Nebraska’s football head coach, Matt Rhule, wants the football playoffs to be expanded to 40 teams. Rhule believes that more spots will make the playoffs better and more entertaining as the College Football Playoff prepares to expand its postseason format.
Matt Rhule Highlights Big Ten Scheduling Challenges Driving Playoff Expansion Push
Rhule insists that adding more teams to the playoff will erase all concerns surrounding the disadvantages in scheduling, as adding more teams to the field will give them the opportunity to prove whether they belong on the national stage.
Matt Rhule on potential College Football Playoff expansion:
“The more spots the better, man. Make that thing 40 and let’s go.
…you’re talking about a league that we play nine conference games where some others play eight. So I think that puts you at an automatic… pic.twitter.com/RR2VdVAFXv
— On3 (@On3sports) May 21, 2025
College Football Playoff selectors prioritize winning conference games, and by playing an extra league opponent, it is believed that the Big Ten’s judging criteria are tougher than that of the SEC, which plays eight conference games.
“The more spots, the better. Make that thing 40 and let’s go,” Rhule said. “I think, again, you’re talking about a league where we play nine conference games, where some others play eight. So I think that puts you at an automatic disadvantage. We’re playing in a really, really tough league. We’re playing really, really good teams. And you know what? If you play in this league, you deserve a chance to get to the postseason and see what you can do.”
“I think the more spots, I think if they do go to where it’s guaranteed, hey, you get four at-large bids if you can play your way into those things, you just think about playing meaningful games in Memorial Stadium in November, December, and January, where the weather starts to be a real factor,” Rhule added.
College Football in Talks for Expansion
While it is highly unlikely that Rhule will get his wish of seeing the College Football Playoff expanded to 40 teams, college football executives are already in discussions to expand the playoff field to 14 or 16 teams.
Although it is far from Rhule’s desired 40, it would still come as welcome news to the 50-year-old.
Conference commissioners from the Power Four have met to discuss the possibility of giving the Big Ten and SEC four automatic bids each, two each to the ACC and Big 12, one to the best Group of Five school, and three remaining at-large bids.
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Rhule strongly believes that expanding the College Football Playoff will allow more teams to be justly rewarded for their success on the field.
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