Rece Davis makes case for 16-team College Football Playoff

Before we have taken a snap in the 12-team College Football Playoff era, discussions are already underway to expand again. People running the CFP are looking at a 14-team model, giving out automatic qualifiers to multiple different conferences. Nothing has been agreed upon but before we know it, the playoff will be expanding again.

ESPN’s Rece Davis says we should skip the 14-team era completely and move to 16 teams. His proposal would have more CFP games played on campus and expand the amount of games each team plays against conference foes.

Depending on how you look at conference championship games, Davis eliminating those could be a downside of another expansion.

“Since we have expanded beyond the very small playoff, I would prefer just going ahead and going to 16, playing the first two rounds on campus, and eliminating conference championship games,” Davis said. “Each of these mega conferences would play a 10-game schedule in-conference and then not required but strongly encouraged to play another power team from the outside. Whether that’s crossover SEC/Big Ten or ACC, Big 12, whatever.”

Davis did not dive much further into his idea. Conferences such as the SEC and Big Ten would certainly ask for multiple guaranteed bids on a yearly basis. For the 14-team structure, they are asking for three, while the ACC and Big 12 get two. And the highest-ranked conference champion from a Group of Five conference will get in as well.

The 16-team proposal from Davis would also bring up questions regarding the New Year’s Six bowl game sites hosting games. If only the semifinals and national championship were at neutral locations, three venues would go unused every year.

Places, such as the Rose Bowl, have such an importance in the history of college football.

At some point, we will get 16 teams in the College Football Playoff. Expansion feels inevitable, no matter what the current format is.

“Like, if you’re gonna do this, then just don’t worry about the bridge, and go to the Super League. Help the teams — well, you can’t help because you’d get sued, but grease the wheels in some way, so the teams will want to get out of the ACC can get out, buy out and get into your leagues, and form the Super League,” On3’s Andy Staples said on March 2 about the 14-team CFP.

“Just tell everybody else, ‘Sorry, we’re doing our own thing,’ because this version of it is not going to be that satisfying. At least pretend everybody has a better chance. Don’t stack the deck in your favor so obviously.”