Nov 10, 2026 · 1h 17m
A 24-team playoff reshapes college football’s pressure points
Who Wins the 2026 Heisman? Week 10 Clean Up and 1 on 1 with Pat Fitzgerald | The BFW Show 11.09.26
The expanded playoff, unsettled Heisman race, coaching speculation, and Pat Fitzgerald’s Michigan State rebuild reveal how quickly the sport’s incentives are changing.
- 1The 24-team playoff could dilute regular-season stakes while intensifying SEC and Big Ten dominance.
- 2The Heisman race remains wide open, with CJ Carr, Jeremiah Smith, Drew Mestemaker, and Duke’s standout back in contention.
- 3Pat Fitzgerald frames Michigan State’s rebuild around selective portal use, NIL realities, physical identity, and long-term roster planning.
Don't miss
Pat Fitzgerald gives a detailed account of Michigan State’s win over Michigan and the roster-building philosophy behind the rebuild.
The brief
Brandon Walker and Liam Blutman debate whether a 24-team playoff makes the regular season less meaningful, especially as the SEC and Big Ten consolidate power.
The Heisman race has no clear favorite, while ACC and SEC contenders face tangled paths shaped by conference standings, upset possibilities, and uneven schedules.
Bold Take Monday ranges from Michigan’s offensive collapse and Indiana’s playoff hopes to Ryan Day’s eventual exit and a coaching carousel after expansion.
Pat Fitzgerald explains Michigan State’s rivalry win over Michigan, emphasizing clean execution, defensive pressure, turnovers, and physical control despite major injuries.
Fitzgerald then outlines a selective transfer-portal strategy and a blue-collar Big Ten identity aimed at restoring Michigan State’s championship standards.
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