TCU’s Sonny Dykes Proposes FCS Playoff Model for College Football Expansion
FORT WORTH, Texas – As the College Football Playoff continues to grapple with expansion, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has offered a surprisingly simple solution: look to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In a recent conversation with FOX Sports, Dykes advocated for adopting the FCS model, questioning the logic of maintaining conference championship games and December contests that, in his view, lack meaningful impact.
“I like the FCS model,” Dykes stated. “Why in the world are we having conference championship games if they inform us conference championship games don’t matter? Why in the world would we have a game in December that doesn’t matter?”
Dykes’ comments come at a pivotal moment. The CFP is poised for expansion, with debates raging over whether to include 12, 16, or even 24 teams. The Big Ten has floated the 24-team model, but disagreements persist between the Big Ten and the SEC regarding the optimal field size and qualification criteria. Dykes’ suggestion cuts through the complexity, proposing a system already proven effective at a lower level of Division I football.
The current FBS landscape is rapidly evolving. When Dykes led TCU to the national title game in 2022, 131 teams competed at the FBS level. That number is set to rise to 138 this fall, further intensifying the pressure to expand the playoff. The core question, Dykes believes, isn’t if the field will grow, but how big it will get and who will decide.
The issue isn’t merely about increasing access to the playoff; it’s about maintaining competitive integrity. Dykes pointed to recent instances where conference champions were excluded from the playoff despite undefeated records – Florida State in 2023 and Duke in 2024 – while teams that didn’t even win their conference title received invitations. This perceived inconsistency fuels the debate and underscores the need for a more transparent and equitable system.
Dykes’ perspective is informed by his own experiences. He recalled leading Louisiana Tech to a No. 19 ranking in the BCS poll in 2012, a team that, despite its success, had no realistic path to a national championship. He believes this scenario remains all too common for programs outside the Power Four conferences, particularly in the current “pay-for-play” era.
“We had a really good team, but we did not have a chance to win a national championship,” Dykes said. “It’s hard for those teams that don’t have the financial commitment. It was hard then, and it’s even much harder now.”
The TCU coach’s proposal extends beyond simply adopting the FCS playoff structure. He suggests eliminating conference championship games altogether, starting the season a week earlier, and playing through without bye weeks, concluding the regular season in the first week of January. This streamlined approach, he argues, would create a more efficient and meaningful postseason.
However, Dykes’ concerns extend beyond the playoff format itself. He expressed worry that the increasing financial disparities in college football are creating an uneven playing field, where only a small percentage of teams genuinely have a chance to compete for a national title. He estimates that only around 15 teams currently have a realistic shot, a figure he likened to having only three teams in the NFL with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
“So we either need to split it up and divide it amongst the teams that are really committed to playing at the highest level, or we need to figure out a way to make it more accessible to those other teams,” Dykes explained.
While the future of the CFP remains uncertain, Dykes’ call for a more equitable and streamlined system has added another layer to the ongoing debate. As leagues prepare to renegotiate television contracts and reshape the landscape of college football, his perspective – rooted in both experience and a desire for fairness – is likely to resonate with coaches, administrators, and fans alike. The question now is whether the sport’s leaders will heed his advice and embrace a solution that has already proven successful at another level.
Recent struggles for Dykes’ TCU team add another layer to his comments. While the Horned Frogs have been a winning program under his leadership, recent collapses against Arizona State and Iowa State in have dampened playoff hopes and sparked frustration among the fanbase. Dykes himself publicly defended his players against criticism, signaling a growing tension between the program and its supporters. Despite a 6-3 record, TCU is unlikely to contend for the Big 12 championship this season.