SEC coach raises alarm on CFP expansion: 'We cannot turn this into college basketball'

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SEC coach raises alarm on CFP expansion: 'We cannot turn this into college basketball'

SEC coach raises alarm on CFP expansion: 'We cannot turn this into college basketball'

Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Wed, Apr 29, 2026 ·

6 min read

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Here's what you must realize about NCAA Tournament expansion , which college sports leaders insist on cramming down our throats.

A 76-team tournament, compared to 68 teams, won't make the college basketball season better. It also won't make it substantially worse.

Adding eight bids won't alter the season much at all. The season already exists as a mostly low-stakes affair until March. That won't change.

What if: What 76-team expanded March Madness would have looked like in 2026

Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.

(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)

Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
(Denis Poroy, Imagn Images)

Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.

(SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN via USA TODAY NETWORK)

Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.

(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)

Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)

A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images)

The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY
(Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(Alonzo Adams, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026.
(Jeff Le, Imagn Images)

The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
(Mark Konezny, Imagn Images)

The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Jim Dedmon, Imagn Images)

The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, William Purnell-Imagn Images)

The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia.
(Bill Streicher, Imagn Images)

Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)

A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Craig Strobeck, Imagn Images)

The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)

Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
(Jeff Le, Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
(Bill Streicher, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
(Matt Pendleton, Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026.
(Matt Stone/Courier Journal)

Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
(Junfu Han, USA TODAY NETWORK)

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

If you watched Houston-Kansas at 9 o'clock Eastern on a Big Monday in February , you're either a college hoops junkie, or you're gambling. Or, both.

No judgment, but let's be honest, that single contest didn't meaningfully alter either team's fate. Any power conference team with a pulse is making the Big Dance, whether the field stays at 68 or goes to 76.

I have no appetite for NCAA Tournament expansion. It's wholly unnecessary and designed to reward barely-above-.500 teams from power conferences.

But, much as I lack enthusiasm for bracket expansion, I also can acknowledge its impact probably will be minimal.

After the field expands, a handful more mediocre power teams will qualify and make a brief March Madness appearance. Maybe, another mid-major or two will gain entry. But, expanding the field from 68 to 76 won't significantly reshape the sport or its fandom.

The diehards still will tune in regularly. The casuals will climb aboard once March arrives, as conference tournaments approach. The March Madness passersby and only-interested-because-of-their-bracket types will wander in on the Thursday of the first round, once the play-in games (or, whatever we're calling them) are completed.

Nothing is gained from tournament expansion, other than a few more shekels. Not much is lost, either.

That's what makes the 76-team NCAA Tournament proposal so different from College Football Playoff expansion talks.

A 24-team CFP — that's the playoff size the Big Ten and some other stakeholders favor — would significantly reshape college football.

The sport's high-stakes regular season hangs in the balance, as conference commissioners continue to debate CFP size, format and access.

Toppmeyer: College football's new idea is to make a long season even longer. Make it make sense

Hayes: '33rd Team' as sad as Bill Belichick's dwindling coaching twilight

One SEC coach gives CFP expansion warning

It's almost become an unwritten rule every reporter follows: If you secure an exclusive offseason interview with a coach, you must ask him what size playoff he prefers .

I followed that tacit agreement when I sat down with Texas A&M coach Mike Elko recently.

When I asked Elko why coaches desire a bigger playoff, he answered humorously and candidly: Coaches think a bigger playoff will help their job security.

"The head coach who wants to keep his job, (he'll say) the right size is 45 teams or however many we can possibly fit in it," Elko told me, "because (making the playoff) is becoming such a marker for the premier programs, which is, either you're in, or you're out. And if you're out, you failed."

Bingo. And, coaches don't like copping to failure.

If the playoff's shape and format were left in coaches' hands, they'd default to self-preservation.

Coaches' self-protection tendencies aside, what's the best postseason direction?

Elko cautioned against growing the playoff too much, at the risk of affecting the regular season's stakes.

"As a college football fan and maybe a little bit of a guy who has studied the game, you just want to be careful that we don't get too big, too fast," Elko said.

Amen. Preach on.

"You have to keep the regular season meaningful," Elko said. "We cannot turn this into college basketball. We'll lose everything that college football has ever been about."

That's the whole enchilada.

CFP cannot try to be March Madness. They're different sports.

College basketball is a postseason sport that peaks in March. The whole enterprise is built around the tournament.

College football is different. Its regular season is the best season in all of sports. Its postseason has always paled in comparison.

The season peaks in Thanksgiving rivalry week, not in the playoff.

Playoff reimagination should not come at the regular season's expense.

College football revolves around fall Saturdays, tailgates on college campuses, the every-game-matters stakes, and hating your rivals.

The stakes are super high, because, even if you're Alabama, lose to a pair of .500 teams, and you could land on the wrong side of the 12-team playoff's cutline. (See 2024.)

Even if you're Notre Dame, lose to the two best teams on your schedule, and you're in trouble. (See 2025.)

A 12-team playoff heightens the regular season drama. If stakeholders weren't so desperate to squeeze more revenue out of the playoff, there's a good argument to stay at 12.

Growing the playoff from four to 12 retained college football's postseason exclusivity, while expanding access.

Sixteen teams might still strike a good balance of growing the playoff and squeezing out some more dollars without torpedoing the regular season.

At 24 teams, you've become college hoops.

At 24 teams, we'd see 8-4 teams qualifying.

At that point, it's not exclusive.

At that point, you're OK to attend your cousin's September wedding, because the games don't matter all that much until December. Lose to Vanderbilt in October, and it's no sweat.

Just beat three cupcakes, plus a few decent teams, eight wins, and, voila, here's your playoff bid.

At that point, the regular season is filler.

In other words, you're college basketball.

Doubling the playoff from 12 to 24 teams perhaps would make December a bit better. It'd make October a lot worse. That's not a worthy trade.

College basketball growing its tournament will weaken the bubble, but it won't change the sport. For college football, the stakes are higher for altering the playoff. At 24 teams, you're not just diluting the quality of the bubble. You'd be changing the sport so it becomes college basketball, a sport that commands attention for one month only.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CFP at 24 teams changes college football unlike March Madness expansion

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One SEC coach gives CFP expansion warning

CFP cannot try to be March Madness. They're different sports.