USC head coach Lincoln Riley is a strong proponent of expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams, a move he believes is a matter of time and would benefit the sport.
Speaking at Big Ten media days, Riley stated that coaches in his room are unanimous in their support for expansion. While the playoff is set to expand to 12 teams for the 2026 season, a further doubling of the field to 24 teams could be implemented as early as 2027.
Riley argued that college football lags behind other collegiate sports in playoff participation. He cited the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, which will expand to 76 teams next season, and the 64-team formats for baseball and softball postseasons. This disparity, he suggested, has impacted nonconference scheduling, with historic rivalries like USC-Notre Dame sometimes altered to prioritize easier opponents for playoff positioning.
"I think college football’s behind in that regard," Riley said. "… and you’re seeing some of the repercussions of that, especially the nonconference scheduling being the biggest."
An expanded playoff, Riley contends, would allow for more games on college campuses, which he described as "unbelievable." It would also encourage better nonconference matchups, helping to preserve traditions and rivalries that are central to the sport's appeal.
"Having more teams in a tournament to determine a champion is not going to make it worse," Riley said. "You’re going to have more playoff games on college campuses… You’re going to have better nonconference matchups, which preserve some of the traditions and rivalries and all the things that everybody loves about college football?"
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti indicated that an expanded playoff could enhance the regular season by keeping more teams competitive later into November and December. He also noted potential incentives for teams aiming for first-round byes or home playoff games.
While acknowledging that conference championship games might be eliminated in an expanded playoff scenario, Riley suggested that tiebreakers and revenue from additional playoff games could compensate for this. "I have a hard time believing that that couldn’t be worked out," he added.