Zain Bando Wed, October 21, 2026 at 8:51 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legendary ex-coach Urban Meyer names drawback of CFP expanding from 12 to 24 teams originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Former Big Ten and SEC national championship-winning coach Urban Meyer has taken a clear stance regarding the soon-to-be new 24-team era of the College Football Playoff: he loves it, but with one exception.
During a recent episode of "The Triple Option," Meyer admitted that, at first, he hated the idea. But after watching the first seven weeks of the college football season unfold, he said he now recognizes why the change was inevitable.
"At first I couldn't stand the idea," Meyer said. "I just thought you would dilute the product, but what I'm witnessing this year and we're all learning is that the parity is unbelievable."
However, Meyer said a big eliminator, which could ultimately change college football forever, is the absence of conference title games ahead of the field's reveal show.
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"The only concern I have, and I'll keep saying this as long as I'm around, those who say that conference championship games are not important, I will say never played in it, never coached in it, and never won a ring. I think conference championship games are one of the most exciting things that have ever happened in my lifetime and certainly for my players."
Meyer's comments closely resemble those of Illinois Fighting Illini coach Bret Bielema, who spoke highly of the expanded format during Monday's media session in Champaign.
"I think it's fun. On record here. I've said that," Bielema said.
Bielema said he is okay with whatever direction the Big Ten decides, too.
"It's really something that been driven by our our commissioner," Bielema said. "So I thought the biggest thing for him is that he gave us that plan probably almost three years ago, maybe two years ago. I just been very impressed with Tony and his vision and his ability to connect all the dots."
Bielema admitted that there were instances in the past where Illinois could have benefited from the format.
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"I think it does allow a team that maybe loses a game or two early in the year to still have a viable option," Bielema said. "At the end of the year, all of a sudden these games that maybe no one's really paying attention to come of really high importance and significance. So, I think it actually builds value to the end of the year that others are refusing to see."
Regardless of the controversy, more bubble-type teams may benefit from the new format.
Source: Sports
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