Memphis would have appeared in two CFPs if the 24-team model started in 2014, according to The Athletic

The hottest debate around college football this offseason is the 16-team vs. 24-team college football expansion. Conference commissioners, coaches and athletic directors have taken sides on what college football should expand to when it moves from the current 12-team model.

The 24-team model has gained momentum over the last few months, and there is a good chance that the sport could announce the future move at some point this season. In order for any expansion to go into effect for the 2027 season, the sports' decision makers must finalize and approve a new model by Dec. 1, 2026. 

With all of the talk about playoff expansion, The Athletic's David Ubben published a story about who would have made a 24-team playoff over the last 12 seasons if it had been implemented in 2014, when the playoffs were introduced.

Ubben wrote that 80 different teams would have at least one College Football Playoff appearance, including Memphis. According to Ubben, the Tigers would have two CFP appearances.

The Tigers would've appeared in 2017, when they played Penn State in the Cotton Bowl, and the other appearance would've likely been in 2014, when Memphis won a share of the conference championship, before there was a conference title game, and beat BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl.

According to Ubben, Boise State is the only group of six team that would have appeared in three CFPs, and the Tigers are tied with several other G6 teams with two appearances.

According to the list, Memphis is tied with Louisiana, Navy, Oregon State, Temple, Tulane and Washington State as G6 teams that would have appeared in two 24-team playoffs. Tulane is the only team in that group that has appeared in a playoff.

Here's a look at the full story and list at The Athletic: