When it comes to college sports, it seems like bigger isn't always better—just ask anyone who remembers the classic SNL skit "Taco Town." In that sketch, Andy Samberg's character hilariously shouts, "Pizza! Now that's what I call a taco!" as restaurants pile on more and more ingredients. That same "growth-at-all-costs" mentality is now taking over the NCAA basketball tournament, which is expanding to 76 teams starting next year. For many fans, this feels like a craven decision that nobody asked for—one that waters down the sport and prioritizes quantity over quality.

But here's the real concern for football fans: if basketball can balloon to 76 teams, a 24-team football playoff is probably just a matter of time. And that's a shift that could fundamentally change the sport we love.

Let's be honest—a 24-team playoff has felt inevitable ever since the BCS era ended. We should probably count ourselves lucky that it took over a decade for the powers-that-be (looking at you, Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti) to decide to overhaul the system. If you're all for a bigger playoff, more power to you. But for those of us who cherish the drama of regular-season college football, there's reason to be skeptical.

Consider this: on a recent episode of Split Zone Duo, analyst Bill Connelly pointed out that a 24-team playoff means Ohio State will never play another meaningful regular-season game again. The same goes for a dozen other powerhouse programs that are virtually guaranteed a spot. Even if you're a fan of one of those teams, that's a loss. The beauty of college football has always been its high stakes—the sense that one slip-up could end your championship dreams. With 24 spots, teams get mulligans, and the regular season loses its edge.

So while the basketball expansion might seem like a distant headline, it's really a warning sign for football fans. The push for bigger playoffs is driven by revenue and branding, not by what's best for the game or the student-athletes. As we gear up for another season, it's worth asking: do we really want a sport where every game feels like a scrimmage, and the only thing that grows is the bottom line?