Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

One of the hot topics swirling around this offseason is whether or not the College Football Playoff (CFP) needs to be expanded. The CFP committee has discussed expansion models already and expansion seems inevitable. While Indiana head coach Tom Allen said “I can't say I've sit here and had like hours and hours of thoughts about it,” he does have his own opinion on the controversial topic.

“I was always a big proponent for six for a longest time.” Allen explained to Sammy Jacobs of Hoosier Huddle. “I just felt like if you had the, you know the conference champion for each of the Power Five conferences and then you had the one at-large bid that made sense to me. I guess eight is is fine as well, kind of same concept you have your five power fives and it gives you a chance for for some additional teams.”

One of the arguments that pundits are using to keep the CFP at the current four teams is that expansion would ruin the regular season, which is one of the characteristics that make college football so special. While Allen sees expansion as inevitable, he agrees that the value of the regular season must remain.

“I think that you try to…you want to create an environment where, like you said the value of the games, and the regular season has to be protected.” Allen said. “You know and I think that's why you see so to sports that's lost a little bit. Whatever level it is. It definitely takes away from you know each and every week. And right now, you know, there's no question we feel it every single week. You know for what we're, what we're trying to do here.”

Another hurdle to overcome with expansion is what happens to the bowl system. Since it’s inception in 2014 only 11 different teams have made it to the College Football Playoff. That can get boring quickly. There. are 130 FBS teams and less than 10-percent have been selected. The CFP will not become a 68-team tournament like basketball, so keeping the bowl season has it’s own value (There’s no such thing as too many bowls).

“I think those are important, and then protecting it for the other teams to be able to have an opportunity to finish out the season with a bowl game that experienced it creates for your players, the amount of practice you get, and then the opportunity to play and win when your final game is a big, big deal.” Allen said of the current bowl system.

Another aspect that has to be taken into account when discussing expansion is how long is the season going to go and player safety.

“I think if you start getting too many playoff games you get into some difficult things that you have to deal with and how that would look from a length of the season perspective. These guys are student-athletes. They have finals and end of the year, end of the semester things going on at that time of year. I think you have to make sure you do a good job of that and you know we're talking about, particularly elongating fall camp because that's better for player safety in some ways, you know, within it, then you just get this super long season that just keeps growing and growing.” Allen said.

“I think you have to take both ends of that, you know, but I do feel like that, that will allow you to, to cause the conference champions to be rewarded, and, and then you go from there, you know, so like I said I think probably eight is was probably gonna happen. I don't know when. within the next two or three years I would imagine.” Allen finished.

Even though there are drawbacks and Allen hasn’t spent hours on end thinking up expansion ideas, he does think it’s going to happen.

The Huddle

IU Coach Tom Allen Thinks Six Playoff Spots is Ideal, Wants to Keep Regular Season and Bowls as Significant

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