College football fans were greeted with some interesting developments on Thursday afternoon as the management committee proposed some changes to the playoff format.
According to an official press release from the playoff, the management committee has proposed a 12-team field as opposed to the current four-team format and this has fans all up in arms because many believe this is just too big of a field.
The recommendation also states that the four highest-ranked conference champions will get the one through four seeds and will each earn a first-round bye while the rest will play in the opening round. And the higher seed will host the lower seed. For example, the No. 5 seed would host the 12-seed in round one, and No. 6 would host No. 11, and so on.
I can see the argument on both sides.
On one side, you have fans that like the current format and realize that there may not be more than four elite teams in college football every year so it makes sense right now. On the other side, you have fans who say “look at the NCAA Tournament” and realize that a bigger field works and is more exciting for the sport. This 12-team field would draw more eyes — and money — for the NCAA.
Obviously this has been a controversial topic all afternoon long after the proposal became public and Twitter and other social media platforms have reacted accordingly.
Twitter reactions to proposed College Football Playoff expansion
Fans were either happy or angry. There was very little in-between and a lot on the angry side of the spectrum.
The College Football playoff can expand all it wants, but if Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State continue to recruit at the levels they do it will not matter.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) June 10, 2021
You stock talent, you will stock your trophy case (unless you are Georgia).
The College Football Playoff has become too dominant a part of the conversation, and we need to enhance the regular season, so logically the only way to do that is expand the thing that has become too dominant.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) June 8, 2021
The college football playoff committee is a lot like Twitter. A vast majority of the people say they want an edit button. Twitter gives them fleets.
— Joseph (@BuckeyevsTworld) June 10, 2021
People ask for an 8 team playoff, and the committee says 12. pic.twitter.com/YngxVgMZik
College Football Playoff 2: the Quest for More Money.
— Zach 🐷🍊 (@zrau) June 10, 2021
If the College Football Playoff was 12 teams all along, only 1 team would have made the field every year.
— Adam Spencer (@AdamSpencer4) June 8, 2021
It isn’t Alabama or Clemson.
It’s Ohio State.
The recommendation for College Football Playoff expansion to 12, including "six highest-ranked conference champs" is HUGE for UCF. AAC was already the sixth-best conference anyway, plus it removes built-in P5 bias. UCF will have a more accessible playoff path than half of the P5.
— Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) June 10, 2021
The Pac 12 seeing that only the 6 best conference champions would be guaranteed College Football Playoff bids pic.twitter.com/azCAUXMyut
— Pregame Empire (@PregameEmpire) June 10, 2021
This kind of crowd energy in a College Football playoff game >>>>> pic.twitter.com/S6ooDHV8zx
— Charlie Parker (@cmparker999) June 10, 2021
College coaches with significant bonus clauses in their contracts for making the College Football Playoff: pic.twitter.com/Ptd7aG26yV
— Michael Bruntz (@michaelbruntz) June 10, 2021
The college football playoff expansion is happening.
— Katie Stats (@kpondiscio) June 10, 2021
Accept it.
The regular season will matter more for more teams.
This is a good thing for the sport.
The CORRECT amount College Football Playoff teams in 6
— Chief (@BarstoolChief) June 10, 2021
If you disagree, you are incorrect.
No further questions at this time
Clearly, there’s passion on both sides of this debate.