College football coaches are throwing their weight behind a bold new vision for the postseason, and it could reshape the sport as we know it. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) recently voted to recommend a 24-team College Football Playoff format, alongside a proposal to eliminate conference championship games and adjust the traditional Army-Navy game schedule.
In their annual meeting, the AFCA's Board of Trustees adopted several key recommendations, according to executive director Craig Bohl. The most eye-catching proposal is expanding the playoff to include the maximum number of participants—widely understood to be 24 teams. They also suggested moving the Army-Navy game to an earlier date while preserving its exclusive time slot, and wrapping up the entire playoff by the second week of January.
While the AFCA board doesn't have direct authority over the NCAA or the College Football Playoff governance structure, it carries significant influence. The board includes prominent coaching figures who have direct lines to decision-makers like conference commissioners and university presidents. Names like Bret Bielema (Illinois), Brent Venables (Oklahoma), Clark Lea (Vanderbilt), Rhett Lashlee (SMU), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech), and Pat Fitzgerald (Michigan State) give the recommendation serious weight.
The coaches' association joins a growing chorus of voices calling for major changes to college football's postseason. This has been a divisive topic among CFP decision-makers for years, with no clear consensus in sight.
The timing is crucial. Just two weeks ago, the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame's athletic director met to debate the next iteration of the current 12-team playoff. At the heart of those discussions are two competing models: a 16-team format backed by the SEC, and a 24-team format pushed by the Big Ten. For any new format to be adopted, both conferences must agree—making the AFCA's endorsement of the larger bracket a significant development.
As the debate heats up, one thing is clear: college football's postseason is on the verge of its biggest transformation yet. Whether it's 16 teams or 24, change is coming—and the coaches have made their preference known.