CFP Semifinal Blowouts Aren't Helping Playoff Expansion Argument

With both Alabama and Georgia cruising to semifinal victories, the discussion about expanding the playoff has gone under the microscope.

The subject of College Football Playoff expansion has been formally discussed by the sport's governing body as recently as a month ago, with the decision to grow the field ultimately put off until a later time. With this year's CFP semifinal results producing two snoozers, the issue was back under the microscope Friday night.

Alabama rolled to a 27–6 win against Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl, while Georgia was equally dominant in dispatching Michigan, 34–11, in the Orange Bowl. The lack of competitiveness on the sport's biggest stage begs the question: Do we want to see more?

Based on how the discussions surrounding this issue went earlier in December, it seems inevitable we will one day see more than four teams in the playoff. But there have now been 11 CFP results (semifinal or championship games) that have been decided by 21 points or more.

It remains to be seen whether more teams would bring more parity and competitiveness, but college football Twitter had plenty to say on the matter. Take a peek at the conversation below:

Proponents of an expanded college football playoff aren't looking good tonight.

Even with four teams we can't get anything competitive.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 1, 2022

There is no logical reason the semifinals are so lopsided year after year. We've had 16 of these now and three of them have been close.

— Matt Hinton (@MattRHinton) January 1, 2022

It’s not about playing with Bama. It’s more about variance and viewer interest beyond the semi-final.

Expansion will be very good for the CFP https://t.co/sIQI0aKriW

— Ry (@JustRyCole) January 1, 2022

Don’t let these CFP semifinal outcomes dissuade you from expansion. We will get more competitive games in the first round with raucous home-field environments. It’ll be good for the sport.

It may not change the eventual champion or semifinal blowouts, but that’s not the point.

— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) January 1, 2022

Everyone lobbying for CFP expansion is just lobbying for more teams to get their face beat in by Bama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, and whichever other single blue blood is having their best season ever. We don’t need that.

— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) January 1, 2022

Luckily we’ll soon have a playoff that’ll address the mystery of how Notre Dame or Baylor or Pitt would do against these teams

— The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast (@SolidVerbal) January 1, 2022

You’re not going to fix semis blowouts. The vast majority of talent is funneled to a handful of schools.

What you can do is make the CFP an attainable goal for everyone and make *making* the CFP the biggest thing in the sport. Who wins it all has never been what CFB is about.

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) January 1, 2022