Discussing the Potential Expansion of College Football Playoffs

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Expanding College Football Playoffs: Prospects and Challenges

Tony Petit's push to expand the college football playoffs mirrors the FCS model, potentially doubling its size. This rapid expansion raises questions about the inherent value of the regular season compared to the playoffs. A prime example comes from Ohio State, which, despite losing a couple of games in the regular season, made a historically dominant run in the playoffs. This shift suggests a reevaluation of what it means to succeed in college football's regular season.

The proposed expansion could eliminate conference championship games, streamlining the season towards a 24-team playoff format. This format would allocate four spots to Big 10 teams and introduce playoff play-in games. While this might attract gamblers, it may not resonate as much with traditional college football fans. TV ratings have yet to surpass those from the inaugural College Football Playoff (CFP) championship game between Ohio State and Oregon, indicating a potential disinterest in expanded playoffs.

Discussion also turned to the dramatic viewership drop in recent years, with significant attention to the fact that ratings never reached the heights of the Ohio State vs. Alabama semifinal game, which drew around 30 million viewers. Recent playoffs have seen a decrease in viewership by about 6 million from earlier years, compounded by uncompetitive games leading to blowouts, such as those involving Georgia and TCU, which were partly attributed to the disruptions of the COVID year.

The segment concluded on a note of caution regarding the future of the playoff system, reflecting on whether the expansion might dilute the brand and reduce viewer interest, notwithstanding the involvement of major football brands like Ohio State and Notre Dame in the playoffs.