The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast The College Football Playoff is Changing – for better or worse?
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May 26, 2025 The College Football Playoff is undergoing a significant seeding model change for the upcoming season. The discussion highlights both the pros and cons of this shift. There's buzz around a potential 16-team playoff model for 2026, with various options on the table. Considerations for fairness and the impact on conference championships are examined. Klatt shares his thoughts on whether this expansion is the future of college football, making for an engaging debate on the sport's direction.
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Impact of Straight Seeding Model
- Switching to a straight seeding model improves playoff fairness but devalues conference championship games.
- Conference titles in the Big Ten and SEC lose incentive if top seeds get byes regardless of championship outcomes.
Use Flexible Seeding Over Fixed Brackets
- Implement a straight seeding tournament instead of a fixed bracket to reward conference championship winners.
- The highest remaining seed should play the lowest remaining seed in each successive round.
Host Playoff Games on Campus
- Play second-round and quarterfinal playoff games on campus for home-field advantage.
- This rewards regular-season and conference champions, especially those in cold-weather conferences like the Big Ten.