A majority of Group of Six coaches would rather build their own postseason path than keep waiting on a College Football Playoff system that leaves them with one guaranteed place in a 24-team field.
In a survey conducted by Pete Nakos and Brett McMurphy of On3, 40 of 61 Group of Six coaches backed the idea of a separate playoff outside the CFP. The timing matters, too: the expanded 24-team format is set to arrive in 2027, with 19 at-large bids and five automatic bids - the four Power 4 champions plus the top Group of Six champion.
That structure still gives the entire Group of Six just one automatic berth.
“There’s no ability for any of us to realistically win the national title. That’s the truth," a Group of Six coach said.
According to Brett McMurphy, that stance would apply even if the Group of Six keeps its long bid in the CFP.
The frustration is easy to understand. The latest playoff setup was built to give the blue-blood programs more margin for error while also widening the financial gap between Power Four schools and everyone else.
A separate Group of Six playoff would change the experience dramatically. Instead of watching teams like Boise State or James Madison get steamrolled in the opening round, those programs would have a postseason where the matchups are more even and the games more competitive. The source article compared that kind of setup to the National Invitation Tournament in college basketball - a place where teams that miss the main event can still compete at a high level and keep things interesting.
Still, plenty of questions remain. There has been no discussion about how the calendar would be rearranged or who would foot the bill. Whether commissioners are willing to act on what the coaches want is an open question, but the idea would certainly give college football a new wrinkle and create an eventful weekend on the schedule.
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