Lane Kiffin Questions 9-Game Schedule Impact on College Football

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Outspoken With Dan Sileo

Exploring the Impact of a Nine-Game Conference Schedule in College Football

Lane Kiffin recently discussed the challenge of assessing a team's strength without playing outside competitors. He suggested that sticking to conference games might not showcase how good a team truly is. The shift to a nine-game conference schedule appears to be driven by television contract demands, particularly those with Disney, ABC, and ESPN, which promise an "unbelievable" inventory of games for viewers. This setup, while excellent for TV ratings and fans, may not necessarily help teams when it comes to impressing the college football playoff committee.

Coach Steve Sarkisian further highlighted the issue, pointing out that a lighter schedule could ironically boost a team's playoff chances. He noted that having a better win-loss record from playing weaker non-conference teams might be more beneficial for playoff selection than facing tougher opponents like Ohio State. This situation reveals a gap in the playoff selection criteria where the strength of schedule is often overlooked in favor of overall records.

The dialogue also touched on the potential expansion of the playoff teams to 24 and the introduction of automatic qualifiers. Such changes could make the regular season even more compelling, particularly towards the end, as teams strive to secure playoff spots and advantageous seeding, much like the NFL. The conversation reflects a broader debate in college football about how to balance television interests with competitive fairness and playoff integrity.