USCs Lincoln Riley says CFP expansion just a matter of time

CHICAGO – Big Ten football coaches have diverging opinions about so many things in the rapidly evolving landscape of their sport, with one major exception:Expansion of the College Football Playoff to 24 teams.“This is something,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said Tuesday at Big Ten media days, “that our room has been unanimous on.”While the 12-team format is locked in for the 2026 season, doubling that total could come as soon as 2027.It would certainly benefit coaches such as Riley, who is still seeking his first CFP appearance on the eve of his fifth season with the Trojans.Riley spoke passionately about expansion, saying it would put college football more in line with other sports that have larger playoff pools.

The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are set to expand to 76 teams starting next season, and the baseball and softball postseasons each involve 64 teams.“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.”Historic intersectional rivalries such as USC-Notre Dame have been halted in part to better position teams for the CFP with the scheduling of lesser opponents.That would change, Riley said, with an expanded playoff.“I just think this is something that’s not going to diminish the game in any way,” Riley said.

“Having more teams in a tournament to determine a champion is not going to make it worse.You’re going to have more playoff games on college campuses, which are unbelievable.

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?“Like, I think it’s time that the idea should be embraced and I think more and more people are coming over to that, and I honestly believe it’s just a matter of time.”Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said an expanded playoff would ...