Day Backs Expanding College Football Playoff to 24 Teams

Day Backs Expanding College Football Playoff to 24 Teams

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has voiced support for expanding the College Football Playoff field from 12 to 24 teams, saying the change would benefit fan bases and give more programs a path to postseason relevance. Day made the comments Friday on FOX Sports' "The Herd With Colin Cowherd."

"It's great for college football for a lot of reasons," Day said. "More teams are involved and relevant. I think it's great for fanbases, overall." Ohio State won the 2024 national championship as the first team to do so through the 12-team playoff format, a structure now expected to grow further. water polo online betting

Day argued that a larger field would let programs schedule tougher nonconference opponents earlier in the season without fear that a single loss would end their playoff hopes. He pointed to the benefit of facing strong competition before conference play intensifies. "The expansion allows all of us to play some of those nonconference games earlier in the year, which is good for the game," he said. Cowherd agreed, noting that facing a quality opponent early "offers clarity to a coaching staff" compared with lopsided wins that reveal little.

Ohio State and Texas have met in back-to-back seasons, splitting the series, with scheduling outcomes carrying real playoff consequences under the current 12-team format. Day noted that teams evolve over a season, adding that Ohio State is "a different team than we were earlier in the season," just as this week's opponent, Indiana, has changed since September. The CFP's move to 24 teams appears increasingly likely, and Day's comments reflect how coaches are already weighing the scheduling and competitive shifts it would bring.