Ryan Day’s Vision for the College Football Playoff Format: A Bold Shift Toward Inclusivity and Fairness
As the debate over the future of the College Football Playoff (CFP) rages on, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, a national champion in his own right, has recently weighed in with his thoughts on what the playoff format should look like. His perspective, informed by his experience coaching one of the most successful programs in the nation, presents a mixture of pragmatism and idealism, calling for a drastic change to the current system.
The current four-team playoff, while providing thrilling moments and showcasing the nation’s elite talent, has long been criticized for its lack of inclusivity. The argument is that the system’s selection process is too subjective, too reliant on committee decisions, and leaves too many deserving teams on the outside looking in. Ryan Day believes that the college football postseason should reflect the true breadth of the sport, not just a select few programs.
Day’s proposed change is one that mirrors the expansion of major professional sports leagues. He advocates for a larger playoff—potentially 12 teams, as is being discussed by some in the sport—believing that this format would offer a fairer representation of the top teams across the nation. “College football is the ultimate team sport. Every week matters. But some teams, despite having strong seasons, never get the chance to prove themselves on the national stage,” Day said in a recent interview. “We need to make sure that every deserving program has an opportunity to compete for a national championship.”
For Day, expanding the playoff is not just about giving more teams a shot; it’s about elevating the sport as a whole. In his view, the current system penalizes smaller conferences and programs that don’t have the financial resources or media visibility of the traditional powerhouses. Teams like Boise State, UCF, or Cincinnati, which have proven they can compete with the big names, are often left out of the conversation. This, Day argues, harms the integrity of the sport and diminishes the value of the regular season. “If you want college football to be about excellence and not just about who can market themselves the best, you have to give every team a shot,” he asserts.
However, Day’s viewpoint isn’t without controversy. Critics of expanding the playoff argue that it could diminish the importance of the regular season. If every conference champion and a handful of at-large teams make it into the playoff, some believe the prestige of the regular season would erode. Would a team with three losses still deserve to be in the playoff if it can win a weaker conference? Would a team with a brutal schedule but two losses from a power conference feel cheated out of a playoff berth because of an underdog’s Cinderella story?
Day’s response to these concerns is simple: the regular season would still matter. “The beauty of college football is that every week is a battle for survival,” he says. “Even with an expanded playoff, the teams that perform well during the regular season, both in their conference and out of it, will still earn the best spots. It’s about giving every team the opportunity, not just the ones in the so-called ‘Power Five’ conferences.”
There is also the issue of logistics and fairness. With a 12-team playoff, the schedule would become increasingly crowded, and teams would be forced to play more games in a condensed timeframe, increasing the physical toll on athletes. Day acknowledges this challenge but is undeterred. “We are athletes. We train and prepare for this. If the goal is to have the best teams face each other, then we have to accept the reality of playing more games. If anything, it will make the championship all the more prestigious.”
In the end, Ryan Day’s vision for the College Football Playoff is one that reflects the true spirit of the sport: competition, inclusivity, and fairness. While the change would not come without challenges, his stance makes one thing clear: the current system does not serve college football’s future, and the time for reform is now. His bold stance challenges the status quo, daring the sport to evolve and embrace the potential for a more inclusive, exciting postseason. And whether you agree with him or not, there’s no denying that his opinion has sparked a much-needed debate about the future of college football.
