College football coaches want to follow in the path of college basketball and expand the postseason tournament.
But they also want to shorten the season, by removing the conference championship games and making other adjustments to condense the overall college football calendar in the process.
Here is a statement published by the American Football Coaches Association on the topic following their meetings last week:
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has identified the length of the college football season as a critical issue that needs to be addressed. As we modernize our game to better serve student-athletes, we have fallen short in structuring a season that concludes in a timely and sustainable way.
The AFCA recommends that the season be completed by the second Monday in January, and that this date serve as an organizing principle in shaping the future of college football.
To achieve this, we propose the following changes:
- Eliminate conference championship games
- Reduce scheduled bye weeks from two to one
- Preserve a dedicated window for the Army-Navy game, while allowing flexibility for other games to be played on that day outside the window
- Reduce the minimum number of days between contests to no fewer than six
In addition, future playoff models should maximize the number of participants while honoring the proposed completion date.
Structuring the season in this way will better support student-athletes by more closely matching the academic calendar and aligning with the single transfer portal window. It also elevates the quality of play during the most meaningful stretch of the season by removing unnecessary breaks and preserving competitive rhythm.
The AFCA board has no authority within the NCAA or College Football Playoff governance structure, but it does include coaches with influence over decision-makers. And they represent the latest voice encouraging expansion of the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Currently, a 16-team CFP is supported by the SEC, and a 24-team tournament is preferred by the Big Ten. Those two parties need to come to an agreement before expansion moves forward. Conference commissioners and the CFP governance committee have been having discussions on a potential restructuring of the CFP in recent weeks.
The 24-team approach has more momentum at the moment, and is the likely approach if the financial considerations, including the elimination of the conference title games, make sense.
Indiana made its first CFP in 2024, and won it in 2025. IU coach Curt Cignetti has said he supports the Big Ten position.
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