In 1998 I sat with a friend debating how many college football bowl games should exist, a conversation that feels eerily familiar now as the sport debates another expansion. At the time there were 35 bowl matchups plus 12 CFP matchups during the past season, and the author admits he didn't watch many of the non‑CFP games with high attention.
Why More Games Matter
The author argues that more football games are inherently good and that a 24‑team College Football Playoff bracket would increase the number of meaningful contests, even if some end in blowouts. He believes the expansion would give more teams a chance at winning a national title and reshape the postseason landscape.
Economic and scheduling implications are at the forefront of the discussion. The SEC has publicly expressed a desire for 16 teams in the CFP, while Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti warns that a 16‑game bracket would lose income. Meanwhile, Washington athletic director Pat Chun openly supports a 24‑team model.
The financial stakes are highlighted by the fact that the Washington Huskies quarterback is set to earn over $4 million, underscoring how player compensation is tied to the sport’s growing visibility.
If the playoff expands, conference title games could become less central, potentially eliminating them as the sole gateways to the postseason and giving a broader set of programs a realistic shot at the championship.
Fans who once counted 35 bowl games plus 12 CFP matchups now see a future where the playoff could double in size, promising more weekends of high‑stakes football and the possibility of new rivalries emerging on the national stage.