The Illusion of Competition: Why College Football’s Playoff Expansion is a Recipe for Disaster
This season, it’s painfully clear that only a handful of college football teams are truly elite. Indiana, believe it or not, might just be the second-best team in the country. Meanwhile, top-ranked teams are struggling to stay afloat. Ohio State and Penn State engaged in a thrilling battle of who could blow it more, while Georgia was tied with Florida in the fourth quarter despite the Gators’ third-string quarterback. Tennessee, meanwhile, barely escaped with a win against a lackluster Kentucky team.
The Struggle is Real
Texas A&M got demolished by South Carolina, Clemson was trounced at home by Louisville, and Iowa State dropped a game to Texas Tech despite having one of the easiest schedules in the power conference. And yet, this weekend didn’t even feel that unusual. When December rolls around, we’ll be forced to fill out a College Football Playoff bracket with 12 teams, most of which will be undeserving of their spot.
The LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk: A Fitting End to a Mediocre Season
Come playoff time, we’ll be treated to a series of lackluster matchups, with only a few games potentially being remotely competitive. The “more football” argument for expanding the Playoff has already fallen flat, and it’s clear that four teams – or even just two – would be more than sufficient. The truth is, people don’t really want to see a bunch of mediocre teams make the Playoff; they just think they do.
The NCAA Tournament Parallel
Remember how everyone loves upsets in the NCAA Tournament? That is, until they’re faced with the prospect of a VCU-Wichita State game in the Final Four. Suddenly, everyone’s rooting for the blue bloods again. The same principle applies here. If we had 12 truly deserving Playoff teams, that would be great. But we don’t, and with expanded conferences making wins harder to come by, it’s unlikely we’ll see that anytime soon.
The Inevitable March Towards Chaos
And yet, we’re already expanding the CFP to 14 teams in two years. It won’t be long before we’re looking at a 32-team free-for-all. The excitement is palpable – or not. One thing’s for sure: the college football landscape is about to get a whole lot more confusing.
Leave a Reply