The SEC and Big Ten are already spearheading the drive for a revamped, even bigger model of the College Football Playoff after just one year of its expansion. Kirby Smart, the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, was blunt when questioned about the proposed new 16-team system.
“The borderline bubble colleges have been under a lot of stress,” Smart stated at SEC Media Days, as reported by ESPN’s David Hale.
“All these coaches want is a chance to participate,” he added. “Because the number of bowls has decreased as the playoffs have grown in size. And if you’re at a mid-tier SEC program, you need to give your supporters a reason to cheer and a chance to believe they have a chance. And in certain cases, that is challenging.
The Future Of The College Football Playoff Could Look Drastically Different.
As of right now, there will be 12 teams in the College Football Playoff. But it won’t be long before there are 16 teams in the field. What that 16-team format will entail is still up for debate.
A guaranteed spot for conference winners is what conferences like the ACC, Big 12, and recently reorganized Pac-12 seek, with the remaining spots going to the top-ranked teams. However, the Big Ten and SEC have different perspectives.
When ACC representative Clemson won it all in 2018, it was the last national champion not from either two leagues. For this reason, the Big Ten and SEC both think they ought to have more teams in the field by default.
The conference suggested that they each receive four automatic bids under one suggested framework. Teams would be chosen in part based on television ratings under another, even more vilified arrangement. But the College Football Playoff committee swiftly rejected that model.
Additionally, Smart stated that he supported a 5+11 format in which the next highest-ranked teams would fill the remaining 11 spots and the top five conference winners would advance. However, he acknowledged worries about the format’s potential to harm the Big Ten and SEC.
“Two conferences are stronger than others,” Smart said. “And if you don’t agree with that, then you probably just don’t know college football.”
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