The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff will be a new experience for many teams that never participated in the four-team version of the Football Bowl Subdivision’s national championship chase over the past decade. The potential for multiple postseason games means a lot more planning, travel and activity — on and off the field.
For teams in the lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision, this is familiar ground.
Dealing with game-to-game logistics, fatigue and unfamiliar opponents make for hectic weeks of preparation, and the travel — sometimes three time zones’ worth — can cut into that time to get ready to play.
“We have cut back. This is week 14 for us: 12 games, one playoff and one open week,” said University of Tennessee at Martin coach Jason Simpson, whose Skyhawks won 41-10 at 16th-seeded New Hampshire last Saturday and will leave Friday to play top-seeded Montana State the next day in Bozeman.
“It’s hard. These aren’t professional players,” Simpson said.