12-team vs 16-team CFB Playoff: Which model is better? Weighing pros & cons amid recent debate 

The CFB playoff is likely headed toward another expansion, from 12 to 16 teams in 2026. Whether that's the best idea for college football is up for debate, with fans and analysts on both sides defending their preferred format.

To fully understand how the CFB playoff made it to this point, it's important to consider the complicated history of the college football national titles in the past.

Arguing over the size of the playoff bracket is new to college football fans. For years, the national champion was decided in the polls, with the top teams in the nation sometimes not even facing off against each other. This often led to controversy or shared national titles.

The BCS put an end to that in 2007, but it was still a single championship game with the top two teams -based on computer polls- advancing to the title game.

In 2014, the four-team CFB playoff was introduced, and it lasted until last season, when the initial 12-team playoff made its debut, with the Ohio State Buckeyes winning the national title.

Pros and cons of 12-team CFB playoff

The 12-team CFP made its debut last season. Among the pros is that it allows for more top teams to make it to the postseason, but it is still a bigger challenge for teams to qualify.

While the seeding was an issue last season, going to straight seeding for next season will make the format pretty straightforward, with conference champions getting auto-qualifiers. Having a bye week theoretically also gives teams an incentive to finish the season strong, avoiding an extra game.

On the other side, the bye week didn't seem to give an edge to the top four teams last year, as they went 0-4 in the quarterfinals. There was also a lot of controversy in selecting the last at-large teams, as the two-loss SMU Mustangs made the CFP over three SEC teams with three losses, but a tougher schedule as well.

Pros and cons of a 16-team CFB playoff

The 16-team CFB playoff allows for a more balanced schedule, with every team having to win four games to get the hardware. It also adds two more playoff games, which allows conferences to generate more revenue.

With every team playing the same number of games, the argument that the long layoff hurt the top teams entering the playoffs becomes a moot point.

And while there is always the potential for controversy at the bottom spots, it's harder to argue that a team outside the top 16 in the polls deserves a shot at the championship.

Among the cons, after last season's CFB playoff offered little drama in the first round, adding four more teams increases the potential for even more blowouts, especially in the first round.

The qualifying format could also be an issue. From automatic qualifiers to which teams earn home dates, there is a lot of debate and politics involved. It also forces any team to play at least 16 games to win the title, a demanding workload for student-athletes.