MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark reiterated his support for a 16-team College Football Playoff and added that if and when it gets to that size, it should stay there for a good period of time.
Yormark was asked whether, if a format can be finalized soon, the goal of expansion is to lock in for six years or to continue discussing the bracket.
“It’s a great question,” Yormark said on New Year’s Day, “and I don’t have a crystal ball. One person’s opinion is that I think wherever we settle now is something that we should play out for the foreseeable future, because you need to get some rhythm behind it.
“We went from four to 12. Who knows what’s next? So, one person’s opinion is that wherever we land, I think we should stay there.”
Yormark made the comments in a media session shortly before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal between the Texas Tech football team and Oregon in the Orange Bowl.
Yormark said he expected the Power Four conference commissioners to meet virtually or by phone next week, then convene again around the CFP championship game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium.
“There is that date of Jan. 23, that extension that ESPN gave us,” he said. “I think I speak, at least for the Big 12, and I think for some of my peers, that (CFP) expansion is good. And I like the 16-team format. I’ve been very consistent about that since last spring, and we’ll see what we can do — or not — for next year.
“But I know everyone’s been working hard, and there’s a lot of nuances to it, and we’re working through that. … I think we’ll get there, and hopefully we can do something for next year, but we’ll see. Jan. 23’s around the corner.”
Asked whether putting more CFP games on campus, Yormark said, “We’ve got to examine that, too. Operationally, can they do that? You know, the first-round games have been fantastic in every respect, and I think it’s a differentiator for us when you think about the NFL. The pageantry just being on campus, I think, is a difference-maker for us.
“Again, the commissioners are going to have to think through, can we do that beyond the first round? Our bowl partners have been terrific. The New Year’s Six bowls have been fantastic, great partners, and they put on an incredible experience. Everything’s on the table, and hopefully we’ll be very thoughtful about it.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Big 12 commish Brett Yormark gives latest on whether CFP will expand
Reporting by Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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