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CFB has way too many teams
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:07 am
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:07 am
In 1988 there were just 104 Division 1 college football teams.
ACC- 8 teams
Big 8- 8 teams
Big 10- 10 teams
Big West- 8 teams
MAC- 9 teams
PAC10- 10 teams
SEC- 10 teams
Southwest- 8 teams
WAC- 9 teams
Independents- 24 teams
In 1989, that number increased to 106 teams as SMU came back from serving their death penalty + Louisiana Tech joined D1.
Since 1988, "Major CFB" continues to add an average nearly 1 new team per season. We're now up to 138 teams which is entirely too large IMO.
You would think adding these cream puffs into D1 would alleviate the need for teams to schedule FCS opponents, but no.... that has only become more prevalent.
I went back and looked at Auburn's schedules from 1987-1990...
*7 conference games per year (playing everyone in the league every season except for just 2 teams)
*Zero Division 2 / FCS opponents
*OOC regular season games against Texas, Florida State (2x), Kansas (2x), North Carolina (2x), and Georgia Tech... all in just a five season period.
Can we go back to this please?
There is absolutely zero reason why Sacramento State should be playing in the same division of football as Ohio State and Alabama. And with Sacramento State and the like in this division, there is even more of a reason to never go down to play a non FBS level opponent... yet everyone still does.
This sport needs a major overhaul.
ACC- 8 teams
Big 8- 8 teams
Big 10- 10 teams
Big West- 8 teams
MAC- 9 teams
PAC10- 10 teams
SEC- 10 teams
Southwest- 8 teams
WAC- 9 teams
Independents- 24 teams
In 1989, that number increased to 106 teams as SMU came back from serving their death penalty + Louisiana Tech joined D1.
Since 1988, "Major CFB" continues to add an average nearly 1 new team per season. We're now up to 138 teams which is entirely too large IMO.
You would think adding these cream puffs into D1 would alleviate the need for teams to schedule FCS opponents, but no.... that has only become more prevalent.
I went back and looked at Auburn's schedules from 1987-1990...
*7 conference games per year (playing everyone in the league every season except for just 2 teams)
*Zero Division 2 / FCS opponents
*OOC regular season games against Texas, Florida State (2x), Kansas (2x), North Carolina (2x), and Georgia Tech... all in just a five season period.
Can we go back to this please?
There is absolutely zero reason why Sacramento State should be playing in the same division of football as Ohio State and Alabama. And with Sacramento State and the like in this division, there is even more of a reason to never go down to play a non FBS level opponent... yet everyone still does.
This sport needs a major overhaul.
This post was edited on 9/29/26 at 10:35 am
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:10 am to AUTiger789
Dropping all but 64 teams would solve a lot of problems.
You just get 4 16 team leagues, can move to auto-bid + record-based wildcard/play-ins and forget about the voters entirely.
You just get 4 16 team leagues, can move to auto-bid + record-based wildcard/play-ins and forget about the voters entirely.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:12 am to AUTiger789
So true.
I tried to give every type of scenario for leagues. But your idea of shrinking or at least localizing leagues should be revisited.
I like getting g back to your older smaller leagues but actually getting to 4 sixteen-team leagues divided into two divisions could work too.
I tried to give every type of scenario for leagues. But your idea of shrinking or at least localizing leagues should be revisited.
I like getting g back to your older smaller leagues but actually getting to 4 sixteen-team leagues divided into two divisions could work too.
This post was edited on 9/29/26 at 10:21 am
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:14 am to AUTiger789
Now do the FCS, all of which are Division I programs.
I think it's growing simply because college/university campuses love football.
Regardless of the level, regardless of the size of the school, it brings excitement to campus (especially in the South) and brings students/faculty/staff together in a big way all over the country.
In a way, having all these teams (with more being added) is a sign of the health of the sport. Which is amazing given how expensive it is to run a football program.
Although it might not be fun for some fans to watch powerful teams against cupcakes, it serves as a valuable scrimmage for the power team, and a huge boost to the budget for the cupcake school.
And - occasionally - one of the big schools will choke on a cupcake.
Which is nice.
I think it's growing simply because college/university campuses love football.
Regardless of the level, regardless of the size of the school, it brings excitement to campus (especially in the South) and brings students/faculty/staff together in a big way all over the country.
In a way, having all these teams (with more being added) is a sign of the health of the sport. Which is amazing given how expensive it is to run a football program.
Although it might not be fun for some fans to watch powerful teams against cupcakes, it serves as a valuable scrimmage for the power team, and a huge boost to the budget for the cupcake school.
And - occasionally - one of the big schools will choke on a cupcake.
Which is nice.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:19 am to AUTiger789
Too many teams in a conference. Too many bottom feeders in the B1G, Big 12, and ACC. They can easily schedule their way to the Playoff.
No teams can schedule their own OOC games. Power 4 teams play only Power 4 teams OOC.
Only Power 4 teams make the 12-team playoff.
No teams can schedule their own OOC games. Power 4 teams play only Power 4 teams OOC.
Only Power 4 teams make the 12-team playoff.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:21 am to GoldenDawg
You don't really have to change much at all.
Playoff Football Conferences - Big 12(16), Big 10(16), SEC, ACC
They can still play the lower division teams (although I'd bet money we'll see a 10-game conference schedule in the next 10 years).
Those teams just don't get to play in the playoffs.
Playoff Football Conferences - Big 12(16), Big 10(16), SEC, ACC
They can still play the lower division teams (although I'd bet money we'll see a 10-game conference schedule in the next 10 years).
Those teams just don't get to play in the playoffs.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:22 am to bamameister
quote:
Too many teams in a conference.
I agree with this, too. 12 teams was perfect.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:26 am to bamameister
quote:
Too many teams in a conference. Too many bottom feeders in the B1G, Big 12, and ACC. They can easily schedule their way to the Playoff
Conference expansion was stupid & will not help the conference or the sport. 9 game conference schedule is also stupid. SECCG is also stupid. Expanding the playoff… again, stupid.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 10:32 am to DeathByTossDive226
quote:
Conference expansion was stupid & will not help the conference or the sport. 9 game conference schedule is also stupid. SECCG is also stupid. Expanding the playoff… again, stupid.
College football is trying to expand the game and refuses to streamline the process of getting there. Kirby Smart has now come out and just said how ridiculously valueless the SECCG is now. That's new, because it makes zero sense now. Both teams in that game are automatically in. Seeding could easily be settled with regular-season records. It already is.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 11:01 am to AUTiger789
I really do think we need to go back to smaller regional divisions. Give everyone a change to win something. You may not be a national contender, but you could make a run at your 8 team conference every now and then. And now this foolishness of the Big 10 and ACC where they have teams on both coasts, it's unsustainable for the football programs, much less the smaller athletic programs.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 11:03 am to jonnyanony
quote:
Dropping all but 64 teams would solve a lot of problems.
People would still argue that a basketball type CFP is needed.
Posted on 9/29/26 at 11:06 am to AUTiger789
I want promotion and relegation from the SEC down to the Sun Belt.
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