4-team playoff is fine, but 8 would be perfect

ATLANTA — Naturally, the four coaches on the podium were happy with the system the way it is.

They’ve all got a shot at the national championship.

But, as Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Alabama’s Nick Saban, Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley and Georgia’s Kirby Smart gathered at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, it was clear that others should’ve been up there with them.

Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, for sure.

Southern Cal’s Clay Helton, too.

Central Florida’s Josh Heupel, as well. (Or Scott Frost, if he had chosen to stay with the Knights a bit longer to take a run at a title.)

The final spot could’ve gone to either Paul Chryst of Wisconsin or Gus Malzahn of Auburn.

More isn’t always better, but in this case it would be.

There’s no good reason not to expand the College Football Playoff to eight teams.

“I’m not opposed to it,” said Swinney, the only one who seemed open to the idea.

But, he quickly added, “I kind of like what we have.”

An eight-team playoff makes so much sense, we’re likely to go years before the inevitable happens.

But, rest assured, that day is coming. Might as well get to it. All five Power Five conference champions should get an automatic spot, which would make every one of their title games a playoff before the actual

Lincoln Riley (from right) of Oklahoma, Kirby Smart of Georgia, Nick Saban of Alabama, and Dabo Swinney of Clemson are the coaches of the four teams in the College Football Playoff, which some would like to see expanded to eight teams.

playoff. That was essentially the case this year, with Clemson (Atlantic Coast), Oklahoma (Big 12) and Georgia (Southeastern) all getting in by winning their respective leagues.

Made for a pretty thrilling day, didn’t it?

But Ohio State (Big Ten) and Southern Cal (Pac-12) were left out. Instead, the selection committee handed the fourth playoff spot went to once-beaten Alabama, which didn’t even win the SEC West.

Now, this isn’t a knock on the Crimson Tide, which has been college football’s dominant program for the past decade and very well could win the fifth national

title of the Saban era. Alabama (11-1) was ranked No. 1 all year by The Associated Press — until a 2614 loss at Auburn in the regularseason finale, which was enough to knock the Tide out of the SEC championship game as well.

On paper, at least, Bama probably deserved the nod over Ohio State (11-2) and certainly Southern Cal (11-2).

But conference titles should be the first point of entry for any playoff system, and that has always been the most glaring flaw with a four-team playoff and five major conferences.

“There’s never going to be a magic number. If we have eight, (Nos.) 9 and 10 are going to be upset. John Amis / AP

If we have 16, 17 and 18 are going to be upset,” Riley said. “I think the final four has been great. I think the biggest thing to me is people need to have realistic expectations. You’re not going to go to the playoff every single year. Only four teams can do it.”

But let’s envision how much better an eight-team playoff would be.

The five Power Five champions would be in automatically, seeded 1 through 5. This season, that would’ve been Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio State and Southern Cal. The best of the rest, from the socalled Group of Five, would also be guaranteed a berth.