Ohio State just went on a historic run in the newly installed 12-team college football playoff. Led by former Kansas State Quarterback Will Howard, and a top-to-bottom hyper-talented roster, Ohio State cruised to the title.
In the typical four-team CFP, Ohio State would’ve missed the cut. While that is one clear reason why the 12-team playoff was successful, the opportunity for more teams to compete in the playoffs was a necessary and successful change, especially in the world of Name, Image and Likeness(NIL).
In a column last semester, I described the potential harms of NIL on the college athletics landscapes. However, a large positive of NIL is its ability to even the playing field. Especially in a sport like football, which was dominated by powerhouses like Georgia and Alabama for so long, NIL allows other teams to recruit top caliber athletes and contend for national championships.
In the basketball world, NIL has allowed for some of the most competitive conference competition we’ve seen in history. Recently, BYU landed consensus #1 ranked recruit AJ Dybansta, largely due to a record breaking NIL package. While the detrimental impacts of NIL are valid issues, the positives of the system have been beneficial.
In the 12-team playoff this year, small conference teams like Boise State, and lower ranked teams such as Tennessee and SMU, were also included. The expanded playoff allows for these “cinderella” runs, like we see in the March Madness basketball tournament. Moreover, the usual dominance of the SEC was sparse, most likely due to the power of NIL. As NIL continues to gain momentum, more and more teams will be able to afford the top talent, and the playing field will become even more competitive. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team like Florida, Auburn, USC or Texas A&M to make a run to a national championship in the near future.
The impacts of NIL are diverse, and the expansion of the playoff is a necessary step to compensate for the increased level of talent across more teams in numerous sports.
