Amid discussions around new CFP format, Ohio State's Ryan Day makes stance extremely clear with bold take

Defending champions Ohio State coach Ryan Day made his stance clear on the new College Football Playoff proposal. The CFP committee is scratching its head for the 2026 season and beyond, needing a playoff format that includes a good number of teams and healthy competition. However, they also need to weigh competitive conferences like the SEC and Big Ten.

Amid discussion on locking down several spots each for the Big Ten and SEC, several have vouched against it. Ohio State coach Ryan Day doesn't want one, two or three, but at least four automatic qualifying spots for the expanded Big Ten.

"We're in the Big Ten, and we have 18 teams and some of the best programs in the country," Day told ESPN. "I feel like we deserve at least four automatic qualifiers."

Ryan Day's motives are understandable given their Big Ten conference saw additions of top teams who left the Pac-12 in conference realignment moves. Given Pac-12 would have at least one or two teams qualifying, it's only fair that those bids come to the Big Ten along with the teams.

"You would have had at least a team or two [in the CFP] from out there," Day said, referring to the original Pac-12. "So it only makes sense when you have 18 teams, especially the quality of teams that you would have [in] that many teams representing the Big Ten."

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Ryan Day opens up on why having automatic CFP spots is important

After receiving intense backlash in blowout first-round matchups last season, the College Football Playoff has gone back to a straight seeding model while retaining the 12-team field. This would mean that teams in the top 12 of the committee's ranking by the end of the regular season will feature in the playoffs.

However, Ryan Day believes it's not enough and that automatic spots need to be made to incentivize stronger nonconference scheduling.

"If you don't have those automatic qualifiers, you're less likely to play a game like we're playing this year against Texas, because it just won't make sense," Day said. "If we do, then you're more likely to do that, because we play nine conference games in the Big Ten. The SEC doesn't. So it's not equal."

Day's point seems valid because it may no longer make sense or appear fair if Ohio State arranges matchups against SEC giants like Georgia or Texas while others get to enjoy relatively easier schedules.