The 2024-25 college football bowl game schedule was released on Thursday. Except for a new Arizona Bowl sponsor, media and fans zeroed in on the dates associated with the 12-team College Football Playoff. Indeed, the expanded playoff schedule is a monster loaded with pros and cons for college football fans.
Pro: More Schools will be involved in the College Football Playoff
The first positive aspect of an expanded playoff slate is obvious: more teams will be involved in the festivities.
I think a jump from four teams to 12 is too much, too soon, but history has shown that more meaningful games are good for college football—well, good for TV ratings and ad revenues. One can also argue that an expanded playoff is good exposure for the game’s better players ahead of the NFL Draft. For example, we experienced Michael Penix’s draft stock skyrocket after his performance against Texas in the 2024 Sugar Bowl.
The final season of the four-team College Football Playoff was arguably the most controversial. Georgia dropped to No. 4 after losing their first game, a conference championship game, to Alabama, and undefeated Florida State was left out. Indeed, a 12-team format in 2024 would have delivered some incredible (projected) matchups, including Missouri at Oregon, Ole Miss at Georgia, and Liberty at Florida State in the first round.
I expect 12 teams in 2025 to deliver some fantastic games. Moreover, the first-round games will be played on the campus of the higher-seeded teams on December 20-21, 2024.
Con: There aren’t 12 Teams Good Enough to win the College Football Playoff Championship Game
Casual college sports fans love college basketball’s NCAA tournament because of the potential for upsets. March Madness typically delivers, but college football is not a sport where a David beats a Goliath annually. A small school can upset a storied program in college basketball by getting hot beyond the arc or playing unconventional defense. In college football, the juggernauts rule by outmuscling their opponents with athletes in another class.
Granted, Boise State can upset Oklahoma using a series of trick plays, and Appalachian State can shock Michigan without throwing a pass. However, such upsets are rare. Sure, Liberty could have upset Florida State without Jordan Travis in last season’s College Football Playoff, but would they have stood a chance against Alabama, Georgia, or Michigan? Not long ago, we saw what a marquee college football program does to the best Group 5 team on a national stage: Alabama 27 – Cincinnati 6.
The SEC has won 13 of the last 18 college football national championships. Year in and year out, only Michigan, Ohio State, or Clemson can disrupt the giants. Looking ahead, we don’t need a 12-team playoff to determine who plays Georgia in the title game.
Pro: More College Football Playoff Games to Watch
Last season’s College Football Playoff games were some of the most entertaining in recent history. Thus, more games with national title implications are positive. I love college football bowl season, and adding two playoff rounds gives us meaningful games sooner.
The first-round games are not technically bowl games, but the anticipated TV coverage and advertisements will rival any sponsored contest. Fans can also look forward to first-round games played on college campuses. Indeed, there’s nothing like the pageantry of college football, and the atmosphere of games impacting the playoffs is undefeated.
I fear an expanded playoff will marginalize conference championship games but encourage more significant non-conference regular season games. A 12-team format means two losses are not a playoff deathblow to the SEC and Big 10 juggernauts. Thus, I think college football’s significant programs will seek better non-conference opponents in the coming years.
Con: First-Round Playoff Games Will Pillage Interest in the Bowl Schedule
The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl…few will care, including ESPN.
Interest in the non-playoff bowl games has waned over the years because of the hype surrounding the College Football Playoff. That hype will be amplified given the expected non-stop coverage of the playoff’s first-round matchups and potential quarterfinal games. Thus, I wonder how long sponsors will dedicate money to afterthought bowl games.
One must also consider the NCAA’s recent decision allowing corporate sponsors to appear on college football fields. I have little doubt the NCAA has the College Football Playoff first-round games in mind. Would Lockheed Martin or AutoZone get a bigger bang for their buck by paying for their logo to show on the field of a first-round playoff host team?
Fans of the schools competing in the non-playoff bowl games will continue to support the smaller bowls. However, it’s only a matter of time before the first round of College Football Playoff games is sponsored.
Final Thoughts
All the changes in college football have me feeling cynical about the future of my favorite sport. I agree with players earning (some of) their share of the money garnered in college football. However, the NIL system has damaged recruiting and player retention. Also, the sport will become more lopsided as the corporate gremlins continue sinking their teeth into games.
A 12-team College Football Playoff offers opportunities for smaller programs to compete for a championship. However, the sport’s rapidly changing, money-fueled landscape creates a bigger gap between David and Goliath.
Make sure to visit Belly Up Sports daily and follow me on Twitter/X. Also, check out the Third and Ten Podcast, available on all podcast formats.
Featured Image: Dylan Buell/Getty Images
