Iowa football’s Kirk Ferentz on new College Football Playoff: ‘I’m excited about them’

The College Football Playoff format is expanding to 12 teams for the 2024 season, up from four teams in past years.

Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz on Friday was asked about this significant change during his press conference at Hawkeyes media day, and he praised the move for how it will allow more teams, and potentially Iowa, to avoid being “irrelevant” come the postseason.

“I guess the goals change a little bit because now, you know, playoffs are a little bit more doable, if you will … ” Ferentz said. “I will say this about the playoffs — I am excited about them. Excited is a strong word, but I’m happy about it. I thought it was not good, not necessarily healthy, for college football to go to four (teams), and last year is a good example.

“We’re all arguing about who’s four, who’s five. Used to be arguing about two and three … I guess my problem with what we’ve been doing is whenever that stupid show comes on in October, the playoffs show, if you’re not in that top-10 discussion, then you’re irrelevant. And I just think we missed the boat in college football, me personally. And so at least now, I assume when that show comes on, they’ll talk about 20 teams instead of 10 teams, and that’s good. That’s healthy. And I think the more teams they talk about, the better, because there’s so many good stories across the country.

“So that was my problem (four-team format), and I guess we’re gonna go to, what, 14 or 16 next? So if we’re gonna open up it up, might as well open it up … But if we get the chance to play them, nobody’s gonna complain. I promise you.”

More: Iowa football: What coach Kirk Ferentz said in his press conference during media day

The College Football Playoff was created after the 2014 season and has featured four teams over the last nine years.

Iowa has never made the playoff, with its closest finish coming in 2015 as the Hawkeyes ended the season ranked No. 5 in the country.

Gus Martin is a Digital Producer/Content Director for The Des Moines Register. Follow him on X at @GusMartin_DMR.