Bret Bielema argues 24-team College Football Playoff would 'enhance' regular season

While speaking with On3’s Pete Nakos last month, Illinois coach Bret Bielema voiced his support for an expanded College Football Playoff. Three of the Power Four conferences, including the Big Ten, have spoken in favor of a 24-team model.

One of the big criticisms of a 24-team field is whether it could decrease the value of the regular season. However, speaking on 104.3 The Score in Chicago on Tuesday, Bielema argued the expanded field would actually “enhance” the final weeks.

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Bielema cited home CFP games as a reason teams would be inclined to continue playing starters through the end of the year. That advantage has proven to be important through the first two years of the 12-team bracket. Home teams are 6-2 in the first round across 2024 and 2025. If more of those opportunities are available, Bielema said the late-season games will still be important.

“Everybody’s poo-pooing on 24, whatever it is,” Bielema said on Mully & Haugh. “But if you look at it this way, I think it would actually enhance the last six games because three things are going on. If you have a 24-team Playoff, where two of the first games are played at home, those teams that want those two first games to be at home are going to do everything they can to have as high a ranking as possible. There’s not going to be any sitting on the bench. Nobody’s going to be worrying about resting their starters because you’re going to get into the playoffs and have two home games in the month of December is, like, crazy insane.

“So those games at the end of the year, they’re not going to lessen. They’re going to actually enhance. When we play Northwestern at the end of the year – whether we’re in it, they’re in it or whoever’s in it – those games matter. I think it would actually do more to enhance the end-of-the-year playoff field than anything.”

The Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC have all spoken in support of a 24-team College Football Playoff, as has the AFCA, for which Bielema serves on the board. However, Greg Sankey pushed back on expanding to 24 teams during the SEC’s spring meetings last week. The SEC and Big Ten have the bulk of the control over the CFP’s future, which adds another layer to their differing viewpoints on expansion.

But as he evaluated the state of the sport, Bret Bielema spoke highly of where things are. Between strong TV ratings and increased parity, he’s enjoying the ride in the new era.

“This [era] of football that we’re in right now, college football, is at an unprecedented high,” Bielema said. “It’s really fun.

“Everybody wants to find a reason to poo-poo it. I’m telling you, it’s at an unbelievable presence and awareness. It’s unbelievable.”