Since the dawn of the College Football Playoff era in college football (it’s been one whole year already), the company line seems to be selling a commitment to the four-team playoff model for the duration of the 12-year contract. Executive director Bill Hancock has been pitching that every time he is asked about it, and selection committee member Condoleezza Rice is echoing the message as well.
“I feel pretty strongly about four now because I thought that the rivalry weekend -- that Saturday after Thanksgiving -- almost felt like a play-in game,” Rice said to Heather Dinich of ESPN.com. “Now the Iron Bowl, Alabama has to beat Auburn. You could imagine the circumstances in another year where the Civil War, Oregon really has to beat Oregon State."I agree that if it got much larger, I don’t think you would have that momentum coming out of the regular season, so it’s the best possible scenario.”
Despite its first year’s hits (massive TV ratings) and misses (weekly ranking debates and the Big 12 conversation), Rice feels confident four is still the right number for college football.
“I agree that if it got much larger, I don’t think you would have that momentum coming out of the regular season, so it’s the best possible scenario,” Rice added.
The College Football Playoff may be in its infancy, but it is standing firm on a number of issues and ideas regarding its future. Maybe something changes down the line, but there has been no wiggle room on the topic of expansion coming from the selection committee. Some coaches have a different opinion. In the same vein, the College Football Playoff has opted not to budge its scheduling, which means games will be played on December 31 (New Years Eve) despite some concern about the scheduling and TV programming hassles it seems to cause. It is also no afraid of possible Monday night competition from the NFL.