No debate: The 12-team College Football Playoff was a success

The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 9, 2017.

With just one game to go to close out the 2024-25 college football season, we’ve seen enough to call it: The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff has been an undeniable success.

There are minor issues that need to be addressed or tweaked, but the overall format change has been a net positive for the sport. More teams were in Playoff contention throughout the final month of the season than ever before, which meant more meaningful games played each Saturday down the stretch. College football still got its usual, spirited debate about which teams should get the final spots in the bracket. And there were 11 CFP games instead of three at the end of the season — with four of those games played in electric campus environments.

Interest in the sport has been strong all season long, with 11 regular-season games topping 9 million viewers. First-round CFP games averaged 10.6 million viewers, the quarters averaged 16.9, and the semifinals (played on Thursday and Friday nights) averaged 19.2. With Monday night’s national championship matchup featuring two of the bluest of blue bloods in Notre Dame and Ohio State, the title-game audience is also expected to be massive.

It is also noteworthy that neither of the championship game participants is unbeaten. Notre Dame had an embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2, and then the Irish won 13 games in a row to get here. Ohio State lost to its hated rival to end the regular season but still knew it would qualify for the CFP.

“The new format has allowed our team to grow and build throughout the season,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “As much as losses hurt, they really allow us as coaches and players to take a hard look at the issues and get them addressed, and then it’s…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-debate-12-team-college-120100093.html

Author : NBC News

Publish date : 2025-01-19 12:01:00

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