Randy Smith: Changes For CFB Playoffs? Maybe

After only one year with 12 teams in the College Football Playoffs, there is a lot of talk about expanding the field once again. At the SEC Spring meetings in Destin, Fl., this week, support for adding four more teams is picking up steam. For instance, the Power-Five conference champions would get the first five spots and then eleven at-large teams would be chosen. They're calling this the " Five+Eleven" model, and while the name of the new plan isn't really that creative, the plan itself is.

So far most of the Power-Five leagues are in favor of the expansion including the SEC and it appears the only drawback thus far is the debate about playing an eight game or nine game schedule within each league. "I do think there is a need for change," SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said this week. " How do you make those decisions? It's hard and we trust the committee to do that and I respect the people in there, so this isn't a criticism of the people. This is wanting to understand the decisions. We have to have clarity on the criteria that inform those decisions."

If approved, the new model would go into effect in time for the 2026 season. The big roadblock in the plan is the fact that the big boys are wanting a minimum of four teams from each league guaranteed. If I did the math correctly, five times four is twenty, which is four more teams than the model calls for. And that leaves very little wiggle room for non-Power Five teams to make the field.

A few years ago, the biggest problem in expanding the playoffs or to even have the playoffs at all was the school presidents insisting the workload for student-athletes would be too great to add that many games. So we formed the BCS format which allowed for a bona-fide championship game. That didn't satisfy the fans so in 2014 the four-team playoff began. Still not satisfied, the fans pushed and pushed for expansion to twelve teams which started last year. So.... it appears  college football is ready to change once again. As if the NIL deals and the wide-open Transfer Portal isn't enough change. Stay tuned!