West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker stated that “Yes, there would be a market” for a Group of Six football playoff. This comment came on Wednesday as schools weigh the impact of the upcoming 24-team College Football Playoff. The expansion starts in 2027, and it threatens to push smaller conference teams into a crowded field. Baker’s words signal that schools are already looking for a way to keep their top teams playing for a title.
Memphis AD Pushes for Second Chance
Memphis athletic director Ed Scott told USA TODAY Sports he has spoken with peers about the idea. “I’ve talked to some other ADs about it,” Scott said during a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. He does not want Memphis to lose its spot in the big 24-team field, but he sees value in a separate tournament for the rest of the Group of Six. The plan would let a top team from each of the six conferences enter an eight-team bracket. This would happen after the main playoff field is set. It works much as the NIT does for college basketball teams that miss the main NCAA Tournament.
Advertisement
Scott noted that the current bowl system is losing its appeal with players. “Bowl games are getting harder to get buy-in from your players, especially after the holidays,” the Memphis AD acknowledged. Players often want to go home for the break, but a championship game offers a better reason to stay. The new playoff would give those teams a real shot at a title rather than a generic bowl matchup. The new playoff could change how the postseason feels for fans in smaller markets.
ESPN Paid More to Keep Control
The push for expansion came despite strong opposition from the network that holds the rights. Pete Thamel of ESPN reports that the network will pay an additional $345 million per year, on average, for the expanded playoff over the next five years. The deal was finalized on Monday, and it removes the Power 4 conference championship games. ESPN agreed to the terms because the conferences demanded a larger field. The network wanted to keep ownership of the event rather than risk a lowball offer from a competitor.
Oct 31, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers defensive backs Anthony Richard Jr. (8) and Darius Malcolm Jr. (7) react against Army during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Even the coaches who run the best programs are not happy with the change. Nick Saban said that “there’s not 24 teams in the country that can win the national championship,” per The Comeback. He also expressed regret over the disappearance of contests such as the SEC Championship. Urban Meyer, who once hated the idea, has changed his mind after seeing the push. Yet CFP executive director Rich Clark admitted on Monday that “many fans aren’t in favor of expansion,” though he said the committee considered this before moving forward.
Advertisement
Bowl Games Face a Hard Fight
The new playoff could leave many traditional bowl games with less interest. Baker, who previously worked at Memphis and North Texas, sees a specific window for these events. “There’s a market for all these bowl games, because people are home that time of year, and there’s a lot of clean air space,” Baker told USA TODAY Sports. He noted that fans often do not get interested in basketball until February, leaving a gap in the winter sports calendar. The challenge is to make sure the new playoff does not kill the value of the remaining bowls.
The SEC stands to benefit the most from the 24-team format. Nine SEC teams are currently ranked in the top-24 and would likely make the field this year. This includes schools like Georgia, Alabama, and Texas. While the Big Ten has claimed the last three titles, the SEC regularly fills the top 25 with talent. The expanded field gives these conferences a much better chance of attracting more teams. It also means more games and more revenue for the leagues involved.
The second set of College Football Playoff rankings was released on Tuesday, showing how tight the race is. USC rose two spots to No. 18 after other teams lost on Saturday. Ole Miss fell to No. 19 after a bad loss to Georgia. With only three weeks left in the regular season, teams are fighting for every spot. The chaos of the 2026 season has made it hard to predict who will make the cut. If the new Group of Six playoff happens, it will give teams like West Virginia a second shot at playoff football.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
