SEC Media Days continue today down in Tampa, and the reigning conference champions were in the house today. The Georgia Bulldogs attended Tuesday’s festivities, and of course, head coach Kirby Smart spoke and had a ton to say.
The talking point of expanding the College Football Playoffs has been prominent throughout this offseason. Talks of the Big Ten wanting a 24-team playoff vs. the SEC wanting a 16-team playoff have sparked debates across the media and among fans.
As for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs, their program has remained successful throughout the CFP era. The Dawgs have made the playoffs in both the 4-team and 12-team eras, winning national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Even with the success that the Dawgs have had, Smart feels that there should be changes.
Kirby Smart Says More Opportunities Are What’s Needed
Jul 21, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
On multiple occasions at SEC Media Day, Smart advocated for an expanded playoff.
When talking with Action News WSBTV Atlanta, Smart said that if his team does its job, he doesn’t have to worry about the playoffs, but there’s more.
“If we can be better offensively, defensively and on special teams, I don’t have to worry about all those things. Now would I love an expanded playoff? Yes. I want more opportunities for more teams.”
Whether this means 16 or 24 teams is unknown, as Smart didn’t fully elaborate on any numbers. Overall, an expanded playoff would be great, but 24 teams would be too much.
That opens the door for teams that are 9-3 or even 8-4 to make the big dance, which feels wrong next to other teams that are 10-2, 11-1, or 12-0.
Why An Expanded College Football Playoff Can’t Happen Yet
Jan 17, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of a 2026 logo during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In theory, a 16-team playoff is perfect, but there’s one issue, which is the schedule. More teams can’t be added unless the schedule changes.
There cannot be multiple weeks in between rounds of this tournament, which would only become longer with four more teams.
If playoff expansion is to take place, the schedule needs to be changed to a weekly format. Each round continues by the week, and there should not be breaks as long as 11 days, even up to two weeks.
