College Football's 24-Team Playoff Sparks Backlash

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Proposed 24-Team Playoff Draws Criticism Over Money and Regular-Season Impact

The expanded College Football Playoff appears likely to grow from 12 teams to 24, making the current format potentially short-lived. The proposed move has generated a largely negative reaction, with questions about why the field would jump past 16 teams.

The central criticism is that college football does not need a 24-team playoff. The sport has steadily moved from deciding its champion without a playoff to formats featuring two, four and eventually 12 teams. While the 12-team structure created more opportunities for non-Power Four programs and produced additional revenue, expanding to 24 is viewed as a financially motivated decision rather than a competitive necessity.

College football has traditionally placed enormous importance on the regular season. In the past, one loss in October could end a team’s championship hopes, making major matchups such as Miami against Notre Dame even more significant. Although the sport has changed, moving to 24 teams could further reduce the stakes of regular-season games.

The expansion could also eliminate conference championship games. That would mean losing events such as the SEC title game in Atlanta, while further devaluing the regular season. With perhaps seven teams currently capable of winning the national championship, a 24-team field is considered unnecessary.

There is also a less forceful objection centered on the size of the field. A 16-team playoff could have provided a reasonable middle ground, especially because top seeds might prefer hosting playoff games rather than receiving byes. Those teams would likely be significant favorites in their opening matchups while also benefiting from playing at home.

Supporters of further expansion can point to deserving teams being excluded. In last year’s 12-team playoff, Notre Dame was left out despite being viewed as one of the three best teams in college football. Miami’s appearance in the national championship also suggested that a strong Miami team could have been excluded under a smaller format.

The timing of the playoff presents another concern. College football may leave open space on the schedule because of the importance of Army-Navy, allowing the NFL to fill those dates with additional games. That can hurt the excitement surrounding the start of the college postseason.

A larger field could, however, give more late-season games added relevance. Matchups such as Michigan-Penn State and Oregon-Nebraska might retain some playoff significance under the proposed format, even if the teams involved are near the back end of the race. That added urgency is the clearest argument for expansion, but the leap to 24 teams remains jarring.