One month into the three-month nationwide survey seeking feedback on the proposed 12-team model, a bevy of issues are arising.
https://www.si.com/college/2021/07/20/college-football-playoff-expansion-rose-bowlDoes the proposal add too many games? Should the quarterfinals be played on campus instead of bowl sites? And, in this world of NIL, what cut of CFP revenue will athletes get?
However, among some of the top decision-makers in the sport, another question exists.
What if the Rose Bowl refuses to move its date and time?Many college athletic leaders do not expect the Rose Bowl, entrenched in its tradition and historically protected by its longtime relationships with the Pac-12 and Big Ten, to move its time-honored kickoff time and date of mid-afternoon on Jan. 1. Like an ominous cloud, the possibility lurches over the expansion discussion.
The decision would present problems to the scheduling model that CFP decision-makers outlined last month, in which six bowls—presumably the current New Year’s Six—would be in a rotation to host the quarterfinals and semifinals. In fact, if the Rose Bowl’s league partners stand behind it, some believe the game’s position could completely crater the expansion proposal.
“It’s the big issue,” says a top decision-maker.
Several college football officials spoke to Sports Illustrated for this story on condition of anonymity. Many high-ranking CFP executives declined comment when reached.
Labeled stubborn by some and traditionalists by others, the Rose Bowl’s position has long been expected, previously described by some as “the biggest hangup” in expanding the playoff before the current CFP contract expires after the 2025 season.
In the 12-team playoff model proposed by CFP executives, the six participating bowls would rotate hosting quarterfinals, scheduled for New Year’s Day, and semifinals, scheduled for later in January.
If there is no flexibility from the Rose Bowl, the CFP is left with a stirring dilemma:
1) make concessions to keep the Rose Bowl at its date and time; or
2) move on without the Rose Bowl.