Why the inevitable 16-team playoff is bad for Ohio State

Despite it being easier for the Ohio State football team to make the College Football Playoff, the 16-team CFP that will come will be bad for the Buckeyes.
ByRyan Stano|
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day hoists the championship trophy during the Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Playoff National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Jan. 26, 2025.
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day hoists the championship trophy during the Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Playoff National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Jan. 26, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State football team keeps winning national championships when the College Football Playoff format changes. They won the first four-team CFP back in 2014 and won it last year when it changed to 12 teams. They seem to like it when things change.

It's inevitable that the CFP will change once again, this time to a 16-team CFP. That should make it even easier for the Buckeyes to make the CFP once it changes to that format. Normally, that would be a good thing for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but the 16-team Playoff is actually a bad thing for them.

It's a bad thing for them because it's bad for college football at large. Adding more teams to the fold means more games, which means more of a chance for injury. That is bad for all college football teams, especially ones that go deep into the CFP.

The inevitable 16-team College Football Playoff is bad for Ohio State

Ohio State just got done playing the longest college football season in history. They ended up playing 16 games, which is basically an NFL season. Adding more teams will make it harder for teams to finish the season healthy because more games are required to win a national title.

The Buckeyes are hoping to win a national championship once the 16-team Playoff does come into effect. While it's unclear exactly when it's coming, it will come within the next couple of years. Ryan Day will have to plan out his season in anticipation of playing more games.

More games mean more revenue, which is ultimately what this is all about. College football has turned into a sport that cares solely about the money and nothing else. It's a disappointing evolution for a beautiful sport, but it's one the Buckeyes are equipped to adapt to.