First Year of the12 Team Playoff? It’s Already Time for a Change

The College Football Playoff trophy inside the College Football Hall of Fame during media day for the Peach Bowl on Dec 29, 2022.

Alright, so we’ve got this new 12-team college football playoff, and it’s definitely shaken things up! But like with anything new, there are some kinks to work out. And let me tell you, those automatic byes for conference champions? Yeah, that’s a big one.

Here’s the deal: in this first year, Oregon, Georgia, Arizona State, and Boise State all got byes just for winning their conferences. Now, don’t get me wrong, winning your conference is a big deal. But does it automatically make you one of the four best teams in the country? Not necessarily.

Think about it: the committee ranks the top teams all season long. This year, the top four were Oregon, Georgia, Texas, and Penn State. But instead of those four getting a well-deserved break, two of them have to play in the first round!

That just doesn’t seem right. Why risk an upset or an injury in a game you arguably shouldn’t even have to play? The whole point of a playoff is to determine the best team, and the top four deserve the best chance to prove themselves.

Look, I get the idea of rewarding conference champs, but let’s be real – the goal is to crown a national champion, not a bunch of conference champions. If the committee wants to do right by the fans and the teams, they need to give those byes to the four best teams in the country, plain and simple.

It’s time to ditch the automatic byes for conference winners and let the cream rise to the top. Let’s make this playoff truly about finding the best team in college football.