Playing a Different Game

By Jim Gazzolo

That didn’t take long.

Just one year after expanding to its new playoff format, college football's powers are tinkering with the system again.

Last season became the first with 12 teams getting invitations to the postseason, and while it wasn’t perfect, things did seem to be better. 

That is, of course, for everybody but the Southeastern Conference.

No SEC team made it to the title game for the first time in what seems like forever, so you just knew another shift in the playoffs would be coming soon.

Well, it’s here.

The College Football Playoff announced Thursday that winning one of the Power 4 conference titles will no longer mean a bye in the first round. The seeding will be determined by the teams' higher ratings.

“After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.

Make no mistake; this was decided by the Big Ten and mainly the SEC. The two major conferences have been running college football for a few years, and this is the latest move to prove it.

There were rumblings from the Big 12, Atlantic Coast, and Group of Five leagues, but in the end, they had no choice. They are powerless against the powerful.

The Big Ten and SEC said they would take their footballs and head home if they weren't happy. The rest were told to come along and make sure you get along with the Big 2. 

Ironically, the biggest thorn in the side of the Big Ten and SEC is the biggest winner.

No team gains more from this decision than Notre Dame. Being an independent, the Irish had no path to ever earning a bye come playoff time under the old system. 

With no league to win, there was no automatic bid to earn.

Now, the Irish not only have a path but might be the easiest. Notre Dame doesn’t have to win a conference championship game or even play in one. 

The Irish have just the regular season to get through. This might be the most significant break of all.

Last season, the Irish lost the national championship game, but if all goes well, they could easily be one of the top four teams in the country.

The other winners are any team that finishes second in the SEC or Big Ten. This opens up greater options for programs like LSU. 

The change may only be for this upcoming season. In 2026, the number of playoff teams will increase to 16, meaning there will likely be no byes, but the top eight will probably host games.

Playing on their home turf will give the Big 2 a great chance to advance their teams.

With a new television deal around the corner, the rest of college football must continue to compete with the Big Ten and SEC if it wants to keep a piece of the action. 

One thing is for sure: if things don’t go the way of the Big 2, you can expect more changes with each passing season. 

College football is clearly their game, and they play to win.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which airs weekly on CBS-Lake Charles.