The entire college football world doesn't like the new 24-team College Football Playoff, but it's a good thing.
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The 24-team College Football Playoff is good for the sport, even if it’s not evident right away
The entire college football world doesn’t like the new 24-team College Football Playoff, but it’s a good thing.
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Why the 24-team playoff is a good thing
Now that we are going into a 24-team playoff next year, manye believe that it’s going to be watered down, and just an excuse to get mid-tier SEC teams to compete for a national championship. Early on, I would somewhat agree with you. Things are absolutely biased toward the SEC and, to a lesser extent, the Big Ten. Let’s break down what the bracket would have looked like in 2025.
Are the first-round matchups sexy? Not particularly, but anytime you get two top-25 teams, it makes for good football. It also brings about some really intriguing matchups in round two, like Indiana vs. USC, Vanderbilt vs. Georgia, and Notre Dame vs. Ole Miss. Now, those would have been some really fun matchups to watch in the second round, and they would have been must-watch television, like the College Football Playoff was last year.
There is another element to the discussion as well. The more spots you add to the College Football Playoff, the more teams feel like they have a shot at realistically winning a national championship. That is good for the health of college football, especially with the same teams being the ones at the top seemingly every year. We’ve been lucky over the past three years, having six different participants in the national championship game, including non-traditional powers in the 21st century with the Washington Huskies, Indiana Hoosiers, and Miami Hurricanes.
It’s good to have new blood in the mix, and that will be a huge thing moving forward. The more teams that feel like they have a chance to win it if they get into the dance, the better it is for the sport. Now, NIL does matter a lot in this discussion, but donors have to have a reason to give their money. Indiana has the biggest alumni base in the country, but it took Curt Cignetti to get them to really dive in and contribute. Not every school is going to see that kind of success. The Texas Tech Red Raiders have seen a massive influx in donor funding, as did other schools, but it hasn’t resonated in the same way. Even with massive funding, you still need to perform on the field. That is still what’s most important.
Within that entire puzzle of NIL and an expanded playoff, talent and performance on the field is still the No. 1 driver of the entire equation. The one thing that has happened a lot throughout the playoff era is how much the recruiting has flattened overall. In a four-year sample size where I took specific years (20 years prior during peak BCS, first year of the CFP, last year before NIL began and last year), you can see how much recruiting has flattened out.
| Year |
No. 1 Class |
No. 25 Class |
Where 2026 No. 25 Would Rank |
| 2026 |
93.656 |
88.233 |
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| 2019 |
94.675 |
87.574 |
25th |
| 2014 |
95.358 |
87.941 |
24th |
| 2006 |
93.914 |
83.868 |
9th |
In fact, 17 teams landed a five-star recruit in the class of 2026. Plus, the transfer portal has prevented the traditional powerhouses like the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Ohio State Buckeyes from having insane levels of depth everywhere. They don’t have a five-star sitting for two years behind another five-star before getting a real opportunity. Those players are now transferring to schools like the Missouri Tigers and Virginia Tech Hokies. Distribution of talent is much stronger across the board, which is better for the sport as a collective whole.
Now, will the distribution of talent get stronger overnight? Not at all, but the more schools that believe they can compete for a national title will start to, and recruits will start to buy into that. Coaching, development, and player retention will still matter the most when it comes to success, but the more teams who can field stronger rosters, the better for the overall health.
I don’t buy the idea that rivalries will die out or mean less to these teams. There are often 100+ years of hatred between schools. Earlier this year, the Kansas Jayhawks released a video before their big rivalry week game against the Missouri Tigers, reminding them that they were at one point pro slavery. These games mean more than just seeding for the playoff. Teams won’t bench their guys for these big rivalry games because they mean more. This expanded playoff won’t change that.
Look, is this the ideal scenario? Absolutely not, but there should have been a playoff system implemented 40 or 50 years ago, and we shouldn’t have had to wait until now to fix an issue that should have never existed.
This likely won’t be great immediately, but it will be healthier for the sport as a whole, and hopefully expand the sport outside of what everyone thinks it is right now: the SEC and the Big Ten. If you’re a fan of Boston College, Wisconsin, or Oklahoma State, this now gives you hope that your school has a chance.
Give it time, and it will be great, but as with most things, patience is needed.
Just sayin': I'm still against it.
