College football analyst Josh Pate finds himself vindicated as expansion talks shift toward a potential 16-team playoff format. The longtime critic of playoff expansion now watches as many original supporters voice concerns he raised years ago about diluting the regular season and conference championships.
Pate has pivoted from outright opposition to a more pragmatic approach as expansion appears inevitable. Though still preferring the traditional format emphasizing regular season excellence, he now advocates for a system that preserves conference championship value through automatic qualifiers if expansion continues.
College Football Analyst Says Critics ‘Trashed’ Early Warnings About CFP Changes
In a pointed social media post on May 10, 2025, Pate called out those now criticizing expansion: “The result of CFP expansion was so easy to see coming, and yet so many complaining today trashed anyone who dared to point it out five years ago.”
The result of CFP expansion was so easy to see coming and yet so many complaining today trashed anyone who dared to point it out 5 years ago
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) May 9, 2025
His comments highlight a growing sentiment among some analysts that the downsides of expansion, including potential blowout games in early rounds and diminished regular season importance, were predictable concerns that faced significant pushback when initially raised. Pate has consistently maintained these positions throughout the expansion debate.
“If we’re going to have expansion, at least make it focused on conference championships” Pate has argued in various forums. His preferred approach within the expanded format emphasizes clear qualification paths and maintains some traditional college football values despite the broader playoff field.
Recent meetings among Power 4 conference representatives show “growing support” for implementing a 16-team playoff as early as 2026. The leading proposal would distribute automatic bids heavily toward the SEC and Big Ten, each receiving four spots, while the ACC and Big 12 would get two each.
The proposed format would reserve one automatic bid for the best Group of Six team and include three at-large bids, potentially with one reserved for Notre Dame if it meets specific criteria. This structure balances conference representation with the evolving power dynamics in college football.
No final decision has been reached on the format, but resolution could come in the next few months as the Big Ten and SEC prepare for their spring meetings. Discussion continues about game locations and whether more contests will be played on campuses or at traditional bowl sites.
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Pate’s evolution reflects the changing landscape of college football. While maintaining his belief that the traditional system better preserved what made college football unique, he now focuses on minimizing potential damage through a format that still values conference excellence.
“At least this approach makes conference races matter” he noted of the automatic qualifier system, finding a silver lining in a change he once strongly opposed. As the sport moves toward significant transformation, Pate continues advocating for formats that preserve some connection to college football’s traditional values.
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