Ryan Day Makes Thoughts on Automatic College Football Playoff Bids Very Clear
As the college football world evolves, so do the conversations around the structure of the postseason. With the sport growing both in popularity and competitiveness, many have debated the potential expansion of the College Football Playoff (CFP) to make the postseason more inclusive. Among those adding their voices to the conversation is Ryan Day, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who recently shared his thoughts on automatic bids for conference champions.
Day’s comments come at a time when the CFP is set to expand from four to 12 teams starting in the 2024 season. This expansion will allow for more teams to compete for the national title, which has fueled ongoing discussions about whether conference champions should automatically earn a spot in the playoff. Day, a coach with significant experience on the national stage, is clear about his position on the matter.
In a recent interview, Day made it evident that he believes automatic bids for conference champions would be beneficial for the sport. He stated that it would “reward teams for winning their conference” and help to highlight the importance of conference championships in the larger college football landscape. Day emphasized that college football should strive to maintain the integrity of its traditions, and that rewarding conference champions with automatic playoff spots would align with the sport’s historical emphasis on conference titles.
Ryan Day’s perspective is grounded in the idea that automatic bids would add a layer of fairness and competitive balance. By ensuring that the champions of each major conference — including the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12, and Big 12 — receive a guaranteed spot in the playoff, the integrity of conference play is preserved. This system would eliminate some of the debates and controversies that have historically surrounded teams from strong conferences being left out of the playoff discussion, despite strong performances throughout the season.
However, Day also acknowledged that the debate around automatic bids is more complex than it might seem at first glance. He recognizes the strength of certain conferences, such as the SEC, which is often home to multiple top-tier teams. This raises the issue of whether a team from a more competitive conference, like the SEC, could still be left out of the playoff even if it performs well, due to the automatic bid system being more beneficial to other conferences. While Day supports the idea of conference champions receiving automatic spots, he also understands that the best teams should always have a chance to prove themselves on the national stage, regardless of whether they win their conference.
While automatic bids are a topic of much debate, Ryan Day’s position reflects a deep respect for the tradition and history of college football. He believes that any changes to the playoff system should serve to reward the teams that excel within their conferences and help maintain the competitive integrity of the sport. As college football moves toward the 12-team format, it will be interesting to see how the conversation evolves and whether automatic bids for conference champions become a permanent fixture in the new postseason landscape.
Day’s comments add weight to the ongoing discussions about how best to balance fairness, inclusivity, and the traditions that make college football so unique. Whether or not automatic bids for conference champions are implemented in the future, his clear stance shows that Ohio State’s head coach is invested in the future of the sport and committed to ensuring that the postseason structure rewards teams for their hard work, both in their conference and on the national stage.
