Big Ten's College Playoff Proposal Just Plain Silly

ESPN's college football insider Pete Thamel reported that Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has floated expanding the college football playoffs from 12 to 28 teams.

What, exactly, does that mean? For those who remember, the 12-team 2024 playoff field saw just two games come down to the wire.

No.

5 seed Texas defeated No.

4 Arizona State in a 38-31 double-overtime classic, and No.

7 seed Notre Dame edged No.

6 Penn State on a last-second field goal.

The disparity in results from last season's playoffs is likely to increase with the addition of more teams.

Luke Hubbard on SI's Baylor Bears site outlined what the 2024 field would have looked like under the Big Ten's latest proposal, highlighting the disparity between lower and higher seeds.

First off, college championship games would be eliminated.

It's doubtful most die-hard college football fans would lose sleep over this as regular season rivalry matches carry as much, if not more weight in one's heart than the conference championship.

The Big Ten and SEC, to nobody's surprise, would be awarded seven spots each, the ACC and Big Twelve five spots apiece, leaving two bids for non-Power Four conferences and two at-large spots.

The opening rounds of the playoffs would have a similar vibe to March Madness, with games overlapping across multiple networks and fans switching between the close games.

Simply put, money.

One thing the Big Ten excels at is generating revenue.

The conference brought in a projected $928 million in 2024, outpacing the SEC by $88 million.

While an expanded playoff generates additional media revenue, the problem, of course, is the inevitable, uncompetitive games that occur as the lower seeds advance to take on the top seeds.

College football has already alienated wary fans with free agency, NIL, and conference upheaval.

Petitti's Big Ten proposal essentially ensures members not part of the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, or Big 12 are left in the cold, with 24 of the 28 spots, or 86%, guaranteed to a Power Four conference, with the two at-large bids also likely going to the P4, leaving the high possibility of two spots for 68 teams across the remaining six conferences.

The expanded playoffs continue to chip away at what was once a magical week of bowl games, allowing fans to pull up a blanket and relax in their recliners during holiday season.

It's doubtful that 16 additional playoff teams and earlier rounds, in the end, will carry the weight and drama of the semifinals and championship.

In the end, the expanded playoffs will mean next to nothing for the majority of fanbases who won't be sniffing an invitation anytime soon.

For Rutgers Scarlet Knight fans, like the majority, the goal remains the same - win more than you lose, hope Lucy doesn't pull the ball away at the last second, and land a December invite to a sunny, warm destination.

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