"I don't want an artificial championship": Big 12 commissioner makes eye-catching remark on CFP expansion

Big 12 Commissioner Brent Yormark expressed concern over the current College Football Playoff format on Thursday on ESPN2 as he discussed his issues with automatic bids for the tournament.

The Athletic's Chris Vannini transcribed what Yormark said and posted the quotes on X (formerly Twitter).

"I don't want an artificial championship," Yormark said. "I want people to earn their way in. I don't want it to be predetermined. ...I'm open to discussion. I want to weigh pros and cons."

Last season, the tournament expanded to allow 12 teams to compete for the CFP national championship. The Ohio State Buckeyes won the title by defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 on Jan. 20. The playoff structure is set to return for the 2025 season.

Yormark likes that 12 teams have the opportunity to compete in the tournament. However, he wants to do what is best for college football and find better ways to get the perfect format.

The new change has garnered mixed reactions from fans, media and coaches.

One of the vocal coaches regarding the College Football Playoff expansion was Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin. He led his team to a 10-3 record, going 5-3 in the Southeastern Conference, and beat Duke in the Gator Bowl. The team didn't get a playoff spot, which upset him. Kiffin took a jab regarding the tournament and how he believed it lacked competitiveness on X.

College football is reportedly considering expanding the College Football Playoff to 14 or 16 teams, but the change has yet to be decided.

For now, Yormark hopes to have more than one Big 12 team to compete for a national title based on merit for next season and beyond.

Big 12 representation in the 2024 College Football Playoff

The Arizona State Sun Devils were the only team from the Big 12 to compete in the College Football Playoff last season. Arizona earned its spot by defeating the Iowa State Cyclones 45-19 in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Another team that came close but failed was the Colorado Buffaloes. Deion Sanders led the Buffaloes to a 9-3 record, but it wasn't enough to clinch a spot in the tournament.

Arizona ended its season with a 39-31 overtime loss to the Texas Longhorns in the CFP quarterfinals.

The upcoming season presents an opportunity for Big 12 teams like Arizona, Iowa and Colorado to enter the tourney to compete for the national championship.