Recently, there was renewed talk of efforts to expand the college football postseason system to include the so-called “Plus One” concept, which some hope would eventually evolve into an actual playoff system.

The problem for years has been perceived to be a desire by the major bowl games to retain relevance.  Most recently, some have proposed using the Sugar, Rose, Fiesta, and Orange Bowls as the quarterfinal round of an eight-team field, with the four winners squaring off a week of two later and then a championship game to follow, possibly on the dead Sunday between the NFL’s conference title games and the Super Bowl.

But here’s the problem.  Even if a playoff system can be devised that placates the major bowls, the draft-eligible players generally will be put off by an extension of the season deep into the month of January.

For starters, players from the teams playing in the NCAA title game would miss the Senior Bowl and the practices preceding it.

Also, the extra games present greater opportunity for an injury that would cause a player’s draft stock to disintegrate.  (See McGahee, Willis.)

More importantly, there’s a fundamental issue of rest and recovery.  As it now stands, the players wrap up their regular seasons in early December, and they get a month or so off before the bowl game.  Then, they get a few more weeks off before the Senior Bowl.  By squeezing in up to two more games in January, the players might be worn down for the run up to the draft.

Though it doesn’t appear that anything remotely close to imminent will be occurring regarding the possible expansion of the college postseason, it’s important to remember the players in all of this.  If/when it ever appears that the NCAA will add more games in January, look for the strongest opposition to come from the players.