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Ryan Day identifies changes he wants in College Football Playoff for players

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko02/22/25

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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ryan Day pondered some changes in the College Football Playoff experience that could benefit the players moving forward.

It’s easier to say that now since Day is on top of the college football world after Ohio State won this year’s national title. Having gone through four games in the new 12-team format, Day realized this isn’t your father’s bowl season.

Well, we’re sure he realized that before, but he suggested some changes to better the experience for players who are in the CFP for the long haul.

“First off, the experience is something we really got to learn from,” Day said on The Triple Option. “You know, I think that the player experience can be much better. I think that the focus needs to be on the players, and I think we need to look at a lot of it. Because, you know, the National Championship is not run by a bowl. The other ones are but, even the ones that are run by a bowl, as you guys remember, there used to be events. There was a lot that came with that. Now that’s no longer the case.” 

Day revealed that going on the road for a playoff game or national championship game run by the CFP is vastly different from your traditional bowl.

“It’s just like being on a road game, except you’re there a day earlier, but there’s no events like nobody going on any events, nobody’s leaving the hotel,” Day said. “I think that, you know, we need to consider moving the hotels outside of these big cities, because we’re not going to these events anymore. So I think being a little bit more secluded and looking at some of those locations is just better for everybody, especially for the players. We need to pour it into the players. 

“These are the guys that are doing the work. So I think that we need, you know, the best food there is that could possibly serve these guys. I think it should be the best conditions. I think we should try to find as many mementos for these guys that possibly can be done, just little things that money can’t buy, but it stays with them forever.”

Heck, Day might ask for other changes considering the playoff could expand to 14 or 16 teams and look entirely different, especially from a qualifying standpoint.