The Surprising Downside of Byes in College Football Playoffs

In the first year of the 12-team college football playoffs, teams that got a bye in the first round didn't fare well. None of the top seeds—Boise State, Arizona State, Oregon, and Georgia—won their quarterfinal games. These teams hadn't played a real game in over three weeks, which might have made them rusty. Meanwhile, the lower seeds stayed sharp by playing and winning at home. This unexpected outcome might push the playoff organizers to expand the field to 16 teams. That way, there would be eight games in the opening round, and no byes. Sure, this could lead to some lopsided games, but it would also make the playoffs fairer. The best teams would face those that earned their spots by beating weaker opponents.

Some people think a better solution is to stick with eight teams. This would ensure more evenly matched quarterfinal games. It would also mean all teams in the New Year's Eve and Day bowl games would have the same amount of time off. This might not eliminate all uneven games, but it would make the playoffs more fair. Currently, it seems better to finish fifth to eighth than to be one of the top four seeds.

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