As college football leaders debate the future structure of the playoff, including possible expansion to 14 or even 16 teams, one of the more contentious points has centered around autobids.

The SEC and Big Ten have been pushing for a new playoff format to include guaranteed bids, potentially up to four, for each league. Naturally, the suggestion hasn't been as well received by the Big 12, ACC or Group of Five conferences, and it remains to be seen if it will actually happen.

That idea has one passionate supporter, at least, in Ohio State coach Ryan Day. Speaking to ESPN, Day said he thinks the Big Ten is deserving of four automatic bids in the CFP.

"We're in the Big Ten, and we have 18 teams and some of the best programs in the country," Day said. "I feel like we deserve at least four automatic qualifiers."

Day justified this opinion in part by pointing out that with the Big Ten adding four of the premier programs in the former Pac-12, it deserves the extra bids that would have previously gone to the Pac-12.

"You would have had at least a team or two (in the CFP) from out there," Day said. "So it only makes sense when you have 18 teams, especially the quality of teams that you would have (in) that many teams representing the Big Ten."

It seems more likely than not that any expanded playoff will include multiple automatic bids for the SEC and Big Ten, and perhaps as many as four as Day and others want. That may not be popular outside those two leagues, but it's easy to see why it would be appealing to coaches in those conferences, such as Day.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Ryan Day argues Big Ten deserves 4 automatic bids to College Football Playoff

Reporting by Tyler Nettuno, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect