A Bold Proposal
University of Washington head coach Jedd Fisch has thrown his weight behind a sweeping revision of the College Football Playoff, urging that the bracket be expanded from its current 12‑team format to 24 teams.
Under his plan, the Power Four conferences would meet in the opening three weeks of the season, playing each other in a mini‑tournament that would seed the playoff rankings, a move he says would create a clearer hierarchy before the postseason.
Critics have warned that a 24‑team field would dilute the competition, pointing to teams that finish with four losses as undeserving of a national championship spot. Fisch counters that winning 75 percent of games is a strong indicator of merit and should be enough to earn a place in the title race.
He also envisions a schedule that preserves high‑profile non‑conference matchups, arguing that those games retain their significance when they serve as early barometers for playoff positioning.
The coach notes that the Football Championship Subdivision has successfully run a 24‑team playoff for the past 13 years, suggesting that the model could be adapted to the Football Bowl Subdivision without sacrificing tradition.
Media outlets such as ESPN and SiriusXM have taken note of the proposal, highlighting its potential to make more bowl games meaningful and to reduce the frequency of coaching dismissals that currently accompany early‑season disappointments.