Kirby Smart Champions College Football Playoff Expansion to 16 Teams

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has publicly advocated for expanding the College Football Playoff. He made his comments during a recent appearance on a national sports show. This in-season discussion adds a new voice to the ongoing playoff format debate.

The coach argued that a larger playoff field would benefit the entire sport. He believes more teams in the playoff would sustain high television ratings and create compelling matchups.

Smart’s Vision for a More Inclusive Postseason

Smart directly questioned the logic behind limiting the field. He suggested that ratings would remain high with 16 or even 24 teams. This model would mimic the NFL’s successful postseason structure.

According to reports from ESPN, Smart emphasized the excitement of late-season “play-in” games. These contests would determine which teams make the expanded playoff. He stated that a bigger pool of teams is what all fanbases truly want.

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

The Georgia coach also tossed out another bold idea. He proposed an annual in-season challenge between the SEC and the Big Ten. This event would help settle arguments about which conference is truly superior.

The Associated Press has covered similar conference challenge events in college basketball. However, implementing this in football presents major scheduling hurdles. Most major programs have their non-conference schedules set for years in advance.

The debate over conference strength is a constant in college football. Smart pointed to NFL draft results as a more concrete measure of team and conference talent. Teams that win national championships consistently have the most players drafted.

An expanded College Football Playoff seems inevitable to many observers. Kirby Smart is now one of its most prominent coaching advocates. The future of the postseason will likely feature more teams and more drama.

Thought you’d like to know

What did Kirby Smart say about playoff expansion?

He supports expanding the College Football Playoff beyond 12 teams. Smart believes a 16 or 24-team field would maintain high ratings and create exciting play-in games late in the season.

Why does Kirby Smart want a bigger playoff?

He thinks it gives more fanbases a chance to compete for a championship. It also creates more meaningful games for a longer portion of the season.

What other idea did Smart propose?

He suggested an annual SEC vs. Big Ten regular season challenge. This would help determine which conference is stronger through direct head-to-head competition.

Is the College Football Playoff expanding soon?

There are no official plans to expand beyond the current 12-team format. Discussions about future growth typically happen in the offseason, not during the regular season.

How would an SEC-Big Ten challenge work?

It would be difficult to implement due to existing non-conference schedules. Most teams have their opponents booked many years in advance, making new annual events complex.