Athletic directors overwhelmingly favor an expanded College Football Playoff, according to a new survey.
Fully 88 percent of FBS ADs favor an expanded playoff when the current contract ends in 2025, according to a survey conducted by Stadium. Of those who approve of the expanded playoffs, 72 percent believe eight teams should qualify, and 66 percent said the highest-ranked non-Power Five team should also receive an automatic bid to an expanded playoff.
For its anonymous survey, Stadium reached out to 130 FBS athletic directors, and 112 responded.
“More and more fans are only concerned with the playoffs,” a Power Five AD said. “That’s sad, but true, so we should expand the playoffs when possible. Even if that impacts the bowl system. We have to figure out a way.”
“More teams in the playoff is good for fans and student-athletes,” said another Power Five AD.
Responses differed slightly depending on whether the athletic directors were in the Power Five. According to Stadium, 69 percent of Power Five ADs want eight teams, compared to 75 percent of non-Power Five ADs. Just 7 percent of Power Five ADs would like to see 12 or 16 teams in the expanded playoffs, while 11 percent of non-Power Five ADs favored that option.
