Playoff going to 12 in 2026

[dayooper]

The committee has decided the playoff will have 12 participants and will probably start in 2026. Lots of details to hash out before it’s implemented.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The problem with football currently is expansion is just a gimmick
They’re possibly 6 teams with a any shot.
They can call it a p5-4-3-2 but reality its the Oligacy and peasants
1 B1G
2-3 SEC
1 ACC
1 PAC 12

After that the talent level drops off a Cliff
Football is very similar to women‘s basketball which makes any tournament less compelling.
Possibly this expansion or further destruction of p5 teams will create enough competition for a legimate 12 tourney .
One were the outcome of each game is a little less predictable would be a great attraction.
But no sport ever grew by contraction.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If more teams have access to the playoff, talent should get spread across more teams.

This playoff expansion will put a dagger in the lower tier bowls.

 

[History Geek]

I made this point in the thread about this on the Football board. Item 3 states the top 4 ranked conference champs get seeded 1-4. Expect Notre Dame to join a conference.

 

[Rufus]

If the top 4 seeds are the top 4 conference champions with byes, does that mean conference champion 5 and 6 are the fifth and sixth seeds without a bye and the highest ranking a nonconference champion or ND can have is seventh? Or, are conference champion 5 and 6 mixed in with the six who were not conference champions?

 

[huskymedic]

If the top 4 seeds are the top 4 conference champions with byes, does that mean conference champion 5 and 6 are the fifth and sixth seeds without a bye and the highest ranking a nonconference champion or ND can have is seventh? Or, are conference champion 5 and 6 mixed in with the six who were not conference champions?

I read #2 as all teams will still be ranked by committee and only the top 4 Conference Champs are guaranteed seeds 1-4. It doesn’t mean that ND couldn’t be ranked #5 and hosting a home play-off game w/ a week of rest in their pocket because they don’t have to play a conference championship game.

 

[metsfan2323]

Gotta believe the G5 leagues love this, they get one team in the tournament every year which makes their regular season much more interesting.

So should UCONN start lobbying for a football only inclusion to a G5 conference? (I say yes) It would give us a chance to make the playoffs. We will never have a good enough schedule as an independent to finish the season ranked high enough to get an at large bid, those bids will always go to the P5. Winning a G5 conference championship gives us a real chance.

Another consideration will be joining the B12 for all sports should the PAC12 raid them.

 

[CL82]

If the top 4 seeds are the top 4 conference champions with byes, does that mean conference champion 5 and 6 are the fifth and sixth seeds without a bye and the highest ranking a nonconference champion or ND can have is seventh? Or, are conference champion 5 and 6 mixed in with the six who were not conference champions?

Because if they aren’t a part of a conference but still are ranked that high, they get a de facto home “bowl” game? I’m not sure that’s a disincentive.

 

[Kolumbo]

So SMU, Tulsa, Memphis, USF, Fresno State and SDSU could join the show before their Big 2 fellow statesmen. Nice.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Why is it complicated? They make it sound like they are trying to cure cancer. It's a freakin football playoff. If you want 12 teams in it, there's no reason you can't do it this year. You don't need 4 years to figure it out lol these people.

 

[Rufus]

UConn and UMass need to join CUSA in football only. I think that is the only conference where an invite might be possible.

The MAC would make sense, but they kicked out UMass a few years back for not joining in all sports.

AAC would make sense, but how likely would they want UConn back for football only?

MW is too far away and revenues wouldn’t make the extra travel costs worth it.

SBC would be interesting, but I don’t see them wanting to go to the northeast.

 

[ScottVib]

C-USA only would be a step backwards and cost UConn money. UConn's CBS Sports Network deal for football only is on-par with C-USA's TV distribution for all sports. Attendance was bad playing better teams distributed across the country in the American; is it supposed to get better for the conference game against Sam Houston State?

I understand the argument is that if you're one of the top-6 conference champs you get a shot... the problem with C-USA after the recent raids is it's a hot mess, going undefeated in that conference isn't going to get you into the top-6, unless you have major P-5 upsets and finish the year with no more than one-loss (and more than likely would need to be undefeated).

Ultimately C-USA inquired and UConn declined. UMass begged C-USA and they declined. Independence is the best of a bad lot of options at the moment (Sun Belt actually has more schools closer to UConn than either the AAC or C-USA), CFB Playoff expansion notwithstanding.

 

[Kolumbo]

UConn and UMass need to join CUSA in football only. I think that is the only conference where an invite might be possible.

The MAC would make sense, but they kicked out UMass a few years back for not joining in all sports.

AAC would make sense, but how likely would they want UConn back for football only?

MW is too far away and revenues wouldn’t make the extra travel costs worth it.

SBC would be interesting, but I don’t see them wanting to go to the northeast.

Gotta agree with ScottVib. Joining any conference would seem to be ok but none would be an improvement on the conference we left. UCONN just needs to focus on constant improvement and the rewards will come later.

 

[metsfan2323]

C-USA only would be a step backwards and cost UConn money. UConn's CBS Sports Network deal for football only is on-par with C-USA's TV distribution for all sports. Attendance was bad playing better teams distributed across the country in the American; is it supposed to get better for the conference game against Sam Houston State?

I understand the argument is that if you're one of the top-6 conference champs you get a shot... the problem with C-USA after the recent raids is it's a hot mess, going undefeated in that conference isn't going to get you into the top-6, unless you have major P-5 upsets and finish the year with no more than one-loss (and more than likely would need to be undefeated).

Ultimately C-USA inquired and UConn declined. UMass begged C-USA and they declined. Independence is the best of a bad lot of options at the moment (Sun Belt actually has more schools closer to UConn than either the AAC or C-USA), CFB Playoff expansion notwithstanding.

The new CUSA can be as good as the MAC (better recruiting territories) and the MAC had Western Michigan in the Cotton bowl 6 years ago as the top G5 team.

Like it or not joining a G5 conference for football is now much more attractive than it was a few days ago.

Not for nothing but our future October and November home schedules as an independent are already G5 home schedules. Point being even if we joined CUSA the first 4 September games can still be against P5 competition, it's the October and November games that are already a hot mess. Making those G5 games in October and November meaningful conference games would be a huge improvement.

Here are our currently scheduled October and November home games after this year:

USF
Sacred Heart
Temple
Georgia State
FIU
UAB
UMASS
James Madison
Syracuse (the one outlier)
Army
Rice
Army.

 

[ScottVib]

The new CUSA can be as good as the MAC (better recruiting territories) and the MAC had Western Michigan in the Cotton bowl 6 years ago as the top G5 team.

Like it or not joining a G5 conference for football is now more attractive than it was a few days ago.

I'm not saying it isn't more attractive to be in a conference now... I'd prefer a conference... but C-USA isn't that conference (and the other conferences have no interest in adding UConn for football only).

C-USA is lightyears behind the MAC. Keep in mind Western Michigan was only the top G5 team after going 13-0. A single slip in any game would caused problems... it was also a year they were fortunate as every other conference champion from the G5 conferences finished with 3 losses.

Here are the future conference-mates that you're proposing:
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Louisiana Tech
Florida International
Texas-El Paso
Liberty
New Mexico State
Sam Houston State (FCS)
Jacksonville State (FCS, Alabama)

Western Kentucky had it's bags packed and a MAC invite in hand until their +1 (MTSU) decided to hold out in hopes that Memphis leaves the American and they could go there instead. They got turned down by multiple FCS programs they approached to upgrade. TV-wise, in total, C-USA made 550k per school on their TV deal across all sports, that was before they lost their 9 most attractive schools. UConn makes approximately the same for just football already.

To say C-USA is a dumpster fire, might just be an insult to dumpster fires. If you win this conference you're still going to need to do work in the non-conference (and likely need to be undefeated with a P5 win) to be ahead of a one or two loss team from the other G5s and claim that 6th auto bid into the CFB Playoff.

Schedule-wise: here are the October and November schedules for 2024 & 2025:
Temple
@ Wake Forest
@ UMass
Georgia State
UAB
2 TBD

FIU
@ Army
@ Ohio State
UAB
UMass
2 TBD

If the argument is that the home slate is G5 teams.. that's fair and that's fine, but the teams on the slate like Temple or UMass at home plus road games at Wake & Ohio State are light-years more interesting than replacements from C-USA. You lose the other interesting games, you lose the TV exposure, it's a bad deal.

You make the argument that C-USA features games in good recruiting territories. I guess... Ultimately, I think it's easier to sell a recruit in Florida come north, you'll be on TV and play Ohio State; than it is to say, hey come north we'll play two games in your home state while you're here and we'll play the Gamecocks... well not those Gamecocks, the ones in Jacksonville... no not Jacksonville, FL; the one in Alabama; but if your folks can find something called Stadium, they'll be able to see a game or two.


TLDR: I don't disagree that a conference might be more attractive now than it was.... but if the only option is C-USA, well Independence is still a better solution for the Huskies.

 

[metsfan2323]

I'm not saying it isn't more attractive to be in a conference now... I'd prefer a conference... but C-USA isn't that conference (and the other conferences have no interest in adding UConn for football only).

C-USA is lightyears behind the MAC. Keep in mind Western Michigan was only the top G5 team after going 13-0. A single slip in any game would caused problems... it was also a year they were fortunate as every other conference champion from the G5 conferences finished with 3 losses.

Here are the future conference-mates that you're proposing:
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Louisiana Tech
Florida International
Texas-El Paso
Liberty
New Mexico State
Sam Houston State (FCS)
Jacksonville State (FCS, Alabama)

Western Kentucky had it's bags packed and a MAC invite in hand until their +1 (MTSU) decided to hold out in hopes that Memphis leaves the American and they could go there instead. They got turned down by multiple FCS programs they approached to upgrade. TV-wise, in total, C-USA made 550k per school on their TV deal across all sports, that was before they lost their 9 most attractive schools. UConn makes approximately the same for just football already.

To say C-USA is a dumpster fire, might just be an insult to dumpster fires. If you win this conference you're still going to need to do work in the non-conference (and likely need to be undefeated with a P5 win) to be ahead of a one or two loss team from the other G5s and claim that 6th auto bid into the CFB Playoff.

Schedule-wise: here are the October and November schedules for 2024 & 2025:
Temple
@ Wake Forest
@ UMass
Georgia State
UAB
2 TBD

FIU
@ Army
@ Ohio State
UAB
UMass
2 TBD

If the argument is that the home slate is G5 teams.. that's fair and that's fine, but the teams on the slate like Temple or UMass at home plus road games at Wake & Ohio State are light-years more interesting than replacements from C-USA. You lose the other interesting games, you lose the TV exposure, it's a bad deal.

You make the argument that C-USA features games in good recruiting territories. I guess... Ultimately, I think it's easier to sell a recruit in Florida come north, you'll be on TV and play Ohio State; than it is to say, hey come north we'll play two games in your home state while you're here and we'll play the Gamecocks... well not those Gamecocks, the ones in Jacksonville... no not Jacksonville, FL; the one in Alabama; but if your folks can find something called Stadium, they'll be able to see a game or two.


TLDR: I don't disagree that a conference might be more attractive now than it was.... but if the only option is C-USA, well Independence is still a better solution for the Huskies.

If we were added to CUSA more than likely UMASS would go with us.

Liberty recently finished a season ranked in the top 25.

Also now that UCF, Cincy and Houston are in the P6 being the top G5 team will be easier than it has been in the past. Right now the top G5 program is probably Boise St and they might soon find themselves as part of the P6.

Let's be real about the "body bag" games against Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson. They are good for the bank account and not much else. I got little enjoyment out of the Clemson game last year. I prefer games we can win.

No matter how you cut it, It stinks not being in the P6, being independent is basically G5 without conference mates which brings a massive scheduling problem.

You put up a good argument and I like you posts. Debate to be continued..... Big problems ahead if the P6 start going to 10 game conference schedules. Ultimately the decision might get made for us. Hopefully we get a P6 invite sooner rather than later.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

News flash - we're not going to join CUSA.

 

[ScottVib]

If we were added to CUSA more than likely UMASS would go with us.

Liberty recently finished a season ranked in the top 25.

Also now that UCF, Cincy and Houston are in the P6 being the top G5 team will be easier than it has been in the past. Right now the top G5 program is probably Boise St and they might soon find themselves as part of the P6.

Let's be real about the "body bag" games against Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson. They are good for the bank account and not much else. I got little enjoyment out of the Clemson game last year. I prefer games we can win.

No matter how you cut it, It stinks not being in the P6, being independent is basically G5 without conference mates which brings a massive scheduling problem.

You put up a good argument and I like you posts. Debate to be continued..... Big problems ahead if the P6 start going to 10 game conference schedules. Ultimately the decision might get made for us. Hopefully we get a P6 invite sooner rather than later.

A few more points:

1.) UMass asked... begged for C-USA to accept them for football only. C-USA said no and then proceeded to ask ND State, Missouri State, Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State to upgrade from a lower division, rather than take a UMass team currently at the scholarship maximum.

2.) There is no P6. Frankly there isn't really a P5 anymore after Texas & OU leave the Big XII (and may not be much of a P4 should the Pac continue to be picked at). Depending on what happens elsewhere C-USA is the likely spot where an American conference continues to go to try to stay relevant as the Pac-12 and MWC pick off pieces to backfill.


My argument isn't an argument against being in a conference. Your argument seems to be that all G5s are created equal they aren't. There is massive revenue and team quality differences throughout the G5. C-USA is not the conference to be in. That would be relevant if ANY conference was the solution to the revenue and access.. ultimately I don't believe that they represent materially better odds to be in the playoff by simply being a member of the conference (you're talking 1% vs. 5%) and then you factor in lost revenue.

School perception for recruits is based in part of the company you keep. I don't think keeping the same company as Jacksonville State, FIU, Sam Houston State, Louisiana State, Liberty, etc is going to do much for UConn recruiting and would represent a step back in perception.

 

[Rufus]

How College Football Playoff expansion will affect realignment, job security and the future of the sport

Going forward, here's one educated guess on the future distribution assuming a doubling of the annual revenue brought in by the CFP from $600 million (four teams) to $1.2 billion per year (12):

• SEC and Big Ten combine to get half the total, $600 million ($300 million each). That's an additional $16.7 million per year for each of those leagues' schools.
• ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 (depending on membership) split 30% of the pot, $360 million ($120 million each). That's approximately $10 million more per year for those schools. Another consideration: Perhaps the ACC, given the strength of some of its programs, sits on a tier of its own earning a sum between the Power Two and the Big 12 and Pac-12.
• Group of Five conferences split the remaining 20% of the pot, $240 million ($48 million each). That's an additional $3.9 million per year for each school in the AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt.

 

[huskymedic]

Analysis: Will a bigger College Football Playoff be better?

While enthusiastically announcing plans to expand the College Football Playoff, those in charge of the postseason system downplayed the revenue windfall that will come with tripling the number of participants and declined to speculate about whether a new format will tap the brakes on conference real

apnews.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

How College Football Playoff expansion will affect realignment, job security and the future of the sport

Going forward, here's one educated guess on the future distribution assuming a doubling of the annual revenue brought in by the CFP from $600 million (four teams) to $1.2 billion per year (12):

• SEC and Big Ten combine to get half the total, $600 million ($300 million each). That's an additional $16.7 million per year for each of those leagues' schools.
• ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 (depending on membership) split 30% of the pot, $360 million ($120 million each). That's approximately $10 million more per year for those schools. Another consideration: Perhaps the ACC, given the strength of some of its programs, sits on a tier of its own earning a sum between the Power Two and the Big 12 and Pac-12.
• Group of Five conferences split the remaining 20% of the pot, $240 million ($48 million each). That's an additional $3.9 million per year for each school in the AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt.

UConn football is a lower tier FBS independent. We get it. How many times do you need to post how great the Big 10 is and how UConn is not playing at the same level? We are fans of UConn no matter what level the football team plays at. Either you should try a new angle with your trolling or find another board.

 

[Rufus]

UConn football is a lower tier FBS independent. We get it. How many times do you need to post how great the Big 10 is and how UConn is not playing at the same level? We are fans of UConn no matter what level the football team plays at. Either you should try a new angle with your trolling or find another board.

I didn’t even mention UConn. I posted an article and quoted it.

 

[CL82]

UConn and UMass need to join CUSA in football only. I think that is the only conference where an invite might be possible.

The MAC would make sense, but they kicked out UMass a few years back for not joining in all sports.

AAC would make sense, but how likely would they want UConn back for football only?

MW is too far away and revenues wouldn’t make the extra travel costs worth it.

SBC would be interesting, but I don’t see them wanting to go to the northeast.

Maybe Rutgers would wanna hop in on that? I mean they racked up 150 million in deficit spending in the last two years alone. It probably be more effective for them to see if the MAC would take them.

 

[Zissou]

The 12 Team playoff is great for college football and partially mitigates the moves of the P-2 away from the next 3.

This playoff format assures 1 G5 and leaves an opening for another G5/Indy as a participant. Past teams like Boise State and UCF would have a shot in this format.

 

[Kolumbo]

I like the Independents visual.

ND plays 4 ACC games this year: UNC, SU, Clemson, BC. Why only 4? Currently ranked opponent Ohio State, BYU, Clemson, USC.