ESPN Bashes 24-Team College Football Playoff?! + The Perfect Fix For the CFB Postseason

Penn State football could face a very different College Football Playoff standard if expansion reaches 24 teams. On this Locked On crossover, Zach Seyko and Jacob Goins react to ESPN’s criticism of a 24-team CFP model and debate what it would mean for Penn State, Indiana, the Big Ten, and the future of college football. Topics include Penn State’s playoff expectations, Matt Campbell’s pressure in an expanded field, whether the CFP committee should go away, how conference schedules could change, why rivalry games may lose or gain value, and whether a Big Ten football tournament could actually solve part of the problem. The conversation also touches on Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, the Power Four, Group of Six programs, conference title games, bowl games, and the future of regular-season stakes. For Penn State fans, the biggest question is simple: if the playoff grows, is there any excuse for Penn State to miss it? Expansion may create more access, but it also creates a new level of accountability for programs with Big Ten resources and national expectations. Drop your thoughts in the comments: would you rather see a 24-team College Football Playoff, a smaller playoff, or a Big Ten tournament-style format? Become an every-dayer! Subscribe to Locked On Nittany Lions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lockedonnittanylions?sub_confirmation=1 Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LONittanyLions?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow the show on X!https://x.com/LockedOnNittanyhttps://x.com/zach_seyko #lockedonnittanylions #pennstate #nittanylions #pennstatefootball #collegefootball #bigtenfootball #ncaafootball #lockedon #weare #football 0:00 ESPN Pushes Back on a 24-Team CFP 0:53 Penn State and Indiana’s Playoff Standard 1:49 Why Zach Is Open to CFP Expansion 3:42 Jacob’s Case Against More Playoff Teams 4:29 Should College Football Get Rid of the Committee? 6:00 Scheduling Changes and Cupcake Games 7:53 Would CFP Expansion Hurt Rivalries? 10:03 Indeed Ad Read 11:54 Rivalry Games in the Playoff Era 14:12 College Football’s Nationalization Problem 17:02 Why “In or Out” Changed Fan Expectations 18:19 Zach’s Plan to Fix College Football 19:16 Big Ten Playoff and Conference Title Game Debate 20:40 College Basketball Model for Football 22:37 Why a Clear Playoff Formula Matters 24:16 Power Four Champions and Group of Six Debate 25:25 Penn State, Indiana, and Expanded CFP Pressure 27:32 Big Ten Tournament Standard for Coaches 28:00 Notre Dame and AP Voter Problem 29:01 Final Thoughts on the Future of the CFP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.