Ohio State coach backs controversial playoff plan as SEC support wanes

The big question around the future of the College Football Playoff remains whether or not to award the SEC and Big Ten four automatic qualifiers each.

While most of the sport is against the idea, major players inside the Big Ten continue to back it, and that includes Ohio State football coach Ryan Day.

“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.”

Until recently, so did a majority of opinion among the combined higher-ups in the SEC and Big Ten.

That refers to the so-called “4-4-2-2-1” model, with those two leagues each getting four bids, the ACC and Big 12 getting two apiece, one awarded to the Group of Five champion, and three at-large selections in a 16-team field.

But since then, the “5-11” format, with five conference champions earning automatic places in addition to 11 at-large selections made by the committee, has gained traction.

That change in momentum came amid reports the SEC is backing off the idea after some backlash, not only from rival leagues, but also from its own more competition-minded football coaches, and after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey publicly opposed it.

Day’s view still seems to align with his superiors in the Big Ten, who are holding fast to the four auto bid proposal, and who are likely to do so unless the SEC adopts a ninth conference game on its football schedule.

The belief in the Big Ten is that the SEC is getting away with what amounts to an artificial boost in its win-loss record by playing a softer opponent late in the year while Big Ten teams have to play a conference game.

Meanwhile in the SEC, some decision makers fear that by adding a ninth game, they could put their own teams at risk come playoff selection time, while already playing a schedule the conference believes is the toughest in the nation.

Whatever proposal eventually sees the light of day will have an impact on how teams create their football schedules in the future.

By having more automatic qualifiers in the playoff, Day believes schools would have more incentive to schedule better non-conference games.

“If you don’t have these 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.”

(ESPN)

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