The future of college football could look drastically different in the coming years.
The American Football Coaches Association recently proposed multiple changes to the college football calendar. Including eliminating conference championship games, reducing regular-season bye weeks from two to one, preserving the standalone Army-Navy game, and restructuring the postseason calendar to end the season earlier in January. ESPN first reported the AFCA’s recommendations earlier this week.
The recommendations come as college athletics continues to shift toward a more professional model. Which is driven by increased revenue pressures, expanded media deals, and ongoing changes to player compensation.
The proposals also arrive as momentum continues to build around another potential expansion of the College Football Playoff, despite the sport only recently moving to a 12-team format.
OutKick’s Trey Wallace joined The Sports Paige this week and said the constant changes have left many fans frustrated with the direction of the sport.
“College football and college athletics as a whole has lost the plot,” Wallace said. “At the same time, I get that you have to create as much revenue as possible for your school.”
One of the more controversial proposals involves eliminating conference championship games entirely. According to the AFCA, the move would help shorten the season and create a more sustainable postseason structure.
Wallace said while the value of those games may be shifting, removing them entirely would significantly alter the sport’s landscape.
“I don’t want to see conference title games go away,” Wallace said. “But at the same time, I understand it’s getting watered down a bit.”
The discussion surrounding playoff expansion has also intensified, with a 24-team format emerging as a possibility.
Wallace questioned whether expanding the field too far would dilute both the regular season and the postseason product.
“There’s not 24 teams out there that are worthy to win a national championship,” Wallace said. “Money is always going to win. Television contracts are always going to win.”
Changes to the postseason structure could also have a ripple effect on traditional bowl games. Already many of which are facing declining interest and player opt-outs.
“I think once contracts come up with television networks, you’re going to see some of these games go by the wayside,” Wallace said. “You’re going to have to start paying these players more to participate in the postseason if they’re not in the playoff.”
The AFCA does not directly control the College Football Playoff or the calendar, but its recommendations carry weight as leaders across the sport continue to evaluate what comes next.
