Football
College football coaches are trying to rip out a couple of its most sacred traditions. But they might have a point. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) board has recommended a playoff expansion to 24 teams that would scrap conference championship games altogether.
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The main push, reported first by Ross Dellenger for Yahoo Sports, is about survival. Coaches want their players to face fewer hurdles. Think of conference title games like an extra, exhausting exam right before the final. By cutting them out, players stay healthier, and the sport can comfortably fit a massive 24-team playoff.
“The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has identified the length of the college football season as a critical issue that needs to be addressed,” the AFCA said. “As we modernize our game to better serve student-athletes, we have fallen short in structuring a season that concludes in a timely and sustainable way.”
Right now, the college football season drags deep into January, leaving players drained. The new proposal wants to pull the finish line forward. By scraping those conference title games, the sport saves a crucial week. The legendary Army-Navy game will still get its solo spotlight, but the rest of the schedule gets room to breathe.
“Expanding the playoff is inevitable,” New Mexico coach Jason Eck told USA TODAY Sports. “Getting the season completed earlier is crucial for the future of college football.”
By 2026-27, the 12-team playoff may already feel like a temporary fix rather than the solution. Since 2024, the format has moved toward straight rankings, making conference title games less important. Now the focus is to include the best teams. Auto bids will still be given to major conferences and independent Notre Dame, but the direction is clear.
“Structuring the season in this way will better support student-athletes by more closely matching the academic calendar and aligning with the single transfer portal window,” the AFCA said. “It also elevates the quality of play during the most meaningful stretch of the season by removing unnecessary breaks and preserving competitive rhythm.”
That change is already on its way with a 14-week regular season on the table for 2027. Even Donald Trump-linked discussions in Washington show how far this conversation has spread. The problem is, removing conference title games would take away some of the most exciting Saturdays. But now, it’s come down to the choice between tradition and long-term stability. And right now, coaches want sustainability.
Football What coaches are saying about the 24-team CFP expansion
Surprisingly, head coaches aren’t as divided as you’d think. They already know the expansion is happening; they’re just wondering whether it’ll be a 16-team or a 24-team expansion. Georgia’s Kirby Smart is fine with either.
“I’d split it right down the middle, and most coaches are going to say more is better than less,” he said. “But I can live with either one of those two. I don’t think there’s a huge difference.”
Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, whose Longhorns went 9-3 and still got left out, straight up said he’d rather opt for anything but 12.
“12 is the worst number,” he said.
But not everyone’s rushing blindly.
“You want every game in the regular season as meaningful as possible,” Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer said. “But I think there’s some easy math to figure out how to make it work for 16 for sure. It’s probably a little more complicated beyond that, but 24 is something we should be looking at.”
Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, meanwhile, wants play-in games.
“Then determine on the field who are going to be the 12 teams that make the playoff,” he said. “If we’re going to cross-compare games or we’re going to cross-compare teams and resumes, let’s just take that out of the equation.”
“To me, 16 is the right number,” Michigan Kyle Whittingham said. “But only in a super-conference structure. You govern yourselves. The NCAA is not involved, and you have your own commissioner.”
These are different voices trending in the same direction. Expansion is coming for sure, but the only debate left is how far they’re willing to push the sport to get there.
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