Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's beat writers. Multiple times per week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.
Watch the above video as Alabama Crimson Tide on SI football writer and assistant editor Katie Windham reacts to the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams.
There has been no official announcement yet, but all signs are pointing towards the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams starting next season in 2027. Along with most college football fans, I don't love the move.
It is crazy how quickly we've moved from two teams to 24 teams to determine the national champion in less than two decades.
How does it affect Alabama? Since the inception of the CFP in 2014, Alabama has made the field more than any other team with nine appearances. Clemson and Ohio State are tied for second with seven trips each.
With the playoff field now up to 24 teams, it is hard to picture a world where the Crimson Tide isn't one of the top-20 teams in college football at the end of the regular season. Alabama hasn't been ranked outside of the AP Top 25 since Nick Saban's first season in 2007.
Reaching the CFP is already an expectation in Tuscaloosa, but now it will be come the bare minimum. It will give teams a buffer to lose three or possibly even four times during the regular season and still have a shot at the national title.
This keeps more teams in the hunt longer into the season, but it also de-values the regular season where big games won't mean as much because a loss doesn't derail the season. We're already somewhat seeing that with the 12-team field.
The expanded CFP field will eliminate conference championship games, which probably has the most direct impact for Crimson Tide fans. Alabama has played in more SEC championship games (16 since the first game in 1992) than any other school and has more championship game wins (nine) than any other team.
The early December trip to Atlanta will be no more. There will definitely still be CFP games played in Mercedes Benz Stadium, but there will no longer be an SEC Championship Game.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments on social media? Do you like more teams having a shot at the CFP each season, or did you prefer when it was just two or four teams?
Alabama CFP appearances
Year | Result |
|---|---|
2014 | Lost in semifinals |
2015 | Won national title |
2016 | Lost in national title game |
2017 | Won national title |
2018 | Lost in national title game |
2020 | Won national title |
2021 | Lost in national title game |
2023 | Lost in semifinals |
2025 | Lost in quarterfinals |
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