"You better give me a shot" - Boise State HC Spencer Danielson makes clear stance on CFP format amid heavy controversy

Spencer Danielson and Boise State made the College Football Playoff last season as it got the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye after winning the Mountain West Conference.

However, the playoff format has changed. Starting next season, the top four-ranked teams in the country will get the top seeds and a first-round bye, even if they don’t win their conference.

This differs from last season, when only the top four conference champions secured those spots. That rule will affect teams like Boise State, which was No. 9 in the final CFP ranking, but jumped up to No. 3 because it was a conference champion.

Looking ahead to 2026, the playoffs might grow from 12 teams to 16. But the conferences still don’t agree on how many automatic spots each one should get. The ACC and Big 12 want more guaranteed spots, so there’s still debate and controversy.

Boise State coach Spencer Danielson spoke about the changes on the “Andy & Ari On3” podcast on Sunday:

“My heart is always every FBS team going into last season, we all knew what the rules were. Like there was no gray area and you have to win these games, win a championship and then that gives you an opportunity to play in the College Football Playoff.

For Danielson, as long as every school (including his) has a shot to play in the College Football Playoff, he and his team will work to make it in.

"So with them changing maybe this or that with getting first round bye and those things to me," Danielson continued. "People can have their opinions as long as we always have a shot. Then we gotta go out and win the games. We gotta go out and do what it takes. But you better give me a shot."

In 2024, Boise State finished 12-2 after losing to Penn State 31-14 in the CFP quarterfinals.

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How will Spencer Danielson make the most of his “shot”?

One big question moving forward is how Spencer Danielson will lead Boise State to another winning season after the departure of Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty.

Now that Jeanty is in the NFL, Danielson will need to find new leaders on the field. However, he feels good about the team’s future.

“I’m extremely excited for the future, and that’s the biggest push for me,” Danielson said in a press conference in January. “I’m proud of our team. We’re going to have a really good team next year, and we’re going to continue to find pieces and add guys that fit this place.”

The first pieces that Spencer Danielson has added are to his coaching staff.

“Very, very excited for Nate Potter to be our offensive coordinator,” Danielson said. “He’s a guy that absolutely has earned it. Offensively, we are going to continue to be one of the most explosive offenses in the nation with him at the helm. … I’m excited for Matt Miller to be promoted to co-offensive coordinator, and very excited for Zak Hill to be back at Boise State.”

Spencer Danielson's team will open its season on the road against South Florida on Aug. 29.

Edited by Brad Taningco