The 12-team College Football Playoff will commence for the first time this Fall. For the first time in college football history, an unprecedented multi-round tournament will crown a champion in the sport. While there have been staunch opponents of expansion, and to their credit, they make sound points, the CFP’s expansion will go down either way. Whether you’re dragged kicking and screaming, or whether you decide to dive in head first, it’s coming. The playoff is already producing some trickle-down effects on high school football, especially in Alabama.
In years past, the University of Alabama and Auburn University offered Bryant-Denny Stadium and Jordan-Hare Stadium up to high school football teams. Their stadiums would be used for the AHSAA’s championship rounds. But because of the expanded playoff, those opportunities have now washed away.
Al.com reported that both Alabama and Auburn were removed from the “Super 7 hosting rotation.” The AHSAA made the decision to pluck the two schools away because of the CFP’s expansion.
Alabama, Auburn removed from Super 7 hosting rotation https://t.co/w2pImjVXZM
— AL.com H.S. Sports (@aldotcomPreps) June 12, 2024
According to Al.com, the two sites have hosted the football championship games annually since 2009 on a rotating basis, meaning this decision marks the end of a near-15-year relationship.
It’s probably likely that Alabama and Auburn won’t be the only schools affected by this. Schools around the country will have to adjust to potentially playing deep into December. That means that high school programs could be affected as well. That’s unfortunate, as some kids certainly like playing in these stadiums. Some may never get to. But, as they say, nothing lasts forever.
[Al.com]
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022