Ryan Day just led Ohio State through the gauntlet of the 12-team College Football Playoff to snag the 2024 national championship, becoming the first team EVER to pull that off. You’d think he’d be chilling, right? Nah, Day’s already looking ahead, and he’s not just welcoming the idea of a bigger field, he’s full-on supporting a 24-team CFP that’s reportedly in the works with the NCAA and ESPN.
Why 24 Teams Changes The Game
Day thinks it’s “great for college football for a lot of reasons,” because “more teams are involved and relevant,” which is “great for fanbases, overall.” This massive jump from 12 to 24 teams means teams that stumble early get a lifeline. We’re talking three-loss teams potentially getting a shot at the postseason. Some folks might worry it waters down the early rounds, but Day and Colin Cowherd are pushing for the flip side: it forces teams to schedule tougher nonconference games right out of the gate.
Forget Easy Wins, Day Wants The Grinders
Think about it: Ohio State and Texas played back-to-back seasons, splitting the series. The Longhorns’ loss to the Buckeyes in 2025, combined with two SEC losses, cost them a spot in the 12-team CFP. If they’d ducked a top-tier opponent early, they might’ve cruised deep into January. Day’s even looking at his own squad this year. After losing to Texas in Week 1, another loss to Indiana this Saturday AND one more regular season or Big Ten championship game loss could boot them from the field. “The expansion allows all of us to play some of those nonconference games earlier in the year, which is good for the game,” Day said. Cowherd totally gets it, saying “facing a great team early offers clarity to a coaching staff. That’s what you really want as a staff. It’s hard to get those winning by four touchdowns.” A brutal early schedule makes teams sharper for when games REALLY matter later on.
It’s not just about getting into the CFP. It’s about being ready once you’re there. A tougher schedule means teams are more polished and experienced against the caliber of opponent they’ll see in the actual CFP. Day stressed this: “The way things go now, your team is growing. We’re a different team than we were earlier in the season. Indiana’s a different team than they were earlier in the season. So as you continue to evolve , you know you want to be playing your best football at the end of the season.”
The Buckeyes have a tough matchup against Indiana this Saturday. If they drop that one and another game down the line, their season could look very different. But the bigger picture here? The CFP landscape is changing, big time. That expansion to 24 teams now seems a matter of when, not if. It’s going to reshape how teams approach their seasons, especially those early nonconference battles. Day and Ohio State are leading the charge, and you gotta wonder who else is gonna step up and embrace this new era of college football.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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