How the College Football Playoff (CFP) Will Develop

One significant shift in college football’s landscape has been the College Football Playoff (CFP). The CFP has offered a distinct and thrilling method of selecting the NCAA Division I FBS football national champion since its launch in 2014. The four-team structure has been successful in many respects, but it has also generated a lot of controversy, especially in regards to the system’s inclusivity and the fairness of choosing which teams get a chance to win the championship. Consequently, the College Football Playoff’s future is changing dramatically. The playoffs’ expansion, which is expected to have a significant impact on college football’s future and drastically change the postseason system, is the main development on the horizon. This piece explores the Future.

---

The Growth of CFP: College Football Enters a New Era

The College Football Playoff management committee revealed intentions in June 2021 to increase the number of teams participating from four to twelve by 2026. After years of discussion and opposition from many groups within the college football community who feel that the existing system does not accurately represent the top teams in the country, this change has finally been made.

Details of the Growth

The playoff will consist of the following under the new system:

• Qualifiers that automatically: Of the twelve teams, six will qualify automatically. The top-ranked conference champion from a Group of Five league and the six highest-ranked conference champions from the Power Five conferences (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and Pac-12) will share these berths.
• Excessive Bids: The selection committee will be able to invite the top six teams, regardless of conference affiliation, for the remaining six berths through at-large bids.
• First-Round Removals: TWith a first-round Removalas, the top four teams in the CFP standings will go straight to the quarterfinals. This action encourages clubs to continue putting up great results throughout the season and recognises excellence during the regular season.
• Games to Play In: The first round will feature matches between the remaining eight teams, with the winners moving on to the quarterfinals. The opening round matchups will be thrilling and high-energy because these games will take place at the higher-seeded clubs’ home venues.
• the championship, Semifinals, and Quarterfinals:The Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and other locations will continue to host playoff games, while neutral locations will host the quarterfinals, semifinals, and national championship game.

  Depending on the continuing negotiations about broadcast contracts and other practical concerns, some officials seek to expedite the timeframe and implement this expansion earlier than the 2026 start date.

---

What Makes the College Football Playoff Bigger?

The decision for growth the College Football Playoff was influenced by a number of important issues. Fairness, inclusion, competition, and revenue generating are the primary motivators.

Equity and Equality

Making sure that additional teams, especially those from conferences other than the Power Five, get a chance to contend for the national championship is one of the main goals of the playoff expansion. The fact that a small number of teams, mostly from the most influential conferences, have controlled the four-team field since the CFP’s creation has caused increasing annoyance.

The Group of Five (American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, and Sun Belt Conference) is the most prominent example. Despite several teams having perfect or one-loss seasons, they have been mainly left out of the playoff system. Teams like Cincinnati in 2021 and UCF (University of Central Florida) in 2017 had strong arguments to qualify for the four-team playoffs.

One of the main justifications for reform is that the increase to 12 teams will guarantee that at least one Group of Five conference champion will have an opportunity to compete in the national championship. When teams from conferences like the SEC or Big Ten could dominate the rankings regardless of the total strength of their schedule, this expansion is really considered as a step to address the injustices that have existed in the sport.

Greater Competition and More Possibilities

The struggle for playoff slots will be fiercer with a 12-team postseason, particularly now that automatic bids and at-large selections are in place. Conference titles and impressive results against rated opponents are crucial in a four-team system. Teams with strong schedules or noteworthy victories, even if they don’t have perfect records, will have a stronger chance of earning a position in a 12-team field.

More significantly, this expansion will make the postseason more unpredictable and exciting. Only a small number of teams had a realistic chance of qualifying for the playoffs under the four-team arrangement, and most of the nation’s supporters were mostly ignored until the title game. Increasing the field’s size will enable more programs to participate and for more compelling underdog tales.

This implies that mid-tier Power Five teams and teams from conferences outside of the Power Five will have an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on a national level. For instance, lower-ranked teams may upset the higher-ranked powerhouses, and institutions like Memphis, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State may have more opportunities to establish their value.

Financial Effects

For collegiate football, the CFP has been incredibly profitable. The NCAA and individual programs will most likely make more money if the playoffs are expanded. More high-stakes matches will result from a 12-team model, drawing bigger TV crowds and more advertising income. Postseason games can be dispersed across multiple time slots and platforms when more teams participate, guaranteeing greater coverage and higher levels of fan interaction.

Additionally, schools will have more opportunity to make money if the playoffs are expanded. Particularly in areas where college football is a major component of the community, holding first-round games at home stadiums will not only strengthen local economies but also provide extra funding for initiatives.

College football and the effects of the CFP expansion

Wide-ranging effects on the sport as a whole will result from the gradual adoption of the 12-team structure. Conference realignment, scheduling, recruitment, and how clubs start their seasons will all be impacted by the expansion.

Impact on Recruiting

With more playoff berths available as a result of the CFP’s expansion, more programs will have the chance to display their skills on a national level. The recruiting process will be significantly impacted. Programs that were very close to making the playoffs under the existing four-team structure will now have a better shot of competing for elite recruits.

For instance, knowing they have a route to the playoffs increases the likelihood that good athletes will be recruited by schools that are in the running for the playoffs but might not make it in the present system (like those in the Big 12 or Pac-12). Notre Dame and other non-conference programs, who frequently have successful seasons,

Since more schools will have the chance to play at the highest level and draw elite players, this will probably lead to more equality in college football. Additionally, some programs that weren’t previously in the national spotlight will gain more recognition as a result of their expanded postseason access.

Adjustment of Conferences

It is also anticipated that the league alignments for college football would be significantly impacted by the CFP expansion. Given that automatic bids are dependent on conference titles, teams may try to join conferences that will improve their chances of securing a postseason berth. To improve its prospects of securing an automatic spot, a school in a Group of Five conference can decide to join a Power Five conference.

Schools who have achieved success outside of the Power Five, such as UCF, BYU, or Houston, could want to think about joining the Power Five leagues, which provide more playoff access, in order to increase their financial resources and recruiting attractiveness. To further expedite access to the CFP, conferences and divisions may also be rearranged.

The motivation for these realignments will be the growing financial benefits of CFP appearances. Joining conferences with more national exposure is already becoming increasingly important to schools in order to stay competitive for bowl games and playoff positions.

Updates to the Schedule

In order to improve their postseason resumes under the present structure, many programs concentrate on arranging high-profile non-conference games. However, clubs won’t have to depend as much on important non-conference games to guarantee a postseason berth thanks to the expanded playoff. Teams with one or two losses have a realistic chance of being included in a 12-team structure, even if schedule strength will still be crucial.

There may also be a change in how clubs approach the regular season as more teams vie for a spot in the playoffs. Teams from all over the nation might play more difficult opponents in order to improve their chances of receiving an at-large bid, rather than scheduling a “cupcake” game to boost victory totals.

---

Problems and Issues with the CFP Expansion

Although most people agree that the growth to 12 teams is a good thing, there are certain difficulties and worries.

Academic commitments and the well-being of players

Some clubs’ seasons will be extended by several weeks due to the increased number of playoff games, raising questions about the wellbeing of the players. With the physical toll it takes, college football players already have a demanding season ahead of them. An extended playoffs may raise the chance of injury and cause schedule issues with schoolwork. For institutions, juggling the demands of academics and athletics is a major struggle, and the extended playoff may make matters worse.

Declining Value in the Regular Season

The enlarged structure has also been criticised for potentially undervaluing the regular season. any game had a lot of weight in the four-team playoff, and teams were aware that any defeat would essentially eliminate their prospects of contending for a national championship. Because there are twelve teams, a squad that loses two or even three games could still qualify for the playoffs, which could lessen the intensity and thrill of every regular-season match.

Enhanced Demand on Programs and Coaches

Athletic departments and coaches would also under increased strain. The struggle for spots in the rankings will get more intense as more teams try to qualify for the playoffs. The growing playoff field may be too difficult for programs with fewer resources or smaller fan bases to keep up with, which might result in differences in their ability to attract elite talent and compete nationally.