendance would be awesome cause everyone would be jonesing. I can't believe it hasn't been considered yet.
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Would be an upgrade. I don’t think many head coaches like spring games that much anyways.
 
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