The College Football Playoff (CFP) expansion, which was officially implemented in 2024, marked a monumental shift in the landscape of college football. Traditionally, the top four teams in the country had been selected to compete for the national championship, leaving several deserving programs on the outside looking in. However, the expansion to a 12-team playoff system has brought newfound opportunities, and programs like Notre Dame and Ohio State have particularly benefitted from the change. The expanded format has not only made the playoff system more inclusive but has also allowed teams that may have otherwise been overlooked to shine on a national stage. This essay will explore how the CFP expansion has saved both Notre Dame and Ohio State, highlighting the broader implications for college football as a whole.
The Traditional System: A Flawed Framework
Before the expansion, the playoff system had been widely criticized for its perceived bias and lack of inclusivity. Under the four-team format, selection was often a subjective process, with conference championships and strength of schedule weighing heavily in the decision-making. This occasionally left out deserving teams from non-power conferences or those with a single loss but strong résumés. In such a narrow field, programs like Notre Dame, who were often left out due to their independent status, had limited opportunities to make the playoffs even with a strong regular-season record.
Ohio State, while a frequent participant in the playoff system, was also not immune to the occasional frustration of being excluded. For example, in 2021, despite being the Big Ten Champion, Ohio State was left out of the playoffs in favor of a team like Alabama, who had fewer losses but was widely considered the superior team. While the Buckeyes would eventually go on to win the Rose Bowl that year, the disappointment of being excluded from the playoff system left many questioning whether the process had become too restrictive and skewed in favor of certain conferences.
Notre Dame’s Dilemma
Notre Dame’s predicament in the old CFP system was unique. As an independent program, the Fighting Irish did not belong to any conference and, therefore, did not have the built-in advantage of a conference championship. Notre Dame had been regularly ranked in the top 10 or 15 but had often been left out of the playoff picture due to the lack of a conference title to help secure their place. One of the most glaring examples of this came in 2020, when Notre Dame finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, including a loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship game. Despite their respectable record and their high ranking throughout the season, the Fighting Irish found themselves on the outside looking in when the four-team field was announced.
The CFP expansion, however, offers Notre Dame a much-needed lifeline. With an automatic berth now available to the highest-ranked conference champions and a more forgiving structure for at-large bids, the Irish are no longer penalized for their independence in the same way. By earning an at-large bid in the expanded field, Notre Dame can now maintain its identity and independence without being excluded from the postseason simply because it lacks a conference championship. The opportunity to compete in a 12-team field is not only a significant step forward for Notre Dame’s program but also a win for the broader college football community, as it ensures that more deserving teams get the chance to compete for a national title.
Ohio State’s Continued Relevance
While Ohio State had been a regular fixture in the previous CFP structure, the expansion has also benefited the Buckeyes, providing them with greater flexibility and ensuring that their chances for postseason glory remain intact. Under the old format, Ohio State’s inclusion was not always guaranteed, even if they were the Big Ten Champion. In a sport where conference title games and the national landscape were fluid and often unpredictable, Ohio State was occasionally left vulnerable to other teams from conferences like the SEC, which wielded considerable influence in the selection process.
In the 2024 CFP format, the Buckeyes now have more leeway to lose a game and still make it into the playoff, thanks to the expanded field. In a traditional four-team system, a single loss could often be fatal, but now, even with one or two losses, Ohio State is more likely to secure an at-large spot. The ability to recover from a loss during the regular season and still have a legitimate path to a national title is a major advantage for programs like Ohio State, who consistently compete at a high level. This change reflects a more equitable approach to postseason selection, one that values the entirety of a season rather than a single conference championship or a narrow set of criteria.
A More Inclusive System
The CFP expansion has had broader implications for college football as well. The move from four teams to 12 means that more conferences are represented, and deserving teams from across the nation have a shot at competing for a championship. In the past, the structure seemed to favor Power 5 programs, with Group of 5 schools often left on the outside looking in despite strong performances. Now, with the top six conference champions earning automatic berths and the remaining six spots open to at-large bids, teams like Cincinnati, UCF, and Boise State can more easily break through and make a run at the title.
For the sport as a whole, the expanded playoff system ensures that the best teams—not just the teams with the most favorable circumstances or the most media attention—have a chance to prove themselves. It also creates greater excitement and anticipation for the postseason, as more teams and fanbases are invested in the hunt for a national title.
The Road to Recovery for College Football
For Notre Dame and Ohio State, the expanded playoff system has been a saving grace, offering more pathways to postseason success and reducing the margin of error for teams that may have otherwise been excluded under the previous system. By increasing the number of teams that make the playoff, the CFP has also opened the door for more teams to achieve national relevance, pushing the entire sport forward in the process. Programs that previously had no hope of competing for a championship now have a legitimate shot at the title.
Moreover, the increased access to the postseason will help the sport as a whole by fostering greater diversity of competition, creating a more dynamic and engaging environment for college football fans. Teams that may not have been traditionally considered national championship contenders will now have the chance to compete with the sport’s elite, leveling the playing field and ensuring that the best teams in the country have an opportunity to make their mark.
