Georgia’s Kirby Smart Advocates for Major College Football Playoff Expansion

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has publicly called for expanding the College Football Playoff beyond its current 12-team format. He made his case during a recent appearance on a national sports talk show. Smart believes a larger playoff field would better serve the sport and its passionate fanbases.

His comments come amid the ongoing success of the new 12-team model. The coach argued that increasing access would create more meaningful late-season games.

Kirby Smart Champions Larger Playoff Field

Smart directly questioned the logic of limiting the number of participating teams. He suggested that television ratings would remain high even with 16 or more teams in the playoff. According to a summary from ESPN, he envisions a system that mimics the inclusivity of the NFL postseason.

He stated that a bigger pool creates “unbelievable playoffs.” More teams in contention would turn final regular-season games into high-stakes play-in contests. This scenario would extend excitement for more programs and their supporters across the country.

Proposing a Solution to College Football’s “Greatest Debate”

The Georgia coach also proposed an innovative idea to settle conference superiority. Smart suggested an annual in-season challenge between the SEC and the Big Ten. He referenced the existing ACC-SEC Challenge in basketball as a potential model for how it could work.

This concept addresses a frequent point of contention among fans and analysts. With the SEC moving to a nine-game conference schedule, opportunities for non-conference matchups against other power leagues are dwindling. A structured event would provide direct, regular comparisons between the two powerhouse conferences.

Smart acknowledged the difficulty of implementing such a plan due to long-term scheduling contracts. However, he emphasized that it is the only true way to measure conference strength head-to-head. He also pointed to NFL Draft results as a consistent indicator of which conferences develop the most talent.

The push for College Football Playoff expansion continues to find influential voices. Kirby Smart’s public endorsement adds significant weight to the conversation about the future format of the sport’s postseason.

Dropping this nugget your way

What is the current College Football Playoff format?

The College Football Playoff currently includes 12 teams. This format was adopted for the 2024 season after years of a four-team model.

Why does Kirby Smart want a bigger playoff?

He believes it would create more exciting late-season games for more fanbases. A larger field gives more teams a realistic chance to compete for a national title.

What is the SEC-Big Ten challenge idea?

Smart proposed an annual event where teams from the SEC and Big Ten play each other during the regular season. This would help determine which conference is stronger through direct competition.

When is the SEC switching to a nine-game schedule?

The Southeastern Conference will move to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026. This change reduces openings for games against other major conferences.

How does the NFL Draft relate to conference strength?

Smart noted that national champions often have the most players drafted. He uses draft numbers as an objective measure of which programs and conferences develop the best talent.

Trusted Sources: ESPN, Associated Press, SEC Network