More Access, Less Opportunity: What a 24-Team Playoff Means for Baylor Football

A 24-team playoff may give Baylor more postseason appearances, but it could also make winning a national championship harder than ever.

(Orlin Wagner / Associated Press)

In the past few weeks, the idea of a 24-team playoff has gained momentum in the national media, with many conferences offering their support for expanding the playoff field once again. The AP reported that all sixteen Big 12 coaches voted unanimously in favor of expanding to a 24-team playoff, and while the coaches seem to be fully supportive, many Big 12 fan bases are split. Dave Aranda mentioned his support this past week.

Baylor head coach Dave Aranda said that the Big 12 coaches were unanimous in wanting a 24-team playoff.

“We're going to be pushing for that as a league. Part and parcel with that, it's probably going to mean playing one more game in conference.”

— Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) May 28, 2026

I, for one, am against any sort of expanded playoff. I thoroughly enjoyed the four-team playoff and thought that it embraced the search for the true national champion while preserving the rich tradition and history of the college football bowl game. My opinion does not matter, though; that of the TV executives, conference commissioners, and school athletic directors is what matters, and they want a 24-team playoff.

What does Baylor gain from a 24-team playoff?

Obviously, they gain access. The Sporting News compiled a list of who would have made a 24-team playoff if it were put in place instead of the four-team playoff in 2014. Baylor would have made the playoff four times since 2014, putting them tied with TCU for second place in the current Big 12 and only behind Utah. Four playoff appearances would have been massive for the program over the years, as being on national TV when everybody is watching is what these programs are striving for.

Dave Aranda on the sideline against UCF. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III, Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III, Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Baylor fans also hold lofty expectations for their program, so when a season starts on the slower end, like in the past few years with the 2-4 start in 2024 and the 4-2 start in 2025, they can still hold out hope in the middle of the season, whereas before the season may have felt dead by week six.

Why is a 24-team playoff bad for Baylor

A 24-team playoff also comes to a detriment to a school like Baylor. In the previous college football playoff format of four teams, it was possible that a team of Baylor's caliber could win a national championship. All you had to do was go 11-1 in the regular season, win your conference championship, and then get a little lucky with the committee being in your favor.

Then all you had to do was win two games against high-caliber teams. We saw TCU reach a national championship a few years ago in this format. Now, in an expanded field, you have to play four to six games to reach a national championship against upper-caliber schools, and this task makes it almost impossible for a strong, middle-caliber power four to win a national championship.

The 2024 Baylor Bears would have been very close to a 24-team playoff, as they were receiving votes at the end of the regular season. | Clapper: Michael Bacigalupi

Baylor will make the 24-team playoff multiple times over the next ten years, but how far they go in this 24-team format is yet to be seen. There is a massive difference between the teams in the early 20s of rankings and the teams ranked inside the top 10. Overall, I don't see how a 24-team playoff benefits anyone but TV executives and the ultra-casual fan who thinks, "more football=better." We are losing what this sport is, which is Saturdays in the fall against your local rival, not playoff games with a team across the country on a neutral site.