SEC groups typically control their fate on their street to the postseason. Yet, if an extended College Football Playoff field allows Auburn a superior opportunity at playing for a public title anytime — and on the off chance that it permits more modest projects, similar to Harsin’s previous group, more pleasant possibilities at a public title — at that point, Bryan Harsin is all in on changing the configuration.
The extension has been a hotly debated issue since the CFP was presented in 2014, and a few of the game’s chiefs have played with expanding the field from its present arrangement of four groups. Yet, the discussion has truly gotten a foothold since the Playoff advisory group itself said it is effectively investigating alternatives for development later on.
In late April, several days of gatherings, the Playoff council reported it had been introduced “exactly 63 potential outcomes” for extension and adjusted season finisher designs by a functioning gathering inside the association.
As indicated by the CFP’s news discharge, the 60 or more conceptualized season finisher ideas included thoughts for six-, eight-, 10-and surprisingly 16-group designs.
Since the CFP’s declaration, a few significant school football trainers have spread the word about their positions regarding the matter — like Alabama’s Nick Saban, who said he would be wary about adding groups to the season finisher field since he figures it would expand lack of engagement in ordinary bowl games, and be an issue for player security.
Saban’s new in-state rival mentor, Harsin, shares a portion of similar concerns however by and large said he would be agreeable to an extended season finisher field — particularly since he figures it will happen soon notwithstanding.
“That has been a discussion for some time now, and I would uphold that,” Harsin said for the current week on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I think eventually it will travel that course. I’ve said this previously: I’ve generally felt like any group that has dominated every one of their matches ought to get an opportunity to play for everything.”
Perhaps a portion of Harsin’s perspective stems from his time at Boise State. Multiple times during Harsin’s residency as hostile facilitator (2006-10), the Broncos went undefeated heading into bowl season.
That originated before the CFP, and Boise State played in a BCS bowl game in every one of those three seasons, winning two. In any case, the Broncos being denied an opportunity to play for a public title during their predominant stretch was a central point at the beginning of discussions about disposing of the BCS and moving to a season finisher design.
School football got what it needed when the Playoff was presented in 2014, however projects and fans the same immediately needed more whenever more groups were denied an opportunity to play for a public title. Just 11 groups have shown up in the Playoff in seven years, and none from the Group of Five.
On the off chance that the Playoff moves to an eight-group design, most accept there ought to be a programmed qualifier for each Power Five gathering champion, trailed by three everywhere offers.
Moving to eight groups in the Playoff, accepting normal season games, and meeting titles stay something very similar, would mean a group that arrived at the public title would play 16 games. The prospect of an NFL-like pound for school competitors provides a few mentors opportunities to stop and think, and Harsin said there would need to be a few changes made to give players time to deal with their bodies.
“However long it stays inside a period where our understudy competitors get an opportunity when the season closes, there’s a break,” Harsin said. “There must be a brief period where they get an opportunity to decompress. I feel that is the equilibrium there is what amount does that season leads into the following school semester and the rear of the work you need to do. We’re somewhat doing that now with the public title game.”
The nearest Auburn came to showing up in the College Football Playoff was in 2017, when the two-misfortune Tigers were No. 2 in the CFP rankings heading into the SEC title game against Georgia. Before the game, many contemplated whether the Playoff council would in any case place Auburn in the last four if Georgia won by a thin edge, considering the 23-point edge of triumph in the past gathering only a couple a long time earlier. However, there was no theory important, as Georgia won the SEC title in a victory, 28-7.
Reddish likewise ascended as high as No. 3 in the Playoff rankings halfway through the 2014 season before losing three of its last four games in the customary season.
In eight seasons under Gus Malzahn, Auburn showed up in the CFP rankings eventually consistently except for 2015.
With Harsin as the lead trainer from 2014-20, Boise State broke the CFP Top 25 at any rate once in everything except one season (2020).
“If that’s the model we work toward in the future and that’s going to give [Auburn] the best chance to play for the championship at the very end, then that’s the model we’ll support,” Harsin said. “The objective is simply to be in it toward the day’s end.”
School Football Playoff leader chief Bill Hancock told ESPN in April that extension is as a rule truly considered however will set aside some effort to be ordered whenever affirmed.
“Even if the board decides to alter the format, it may well not occur until after the current agreement has expired, which isn’t until after the 2025 season,” Hancock said.
