Jedd Fisch didn’t hide where he stands on the College Football Playoff’s possible move from 12 teams to 24. He likes it, and he thinks Washington would be among the programs that stand to gain.
At a weekly news conference Monday at Husky Stadium, the Washington coach made the case for a bigger field while the playoff committee reportedly moves closer to a format change that could take effect in 2027 and run through the end of the ESPN deal in 2031. The current hurdle is finalizing revisions to that television agreement, but the direction appears to be toward expansion.
One version of the proposed setup would include five automatic bids - one for each Power Four champion and one for the highest-rated Group of Six champion. The remaining spots in the 24-team bracket would be filled through 19 autobids.
With Washington playing in the Big Ten, Fisch pointed to the value of a tougher schedule and the reality of building a roster in the modern game.
"I think it would benefit Washington and college football going forward," Fisch said in a weekly news conference Monday at Husky Stadium. "We have 68 teams (in the Power Four).
To only have 12 teams go to the playoffs, that would be like the NFL having six teams (go to the playoffs), and they have 14. So, you need to be able to play the percentages. ...
For Washington - I've said this a million times - we have asked (the) university, fans media, all these people to help subsidize athletes.
"To only allow that money to be spent 12 weeks a year, that's hard. You want to see these kids keep going and have opportunities to keep playing. When you're playing rosters like we're paying them, and like we're going to have to continue paying them and pay them more than what we're paying them as the years continue, there has to be some version of (return on investment) that's more than just a 12-game regular season."
The Huskies could fit neatly into the expanded picture because of the strength of schedule that comes with life in the Big Ten. Under the 24-team concept, that kind of profile would likely keep them in the conversation for one of the available automatic spots.
Fisch is in his third season leading Washington, but the Huskies have not finished 24th in the final Associated Press or College Football Playoff top 25 polls during his two previous full seasons. Even so, the program has had seasons under both of its head coaches that would have been enough to reach a 24-team playoff field.
In Other News...
Washington's Quarterback Battle Just Got Very Real Before Nebraska
The quarterback picture in Montlake suddenly looks a lot less settled heading into Nebraska. Jedd Fisch made it clear the starting job is open, with Elijah Brown and Demond Williams Jr. both in the mix after Williams was sidelined by a rib injury and Brown stepped in for his first start, then helped Washington earn its first Big Ten win of the season.
Williams has been cleared to practice, which only sharpens the competition as the Huskies turn toward their next game. Browns showing against a conference opponent gave the staff something to think about, and Fisch now has a real decision on his hands as Washington weighs whether to stick with the transfer from Stanford or get Williams back under center if hes ready. [Read more 🡒]
Jedd Fisch Made One Thing Clear About Washington's Bye Week
Washington heads into its bye week at 4-3 after knocking off Purdue 38-26, and Jedd Fisch spent the postgame stretch laying out what comes next. The Huskies will use the break to keep working rather than easing up, with Fisch pointing to a practice plan meant to sharpen a team that has shown enough to stay in the mix but still has some rough edges to smooth out.
Fisch also gave a wide-ranging update on personnel, touching on the progress of Elijah Brown and Demond Williams, along with injuries to Trey Cooley, Ramzak Fruean and DeSean Watts. The bigger takeaway, though, was philosophical: nothing is settled, and competition is still open at every spot, including quarterback, as Washington tries to clean up turnovers and come out of the break more consistent. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Just Got An Encouraging Sign Before Nebraska
Washingtons first Big Ten win came with the kind of short-handed roster that can test the depth chart in a hurry. Injuries and a flu bug had forced the Huskies to piece things together against Purdue, with several players either missing the game or leaving it early, yet the group still found a way to get through it and keep momentum moving into a bigger stretch of the schedule.
Now the encouraging part is what comes next. The Huskies are expected to get healthier in time for Nebraska, with Trey Cooley, Kai McClendon and Ansu Sanoe all on track to return to practice and be in the mix for the next game. For a team that had to grind through the last one with limited options, getting key pieces back this week could make a noticeable difference in both preparation and depth. [Read more 🡒]