Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has expressed concerns about the College Football Playoff (CFP) structure, particularly regarding the automatic byes awarded to the top four conference champions. In a recent discussion, Day suggested that while conference championships should guarantee entry into the expanded 12-team playoff, the additional advantage of a bye week may be excessive.
“I think that if you win your conference, sure, you should get in. But you get a bye? I think that’s a little much,” Day said.
Under the new 12-team CFP format, which begins in the 2024 season, the four highest-ranked conference champions will receive first-round byes, while the remaining eight teams will compete in the opening round. This means that even a higher-ranked at-large team—such as a one-loss SEC or Big Ten powerhouse that doesn’t win its conference—could be forced to play an extra game compared to a lower-ranked conference champion.
For programs like Ohio State, which has often been in contention for the playoff but has missed out on the Big Ten Championship due to losses to Michigan, the system could create significant hurdles. In 2022, for example, the Buckeyes made the playoff as an at-large team and pushed Georgia to the brink in the semifinals, but under the new format, they would have had to play an additional game just to reach that stage.
Day’s comments highlight a growing debate about the fairness of the CFP structure. While conference championships serve as a clear benchmark for qualification, not all leagues are created equal. A two-loss or even three-loss champion from a weaker conference could potentially secure a bye over a one-loss team from the Big Ten or SEC, which are widely considered the strongest conferences in college football.
With the expanded playoff on the horizon, discussions about potential tweaks to the system may continue, especially if powerhouse programs find themselves at a disadvantage compared to lower-ranked conference champions. Whether the committee will adjust the format in future seasons remains to be seen, but Day’s concerns echo those of many coaches and analysts who believe the system still has room for improvement.