There are no plans to expand the newborn College Football Playoff right now, but at some point in time it is likely the field will be expanded because that is what happens in sports. Baseball expanded its postseason twice since the 1994 strike and the NCAA basketball tournament has expanded from 64 up to 68 in recent years. A four-team college football playoff format always seemed like the first step in a larger format that would take time to develop.
A poll of athletic directors conducted by CBSSports.com suggests there is a popular belief the four-team playoff field will be expanded before the current contract for the College Football Playoff runs its 12-year course. Of the 35 athletic directors polled, 27 replied to CBS Sports. More than half of the respondents say the playoff field is likely to grow within the next ten years.
The reasons for expansion are generally pretty simple. Allowing more access to the postseason format is one thing, but increased revenue potential is a close second. Those in favor of a playoff format for years have designed various models that would include anywhere between eight and 16 teams. Every other level of football manages to structure a formidable playoff system, so it is possible to make an expanded playoff model a reality.
Not everybody is in favor of the playoff model though. Those who value the importance of the regular season say a playoff will devalue the regular season. Opening the playoffs to more teams could do more to bring the importance of regular season success down as well, as there could be a larger margin for error for top programs.
Of course, nobody even knows how successful this new four-team playoff model will be until we see it play out. Holding off on any rash decisions is one of the biggest reasons to hold off on any form of expansion talk for now. We are entering a new era and it may now be too late to revert back to the standard bowl system. If there are any changes in the future, it will be expansion.