Jace Frederick Says 24-Team Playoff Could Expand Gophers’ Aspirations

Duluth Superior, MN, October 19, 2026 —

An opinion piece by Jace Frederick argues that a potential expansion of the college football playoff to 24 teams could change the outlook for programs such as the Minnesota Gophers. Frederick’s central point is that a larger field could give teams beyond the traditional elite a greater reason to view playoff qualification as an attainable goal.

The piece also suggests that expansion could make more regular-season games meaningful. Under that argument, a 24-team playoff would widen the number of teams with a possible path into the postseason, extending playoff aspirations beyond the programs commonly described as the traditional elite.

The proposal is described as potential, not as an adopted or implemented change. The information provided does not specify the playoff’s current format, how a 24-team field would be selected, when any expansion might take effect, or what specific effect it would have on Minnesota’s schedule or results. It also does not include further details about Frederick’s reasoning or the publication in which the opinion piece appeared.

Frederick characterizes the possible change as a “game changer” for programs like Minnesota. That assessment is presented as his view of the proposal’s implications, rather than as a confirmed outcome. The broader claim in the piece is that expanding access could alter how teams outside the traditional elite approach the possibility of reaching the playoff and could raise the stakes of more regular-season contests.

Whether those effects would follow depends on a proposal that remains described only as potential in the information available. No additional terms or timeline for the possible expansion were provided.

Story summarized from the original created by Jace Frederick / St. Paul Pioneer Press on www.duluthnewstribune.com, see more information here.

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