Rece Davis Draws Line in the Sand Against College Football's Brewing Expansion Plans

The expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12 has resulted in enough success and profit for those in charge of the format to start discussions about enlarging the postseason tournament even further, doubling it to 24 teams.

College Football Playoff expansion currently finds itself as something of at impasse with the field still at 12 teams heading into this season, but important people in influential positions are still clamoring for a bigger event that will more generously line their pockets.

Don’t do it, says the voice of College GameDay.

Against the 24-team College Football Playoff

Rece Davis may not have a vote on the matter, but that hasn’t stopped the veteran ESPN broadcaster and face of the sport from airing his opinion on why it shouldn’t happen.

“I do not like it. Because we have the only regular season in sports that is still of great significance,” Davis said in comments to Front Office Sports.

“Part of the beauty of the regular season in college football is that an early season game can hang over you for a long time.”

What the brass think about expansion

Contrary to fans, however, college football’s power brokers are working in an atmosphere where their immediate material incentives revolve more around how to increase profit margins rather than quaint notions like tradition or “the beauty of the regular season.”

And if increasing those margins means doubling the size of its postseason tournament, then that will likely be where this process goes, whatever path it takes, and whatever fans think.

College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark admitted as much recently when he told ESPN’s Heather Dinich that “the majority of the discussion was about 24 [teams],” at a recent meeting on the subject, although a 16 team format is also on the table.

No dates or numbers have been jotted down in an official capacity, with one question hovering over the room about whether expanding the playoff would result in making back the money lost by ditching conference championship games.

Where the process stands now

Whatever the decision, if it’s to come in time for the 2027 season, has to be made by Dec. 1.

One thing holding back inevitable expansion? Disagreements between the SEC and Big Ten, both of which have more control than the other conferences over where it goes, with the former favoring 16 and the latter the 24 team field.

While they squabble over dollars and cents, Rece Davis reflects more of the opinion among college football fans, in favor of keeping the uniqueness of the regular season.

“I think the huge games still are the thing that make college football different from the other sports,” he said.

“They’re still of great value. I just feel like 24 is way too many. I think 12 is plenty.”

But will the College Football Playoff brass think the same?

(FOS)

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