Florida State coach Mike Norvell appears to be on board with one of the biggest potential changes to college football’s postseason. As discussions continue around expanding the College Football Playoff from 12 to 24 teams, Norvell said Monday that he sees plenty of value in creating a wider path to the national championship.
“When you look at 24 teams, you’ve got a pretty widespread net,” Norvell said. “You’re going to get to the team that plays the best, that’s been given opportunity and has been able to accomplish what it needs to truly earn the national championship.”
A 24-team playoff has been discussed as a possibility beginning in 2027, with significant changes to the postseason calendar potentially accompanying it. Among the ideas under
consideration is eliminating Power Four conference championship games to make room for additional playoff rounds, although the future of those title games has not been finalized.
Norvell acknowledged that any playoff structure will still create debate over which teams deserve the final spots, but believes expanding to 24 would make it much harder for a legitimate contender to be excluded.
“There’s always going to be the question of who should be selected,” Norvell said. “Whatever group is selected, there’s always that next group that could have or should have.”
That subject carries particular weight at Florida State after the undefeated 2023 Seminoles were left out of the four-team CFP despite winning the ACC championship.
Norvell also believes expansion could reshape more than the championship race. He pointed to the future of bowl games and the possibility of maintaining postseason opportunities for teams outside the playoff as another important piece of the conversation.
“It’ll be interesting to see how the bowl games and the different opportunities for student-athletes work together,” Norvell said. “I think there could be a really positive path for the teams that are in it and also the teams that might earn another opportunity.”
When asked how a larger playoff field could affect job security for coaches, Norvell said he had not given that part of the proposal much thought. His larger takeaway was that expanding access could ultimately benefit the sport.
“Where college football is going,” Norvell said, “I think it’s probably for the greater good to have a little bit more expanded pool.”
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU's Mike Norvell supports a bigger College Football Playoff
