Op-Ed: Where will Colorado stand in the arms race of a 12-team College Football Playoff?

There's a lot of dust in the air for the Buffaloes heading into the 2024 season

What a crazy college football season. Holy cow. The Michigan Wolverines bested the Washington Huskies and became national champions for the first time since 1997. You could not have written a more bizarre script. Give the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee credit. The two semifinal games and title game were “Must See TV” and featured four excellent teams worthy of national supremacy.

The system seemed to work and the selection committee should be applauded but why are storm clouds on the horizon as college football players, coaches, administrators, and fans look ahead to 2024 when the playoff includes 12 teams?

We’re still awaiting word on how the elite dozen will be selected and revenues distributed. Will there be byes for the top four? Probably. Where will first-round games be held? It seems on campuses of teams seeded five through eight. Lots of speculation and, frankly, gnashing of teeth. There’s lots of money at stake, which usually brings out the worst.

Current efforts, justifiably so, to compensate college athletes through NIL, transfer portals, and extra years of competition have been a great benefit to those neglected far too long. In almost half a century of being involved with college athletics as a scholarship athlete, sports journalist, and avid fan, NEVER thought to see the day when athletes stay in school an extra year because they can make more money collegiately than professionally. Collective bargaining agreements restricting earnings in an athlete’s early professional seasons are prevalent where NIL money is limitless.

Turbulent weather looms. There’s heavy rain, lightning, and dangerous winds in the forecast.

With no regulatory body able to reign in the wealthiest college football programs an arms race has developed between the “richest” schools and others trying to stay competitive. This is the dilemma for the Colorado Buffaloes and many programs without the financial clout to compete consistently with the famously deep-pocketed elite. Texas A&M gives former coach Jimbo Fisher $75-million to go away? Crazy money. How many schools can realistically play in this high-stakes poker match?

With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams, how’s the new formula going to have an effect on the regular season? Those once anticipated, “early season matchups” or conference championship games and tradition-rich rivalries like Michigan/Ohio State? For example, this season’s big game between the Buckeyes and Wolverines? The SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama? Those battles will become minor skirmishes because teams know they’ll be selected for the 12-team playoff. It seems big-time college football is careening toward the regular season becoming far less relevant.

The bowls. Wow. I think about bowl games attended over the years. The hard work and promotion of the host committee’s pour into marketing their game, cities, and regions. With the lavish NIL money and transfer portal? So many bowls this season were left with matchups missing key players who greatly contributed to the success of the team which made the team attractive to the bowls. The second-tier of bowl games face uncertain futures. These organizations work diligently to recruit the best teams available only to see the teams selected gutted by desertions leaving rosters depleted of star players.

Those are just three severe weather warnings on the radar. Growing up in Missouri in tornado alley, there was a phrase often offered around the dinner table when discussing how much is enough. “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.”

Conferences are now spread from coast-to-coast with illogical geographic sense. Coaches like CU’s Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders spare no words when saying, “These kids cost money.” Schools like Florida State sue conferences like the ACC for malfeasance. Despite the chaos, media rights money, wealthy boosters, and avid fans willing to pay ever-increasing ticket prices keep the cash register ringing at levels never before anticipated. Whew.

The recent words of CU’s talented athletic director Rick George continue to ring in my ears. “It’s the wild, wild west,” said the 63-year-old. It sure is. Another question. Who’s got a fast enough draw to survive the college football shootout? It seems some well-heeled programs are equipped with financial assault rifles while others are, courageously, showing up for the showdown with six shooters. 

It ain’t a fair fight.