College Football Playoff Already Discussing Expansion To 14 Teams

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The new, expanded version of the College Football Playoff hasn't even started yet, and it may already be getting changed.

And if you thought the new 12-team format was too big, you aren't going to be happy with what playoff leadership is apparently discussing.

That's according to a new post from ESPN's Pete Thamel, who reported that a potential 14-team format has already been raised as a possibility for the near future. 14 teams!

"Sources: The idea of a 14-team College Football Playoff was discussed by the CFP management committee at the meetings in the Dallas area today," Thamel wrote. "If that happened, it would begin in 2026. Nothing is imminent, but it's significant this idea was discussed."

It sure is significant! Especially considering we haven't even had a season and playoff under the 12-team format to see how successful it is. Or isn't. Why worry about a second expansion before the first expansion has even started?

College Football Playoff and ESPN agree to extension

(Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

College Football Can't Stop Tinkering, Searching For More Money

Thamel pointed out that nothing is imminent and it wouldn't start until 2026. But how many times over the past few years has something in the college football world been viewed as a down the road possibility only to suddenly come true in dramatic fashion?

When thinking about what a 14-team playoff would do for the sport, there's one clear, obvious benefit: more money. The more teams involved, the more valuable the media rights package becomes. Add more games, more fanbases, more markets and the fees get bigger. 

There may be some upside to having more competitive games between top teams, while providing more opportunities for smaller programs ranked in the top-15 to make the playoff. But assuming the extra game would likely be played on campus, it would further devalue non-CFP bowl games. 

And of course, the other obvious question is: why stop at 14? Why not 16? Or 18? 

The professional sports leagues (cough, baseball) keep expanding their postseasons in search of more revenue, why should college football, with ~130 teams, not keep going too? Maybe by 2030 we'll have the Big Ten with 32 teams and the SEC with 32 teams and all of them will make the playoff. Purdue and Vanderbilt, college football playoff participants, here we come!