The coach is joined by reporters Tony Barnhart and Dennis Dodd to analyze a major 24-team playoff proposal from Big Ten Commissioner Tony Pettiti. Described as a "24-team compromise," the plan suggests expanding to 16 teams by 2026 or 2027, eventually reaching 24 teams shortly thereafter. The proposal is designed to address many of the SEC’s long-standing concerns, such as the elimination of automatic qualifiers and the potential removal of conference championship games, which the memo refers to as "artificial". The reporters highlight that under this format, the top 23 ranked teams plus one Group of Five representative would make the field, significantly increasing access for all conferences while potentially generating enough revenue to offset the loss of traditional title games.

The discussion also explores the logistical advantages and broader implications of the 24-team model. A key feature of the proposal is that the top eight seeds would receive a bye and be guaranteed a home game, with the first two rounds played on campus sites. This addresses the medical concern of student-athletes playing too many games, as the maximum number of games a team would play remains 17, the same as the current 12-team model. Beyond the playoff, the group touches on "workarounds" in the NIL landscape, such as Texas Tech’s strategy of leveraging apparel deals and media partners to funnel money to athletes. They conclude by noting North Dakota State's move to the FBS and the ongoing struggle for the NCAA to secure a legislative "fix" from Congress for issues like athlete employment status.

<p data-path-to-node="0">The coach is joined by reporters Tony Barnhart and Dennis Dodd to analyze a major 24-team playoff proposal from Big Ten Commissioner Tony Pettiti. Described as a "24-team compromise," the plan suggests expanding to 16 teams by 2026 or 2027, eventually reaching 24 teams shortly thereafter. The proposal is designed to address many of the SEC&rsquo;s long-standing concerns, such as the elimination of automatic qualifiers and the potential removal of conference championship games, which the memo refers to as "artificial". The reporters highlight that under this format, the top 23 ranked teams plus one Group of Five representative would make the field, significantly increasing access for all conferences while potentially generating enough revenue to offset the loss of traditional title games.</p>
<p data-path-to-node="1">The discussion also explores the logistical advantages and broader implications of the 24-team model. A key feature of the proposal is that the top eight seeds would receive a bye and be guaranteed a home game, with the first two rounds played on campus sites. This addresses the medical concern of student-athletes playing too many games, as the maximum number of games a team would play remains 17, the same as the current 12-team model. Beyond the playoff, the group touches on "workarounds" in the NIL landscape, such as Texas Tech&rsquo;s strategy of leveraging apparel deals and media partners to funnel money to athletes. They conclude by noting North Dakota State's move to the FBS and the ongoing struggle for the NCAA to secure a legislative "fix" from Congress for issues like athlete employment status.</p>

Not many analysts in the midsouth have as much football expertise as Doug Mathews brings to the microphone every Saturday morning. It’s Forklift System’s Football Saturday on 104-5 The Zone.

Mathews, best known for his 10 seasons as Running Backs Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the University of Tennessee, tells it like it is and lets you take show where you want to go every weekend.

Forklift Systems Football Saturday covers all the big games across the nation, including all the action within the Southeastern Conference. It’s the perfect preview before you catch your favorite team play Saturday afternoon. Featuring long-time college football writer Tony Barnhart and NFL analyst Charles Davis.