Ohio State's Ryan Day points to NFL as blueprint while college football evolves with expanded playoff, NIL

As college football undergoes a wave of change, the professional level may be able to provide some guidance

College football is undergoing an unprecedented amount of change at every level. The sport continues to deal with both transfer portal as well as name, image and likeness reform, while 2024 is set to feature conference structures and a 12-team College Football Playoff system. College football is truly entering uncharted waters, but Ohio State coach Ryan Day understands that the NFL provides a blueprint that may help smooth things over in the years ahead. 

"We have the model right there," Day said on "Big Noon Conversations". "I think people are hesitant to say that because we are collegiate and it is college athletics. But these guys have been doing it for a long time and they know what they're doing. They have collective bargaining agreements. They have players associations. They have a playoff system in place. They have so many things that we can grab onto. Not that it's ever going to be the NFL -- it's not. But I think the more times we can look to them for how they've solved some of these issues is going to be important." 

College football is adopting a 12-team playoff structure that skews more towards the NFL. The six highest-ranked conference champions will automatically qualify, while the rest of the field features the next six highest-ranked teams in the final College Football Playoff Rankings. The top four teams in the playoff will get a first-round bye, while Nos. 5-8 will host first-round games at home. 

From there, semifinals will be played on neutral bowl game sites. An expanded field obviously means more opportunity for teams that may have never had a realistic shot at the playoff under the four-team system, but it also means that here is more leeway when it comes to wins and losses, something Day thinks will change how coaching staffs approach entire seasons. 

"I think it's big," Day said. "We've already had those conversations. It's right around the corner for us. I think the first thing is, you know, how you approach the season is going to completely change. For instance, last year, we played Notre Dame first game of the year. I mean, you start that preparation in June and you're ramped up cause that game is critically important. I think, maybe, if we don't win that game first game of the year, maybe we don't get into the playoff. 

"I think so many of those games, one or two games could ruin your entire season right now, the way we have it set up. I think the way it's moving forward with the playoff, the idea is going to be to play your best football at the end of the season, very much like the NFL. I think when the (Los Angeles) Rams won the Super Bowl, I think there was maybe three weeks  in a row they had lost three in a row. That happens in college football, I mean, your season's over."