Mike Holder is like most of us in the college football sphere.

When the OSU athletic director first heard of the proposed 12-team playoff, he thought of runaway inflation. From four to 12 seemed a steep hike.

“I was skeptical,” Holder said. “But as I learned more about it, I’m really a big fan of it. Huge step in the right direction for college football and student-athletes and just college athletics in general.”

The plan, developed by three conference commissioners, including the Big 12�...