Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning has thrown his weight behind a proposal to enlarge the College Football Playoff, suggesting that the tournament could grow from its current 12‑team format to as many as 16 or even 24 teams.
Financial Incentives Behind Expansion
Lanning argues that the extra games would translate into larger television contracts, giving networks a stronger incentive to pay more for broadcast rights and, in turn, generating additional revenue for schools and conferences.
He also points out that a bigger bracket would mirror the March Madness model, where consistent performance over many games improves a team’s odds of lifting a trophy, encouraging programs to invest in year‑round competitiveness rather than focusing solely on a single championship game.
Scheduling Complications
However, expanding the playoff would push the postseason deeper into January, creating a gap of up to a month between the regular season’s conclusion and the first playoff matchup.
That lag would force coaches, players and recruits to pause their momentum, potentially disrupting the late‑season push and complicating scholarship decisions in November and December.
Lanning has suggested that an earlier cutoff, such as a January 1 finale, could alleviate some of that pressure while still preserving the excitement of an extended tournament.
The coach also notes that teams like the Oregon Ducks, who are eyeing a championship run, might find their title aspirations complicated by the need to navigate a longer schedule and additional travel demands.
Ultimately, the conversation balances the lure of greater revenue against the practical challenges of fitting more games into an already packed calendar, leaving the sport’s stakeholders to weigh financial benefits against competitive integrity.