Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez believes playoff expansion is going to happen.
Right now, the college football playoff has four teams chosen by a committee made up of people from all over the country. However, the Big Ten has been left out two years in a row, and that has had lots of people calling for expansion.
The Athletic recorded Alvarez, who used to serve on the committee, telling fans the following in part Saturday according to CollegeFootballTalk:
I don’t think that we have followed the criteria set by the commissioners in naming those four teams. There’s a way you can go to eight teams very easily, starting a week early with a bye with the top four seeds. You can go to eight teams easily. There are eight teams that really could have a chance to win. So I think that it will expand. I just don’t know when.
I couldn’t agree more with Alvarez on this one. I’m not just saying that because I’m a Wisconsin fan. I’m saying it because expansion is needed.
What we currently have is better than the old system, which was universally hated, but we’re far from perfect. I’ve long advocated for an eight-team playoff. It’s super easy. (RELATED: Clemson Beats Alabam
Power Five conference champions get an automatic bid, and then there three at-large bids. Of those three bids, two are saved for the highest remaining ranked teams, and one goes to any group of five teams inside the top ten.
UCF had back-to-back undefeated seasons and didn’t have the chance to play for the title in either of them. That’s simply a disaster and unacceptable.
Going to eight teams is the simplest solution, and it will generate more money through more big games. If there’s one way to talk to the NCAA, it’s with money.
I’m sure SEC fans will complain and moan nonstop about this idea. I don’t care. Don’t care even a little bit. Progress in college football is unstoppable, and Alvarez is correct.
Expansion is inevitable. Either get onboard, or get out of the way.