AFCA Coaches Push to Eliminate Conference Title Games and Expand College Football Playoff

College football coaches are pressing for changes to the postseason playoff system, including more teams receiving bids.

The American Football Coaches Association convened recently to discuss ideas for improving the sport. Assistant coaches and some head coaches favor abandoning the current 12-team playoff format for a 24-team version.

The AFCA has no power to enact changes, and its recommendations alone will not drive reform. Still, the push for change dominated discussions after the meeting. Coaches tied their job security to the playoff, which started two years ago.

Talks also covered the shift to a single transfer portal period from multiple in previous years. The main focus centered on proposals to better the sport.

On Tuesday, the AFCA board released a statement calling for immediate changes to usher college football into a new era. Coaches want to eliminate conference championship games. Fans have heard this idea as the SEC and Big Ten debate playoff access.

The Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 favor a 24-team playoff. The SEC prefers 16 teams, though some coaches there would accept 24. SEC coaches have voiced concerns about a nine-game conference schedule without playoff expansion. They see more playoff spots as a buffer for the extra game.

Reaching agreement remains tough. The SEC and Big Ten hold sway over playoff size after other conferences ceded power in negotiations.

AFCA members aim to maximize participants while honoring the proposed completion date. This means adding teams when the ESPN contract allows.

Coaches also voted to end the season by the second Monday in January. "Structuring the season in this way will better support student-athletes by more closely matching the academic calendar and aligning with the single transfer portal window," the AFCA said in a statement. "It also elevates the quality of play during the most meaningful stretch of the season by removing unnecessary breaks and preserving competitive rhythm."

The group wants to cut bye weeks from two to one.