If the 12-team College Football Playoff would have been in existence in 2019, the Gophers would have had a case to be in the bracket.
That team was 10-1 before dropping its final regular-season game to Wisconsin. That would not have helped their causes, but Gophers coach P.J. Fleck would have had a platform to stump for his squad in ways only he can stump.
The Gophers beat up Bo Nix — yes, the current NFL rookie quarterback — and the Auburn Tigers in the Outback Bowl that year to finish 11-2. It was by far Fleck’s best season here, and his only double-digit victory season in eight seasons on the job.
So, as we reach the meaty part of the bowl schedule and the CFP, it’s time to talk about expectations. This is about how the expansion of college football’s playoff should put heat on Fleck, whose Gophers face Virginia Tech on Friday in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
With the 12-team playoff looming, it made the final two weeks of the regular season more meaningful. Syracuse beating Miami (Fla.) and Georgia rallying to beat Georgia Tech in six overtimes to avoid an upset was must-see sports viewing. Now the race to see who reaches the title game on Jan. 20 is on.
With more teams having a chance under the expanded playoff format, there’s no reason why the Gophers can’t be one of them every now and then.
The fact that more teams can argue to be part of this bigger club is good for college football. The CFP might expand to 14 teams in 2026. If that happens, a Power Four school can be in the mix with 10 victories. Once it reaches 14, a 16-team postseason won’t be far away.
There will be controversies, which we have learned from the NCAA hoops committee through the years. Old Miss coach Lane Kiffin grumbled on social media after Indiana and Southern Methodist were trounced in the first round. Well Lane, if you had not lost to 4-8 Kentucky at home maybe you would have been in the field.