Heather Dinich believes the 12-team College Football Playoff field helped teams like Colorado football and Boise State gain exposure. Both programs produced Heisman finalists, but the Buffs produced the winner, Travis Hunter.
Dinich stuck up for the underdog in a laudable fashion not often seen from an ESPN employee.
“Not only having a wider distribution of talent but having an access to the playoff for that talent, whether it’s at Boise State with the Heisman runner-up … or Colorado with Shedeur Sanders,” Dinich said to TSN's Ben Grunert Saturday at a CFP media event. “I think simply opening the door to teams and fanbases and coaches that didn’t have that access before. We can nitpick the College Football Playoff all day long, but this was the best season I ever had.”
Hunter and fellow projected first-round NFL draft pick Shedeur Sanders had a shot at the Big 12 Championship, and thus, a top-four College Football Playoff spot, but the Buffs couldn't handle Kansas in Week 13.
Boise State, meanwhile, ended up as the No. 3 seed led by Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty. It's undeniable that the Broncos benefitted from the current setup. They're the Group of Five's success story thus far in the format.
The format may change in the future, though. CFP executive director Rich Clark hinted it's possible.
"I would say it's possible, but I don't know if it's going to happen or not," Clark said on the eve of the College Football Playoff National Championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, per Dinich. "There's probably some things that could happen in short order that might be tweaks to the 2025 season, but we haven't determined that yet."
If Deion Sanders stays, that may not affect Colorado too much. It will definitely affect Boise State, though. They fought valiantly against Penn State in the CFP quarterfinal but ultimately badly looked outclassed in a 31-14 blowout.