Why 12-team College Football Playoff is blessing, curse for Tennessee, Florida, LSU

Whether or not the expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff comes as a blessing or a curse will depend on which facet of the break you’re on and what your rivals are as much as.

It’s a grand growth for a staff like Penn State, which has completed inside the highest 12 of the ultimate playoff rankings six occasions up to now eight years however by no means certified for a four-team playoff.

However, what about for a program like Florida? The Gators would’ve made a 12-team playoff in every of Dan Mullen’s first three seasons. The previous three seasons, although, the Gators would’ve have been near something wanting a 60-team playoff.

In the meantime, Florida’s rivals would’ve marched into an expanded playoff one after the other. It’s nauseating sufficient for Gators followers to abdomen all that Dawg barking after Georgia received consecutive nationwide championships. Now, think about the sensation in Florida of seeing not solely Georgia but in addition Tennessee making the 2022 playoff, or Georgia and Florida State piling into the playoff final season.

Now take into account this season, when Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and FSU profile as a playoff hopeful, whereas the Gators are positioned for extra mediocrity. Billy Napier serving a Mayo Bowl look 12 months 3 whereas 4 rivals piled into the playoff would come as some type of unhappy comfort, certainly.

Within the four-team playoff period, in case your staff performs for mayonnaise whereas your rival performs within the Citrus Bowl, a fan fluent in psychological gymnastics can persuade himself that’s about equal. That logic doesn’t maintain, although, in case your rivals take over the primary spherical of the 12-team playoff. Nobody needs to see their coach slathered in a gross sandwich condiment whereas a number of rivals play for the massive children’ prize.

Are Gators followers actually presupposed to chant “S-E-C! S-E-C!” whereas Georgia and Tennessee play in a playoff quarterfinal?

This risk isn’t distinctive to Florida.

Since Tennessee received its final nationwide title, rivals Alabama, Florida and Georgia every received a number of nationwide championships all through the BCS and four-team playoff eras whereas the Vols cycled via coaches who ranged from losers to brick masons to dishonest losers. A maddening decade-plus for Tennessee, it was, earlier than Josh Heupel’s arrival.

Watching Mullen’s Gators declare just a few playoff bids would’ve been gasoline to Tennessee’s mattress fireplace.

Possibly, on this occasion, it’s higher to have fewer rivals than Florida or Tennessee – or at the least weaker rivals. Missouri left its rivals behind when it left the Large 12. So what if Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss make the playoff whereas Mizzou heads to a Florida bowl sport? The Tigers nonetheless can benefit from the reprieve from the snow with the consolation that Kansas received’t make the playoff both.

Lording superiority over the Jayhawks wouldn’t be a salve for LSU followers. Contemplate this risk: LSU narrowly misses the playoff in Brian Kelly’s third season, whereas Alabama qualifies in Kalen DeBoer’s first season and the Lane Practice powers Ole Miss into the primary spherical, as properly.

In a four-team playoff, there wouldn’t be room for Alabama and Ole Miss. There won’t be room for both this season. With 12 qualifiers, ample room exists for each.

In fact, it additionally will increase the likelihood that Kelly’s Tigers will qualify.

So, I reiterate: 12-team playoff, blessing or curse?

“Extra spots within the playoff creates alternative,” Kelly informed me final month in response to that query.

It’s a chance, positive.

It’s a chance to both make the playoff, or be relegated to an much more irrelevant bowl sport, whereas rivals revel at the actual occasion.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Community’s SEC Columnist. Observe him on X @btoppmeyer.

This text initially appeared on Knoxville Information Sentinel: 12-team Faculty Soccer Playoff good, dangerous for Tennessee, Florida, LSU