During the Bowl Championship Series era, college football's resistance to an expanded playoff was famously encapsulated by Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee's 2007 declaration: "They will wrench a playoff system out of my cold, dead hands." Fast forward to today, and while Gee is still very much alive, the staunch opposition to extending the postseason field has been buried. The NCAAF has evolved from a 12-team playoff to considering a 16-team format, but not without significant debate.

The Current Landscape

The 2025 season will feature a 12-team playoff format, with automatic bids for five conference champions and seven at-large spots. This marks a departure from last year's requirement that the top four seeds could only go to conference champions, which led to imbalances in the field. The SEC and Big Ten, the sport's two ruling parties, are now at odds over how to proceed with further expansion.

SEC's Proposal

The SEC advocates for a 16-team model with automatic bids for the champions of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, and the best of the Group of 6, with the remaining spots filled by at-large selections. This model maintains the current structure but expands the field to include more teams.

Big Ten's Counterproposal

The Big Ten, however, insists on a different approach. They propose a 16-team system that allocates four automatic bids each to the Big Ten and SEC, two each to the ACC and Big 12, one to the Group of 6, and three at-large spots. This "4-4-2-2-1-3" model aims to balance power among the conferences but hinges on the SEC agreeing to play nine conference games instead of the current eight.

The Stalemate

With neither side willing to budge, the future of the playoff expansion remains uncertain. The SEC's Greg Sankey has expressed a preference for a nine-game conference schedule, despite opposition from his coaches. The Big Ten's proposal introduces multiple "play-in" games on conference championship weekend, potentially expanding the playoff to 26 teams and significantly altering the sport's dynamics.

The Bigger Picture

Expanding the playoff field could devalue nonconference games and allow mediocre teams to secure playoff bids. For instance, last year's sixth seed in the Big Ten was an 8-5 Iowa team. While additional playoff games would provide more high-value content for broadcasters, the necessity of such an expansion remains questionable.

Conclusion

As the debate continues, it's crucial to assess the real-world impact of the current 12-team format before rushing into further expansion. Letting the 12-team model play out could provide valuable insights and prevent unintended consequences. After all, in the words of Gordon Gee, sometimes it's best to let things simmer before making a leap.