The college football landscape is on the verge of a seismic shift. The College Football Playoff, which began with four teams and expanded to 12 just three years ago, is now set to grow to a 24-team format starting in 2027. This change could have far-reaching consequences, potentially rendering conference championship games obsolete—and with them, the very structure of conferences themselves.
Conference title games like the Big Ten Championship and the SEC Championship have long been marquee events, drawing massive audiences and revenue. But in a 24-team playoff, these games become redundant. Why risk a loss that could knock you out of the national title race when you could simply secure a spot through the regular season?
This logic has led some to question the value of conference membership altogether. If the playoff is taking 24 teams, and conference championships no longer matter, why should powerhouse programs like Ohio State and Michigan remain tethered to their conferences? The idea of going independent—much like Notre Dame has done—is gaining traction.
Dan Wetzel, a prominent college football columnist, has been vocal about this possibility. "College athletics is terrible at seeing problems around the corner. The 24-team playoff is the latest example," he wrote on X. "A lot of schools that supported this will regret it because in the end it won’t be about the playoff or even the now diminished regular season."
Wetzel's argument extends to the Big Ten specifically. "To use the Big Ten as an example, why wouldn’t Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State follow? If you can, be independent. That’s the future," he continued. "The 18-team Big Ten is bloated, distant, and winning it carries little intrinsic or competitive value for the biggest brands." He added, "Staying in the Big Ten now makes little and perhaps no economic sense."
These comments come at a time when the Big Ten has expanded to 18 teams, bringing in programs from coast to coast. While that expansion was designed to increase revenue and national reach, it has also diluted the sense of regional rivalry and tradition that once defined the conference. For Ohio State and Michigan, two of the sport's most storied programs, the calculus may be shifting.
The potential departure of these giants would be a monumental change for college football. The Big Ten would lose its two biggest draws, and the sport's entire power structure could be upended. But in an era where Michigan's quarterback situation is already making headlines, and Ohio State's young signal-caller is being thrust into the spotlight, the focus is increasingly on individual program success rather than conference loyalty.
Fans are already expressing their frustration with the direction of the sport. The 24-team playoff has sparked widespread backlash, with many believing it will diminish the regular season and reduce the importance of traditional rivalries. The idea of Ohio State and Michigan leaving the Big Ten would only add to that discontent.
Not everyone is convinced that independence is the answer. Conferences still provide benefits like shared television revenue, bowl tie-ins, and scheduling agreements. But as the playoff expands and the financial incentives shift, those benefits may no longer outweigh the costs of membership.
The future of college football is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the status quo is changing. If the 24-team playoff becomes a reality, the Big Ten's biggest brands may decide that going it alone is the best path forward. As Wetzel suggests, the era of the independent superpower may be dawning.
