COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is calling for changes to the College Football Playoff (CFP) system after his team’s national championship win over Georgia.
Day, who led the Buckeyes to their first title since 2014, believes that the current four-team playoff format is not sufficient to determine the best team in college football.
“I think we need to expand the playoff,” Day said in a press conference on Tuesday. “I think we need to give more teams an opportunity to compete for a national championship. I think it’s the right thing to do for college football.”
Day’s comments come on the heels of a dominant performance by the Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship game, in which they defeated Georgia 42-24. However, despite their impressive win, Day believes that the current playoff system is flawed.
“I think there are a lot of great teams out there that deserve a chance to compete for a national championship,” Day said. “I think we need to find a way to give them that opportunity. Whether it’s an eight-team playoff or a 12-team playoff, I think we need to explore those options.”
Day’s comments are not the first time that he has expressed his desire for playoff expansion. In 2020, he was a vocal advocate for an eight-team playoff, which would include the five Power Five conference champions, as well as three at-large teams.
However, despite Day’s efforts, the CFP has yet to expand its playoff format. The current four-team format has been in place since the 2014 season, and while it has been successful in determining a national champion, many coaches and fans believe that it is time for a change.
“I think the current playoff format is a good starting point, but I think we can do better,” said Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who has been a longtime advocate for playoff expansion. “I think we need to find a way to give more teams an opportunity to compete for a national championship. I think that would be good for college football.”
While the CFP has yet to announce any plans for playoff expansion, Day’s comments are likely to spark a renewed debate about the issue. With the CFP’s current contract set to expire in 2026, it is possible that we could see changes to the playoff format in the near future.
“I think we’re at a crossroads in college football,” Day said. “I think we need to decide what we want the future of our sport to look like. I think we need to find a way to make the playoff more inclusive, and to give more teams an opportunity to compete for a national championship. I think that’s what’s best for college football.”
_Potential Playoff Expansion Options:_
– Eight-team playoff: This format would include the five Power Five conference champions, as well as three at-large teams.
– 12-team playoff: This format would include the 10 conference champions from the FBS, as well as two at-large teams.
– Automatic bids for Group of Five conference champions: This format would guarantee a spot in the playoff for the champions of the Group of Five conferences (American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt).
While there are many potential options for playoff expansion, one thing is clear: the current four-team format is likely to be re-examined in the near future.
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