hypothetical 32 team playoff matchups

[RUfinal4]

I went to the AP poll and took the top 32 teams and seeded them.
- created 4 regions with the top 4 teams heading each
- matched up based on rank
- a couple of lower seeds were swapped in seeds to prevent conference mates from meeting in the 1st round
- I believe the following conferences are represented: B10, SEC, ACC, P12, B12, MAC, Mtn West, AAC. CUSA and Sunbelt not in top 32.

here are the hypothetical match-ups:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/ap

South
(1) Alabama vs Temple
(16) Louisville vs Auburn

(8) Penn St vs USF
(9) Colorado vs Pitt

**Potential 2nd round rivalry match-ups of Alabama vs Auburn and Pitt vs PSU**

Northeast
(2) Ohio St vs Air Force
(15) Florida vs Stanford

(7) Oklahoma vs Houston
(10) USC vs Nebraska

**Potential 2nd round rivalry match-up of Oklahoma vs Nebraska**

Southeast
(3) Clemson vs Texas A and M
(14) West Virginia vs Virginia Tech

(6) Wisconsin vs Utah
(11) Oklahoma St vs Iowa

**Potential 2nd round conference match-ups of Clemson vs Va Tech and Wisconsin vs Iowa**

Northwest
(4) Washington vs Boise St
(13) Western Michigan vs Navy

(5) Michigan vs Washington St
(12) Florida St vs LSU

** Potential heavy fan interest 2nd round match-up of Michigan vs the winner of Fla St / LSU**

Final 4:
South (Bama top seed) vs Northwest (Washington top seed)
Northeast (Ohio St top seed) vs Southeast (Clemson top seed)

 

[Giantfan82]

Bama still wins

 

[brodo]

That's five rounds of games. And do we scrap the bowl system? I don't see this as viable.

 

[RUfinal4]

That's five rounds of games. And do we scrap the bowl system? I don't see this as viable.

it is just a hypothetical for some fun with potential match-ups. At some point we may have an 8 team playoff but the bowl system is not likely to be scrapped for a very very long time.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

I would suggest breaking down the brackets into pods.

 

[cicero grimes]

I think a playoff of this size lessens the value of the regular season. I like the fact that the regular season unlike some other sports is so meaningful in CFB.

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

Eight teams is all you need.

 

[RUfinal4]

I think a playoff of this size lessens the value of the regular season. I like the fact that the regular season unlike some other sports is so meaningful in CFB.

For a real playoff like this to work would require:
- rolling back to an 11 game schedule
- using bowls or mini tournaments to offer post season opportunities
- 1st and 2nd round losers can still play in a New years week bowl
- creating 2 to 3 4 team NIT / CBI type tournaments for teams not qualifying for the playoff
(can potentially be aligned with bowls)

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

Eight teams: five conference champions plus either the highest-ranked Group of Five champion and two at-large selections, or three at-large selections.

Automatic bids for conference champs make the conference title games great again, and first-round games on campus maintain the importance of the regular season.

 

[NorthNJRUFan]

4 teams. When u go to 8 then games like last weeks osu v mich game wasn't nearly as important.

 

[RobertG]

Eight teams: five conference champions plus either the highest-ranked Group of Five champion and two at-large selections, or three at-large selections.

Automatic bids for conference champs make the conference title games great again, and first-round games on campus maintain the importance of the regular season.

Add a rule no more than 2 teams per conf.

for this year let's say:

Conf Champs:
SEC: Alabama
B1G: Wisconsin
PAC: Washington
Big 12: Oklahoma
ACC: Clemson
Group of 5: Western Michigan

At Large:
Ohio State
Colorado.

Round 1
Alabama vs. WMU
Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Colorado vs Clemson
Washington vs. Wisconsin.

 

[BeantownKnight]

I'm always astounded when I see how much free time some folks on this board have at their disposal.

(... and jealous)

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

Add a rule no more than 2 teams per conf.

Why? Let the best teams play. The automatic spots will provide access to each conference. The rest of the participants should be determined on merit.

 

[RUfinal4]

Why? Let the best teams play. The automatic spots will provide access to each conference. The rest of the participants should be determined on merit.

If the playoff is 8 or fewer teams then you probably need such a rule. 5 spots go to power conferences, 1 to a deserving Independent / G5 champ. If no deserving Indy / G5 you don't want the remaining 3 spots to all go to the SEC or B10.

This year could possible be the following in an 8 team playoff:
SEC - Bama
B10 - Ohio St, B10 champ, Michigan
ACC - Clemson
B12 - B12 champ
P12 - Washington
G5 - Western Michigan

left out - USC, Colorado (if lose), Fl St (if lose), B10 championship loser

With a 16 team playoff maybe limit it to 3 or 4 teams

 

[RutgersRaRa]

That's five rounds of games. And do we scrap the bowl system? I don't see this as viable.

It will probably go to 16 teams eventually. 32 would be viable since it would be done over most schools' Christmas break, and could start the week prior (sometime around Dec. 15). One of the concerns about a bigger playoff field is that the students would miss classes, but with 16 teams they wouldn't miss classes. The issue would be logistics, and would almost necessitate having the higher-ranked team host the game, which would give them a home-field advantage. Each weekend, half the teams go home and get time off for Christmas break. The final game is just two teams, and that could be held anywhere since the date would be known well in advance.

As for the rest of the bowls, some might drop off, but for the most part I think teams like playing in them regardless of what else is going on. The question would be if sponsors would rather put money into advertising during the playoff games ranter than sponsoring a second- or third-rate bowl.

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

If the playoff is 8 or fewer teams then you probably need such a rule. 5 spots go to power conferences, 1 to a deserving Independent / G5 champ. If no deserving Indy / G5 you don't want the remaining 3 spots to all go to the SEC or B10.

This year could possible be the following in an 8 team playoff:
SEC - Bama
B10 - Ohio St, B10 champ, Michigan
ACC - Clemson
B12 - B12 champ
P12 - Washington
G5 - Western Michigan

left out - USC, Colorado (if lose), Fl St (if lose), B10 championship loser

With a 16 team playoff maybe limit it to 3 or 4 teams

I don't think we'll ever see a 16-team playoff, or at least not for decades. Too watered down, too many games for "student-athletes" in an era where great importance is placed on player safety, probably too big to work in the current bowl format, which like it or not is still very important to university presidents. Sixteen just isn't necessary. An eight-team playoff is more than sufficient. Football isn't basketball.

But let me go back to your statement in bold and ask, "Why not?" If one conference has three (or more) deserving teams, so be it. Why should the B1G champion, for example, not be awarded a spot in the playoff to accommodate a three-loss USC? Why would Colorado, which lost to Michigan, be more deserving than the Wolverines?

Virtually everything tied to the playoff ultimately comes down to money. In the case of automatic bids, it prevents a conference from being shut out of that money entirely. But let's not go too far the other way; once everyone has access, the rest of the teams should be the best choices, regardless of conference affiliation.

 

[Dpgru]

I don't see an 8 or more team playoff for several reasons. One, it means 4 (or more) teams that would normally be in a new years weekend bowl will be playing the first round (and losing) before Christmas. That is almost a punishment. Two, unlike basketball where the venues are smaller and thus a smaller number of fans is required football would require a significantly larger number of fans travel for three weekends around the holidays. Too expensive and too much to ask of your fan base. Three, it hurts the bowl games and there has been a good financial relationship between the NCAA and the bowls and they do not want to hurt that situation. So, whether or not it is good for the game, and that is debatable, there are just too many hurdles to overcome.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

No thanks. Never. Ever.

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

I don't see an 8 or more team playoff for several reasons. One, it means 4 (or more) teams that would normally be in a new years weekend bowl will be playing the first round (and losing) before Christmas. That is almost a punishment. Two, unlike basketball where the venues are smaller and thus a smaller number of fans is required football would require a significantly larger number of fans travel for three weekends around the holidays. Too expensive and too much to ask of your fan base. Three, it hurts the bowl games and there has been a good financial relationship between the NCAA and the bowls and they do not want to hurt that situation. So, whether or not it is good for the game, and that is debatable, there are just too many hurdles to overcome.

Exactly. The happy medium - what is "good for the game," doesn't shock the system, increases revenue, and maintains the value of the regular season - is a playoff with eight teams. Five conference champs and two or three at-large teams (depending on whether a G5 team is ranked in, say, the top 25), seeded 1-8 by a committee. Using this year's calendar, first-round games played on campus the weekend of Dec. 9-10, with the winners advancing to the Fiesta and Peach bowls as scheduled, and the winners obviously meeting in the title game Jan. 9.

 

[RobertG]

I don't think we'll ever see a 16-team playoff, or at least not for decades. Too watered down, too many games for "student-athletes" in an era where great importance is placed on player safety, probably too big to work in the current bowl format, which like it or not is still very important to university presidents. Sixteen just isn't necessary. An eight-team playoff is more than sufficient. Football isn't basketball.

But let me go back to your statement in bold and ask, "Why not?" If one conference has three (or more) deserving teams, so be it. Why should the B1G champion, for example, not be awarded a spot in the playoff to accommodate a three-loss USC? Why would Colorado, which lost to Michigan, be more deserving than the Wolverines?

Virtually everything tied to the playoff ultimately comes down to money. In the case of automatic bids, it prevents a conference from being shut out of that money entirely. But let's not go too far the other way; once everyone has access, the rest of the teams should be the best choices, regardless of conference affiliation.

The conference champions would all be automatically in the playoff. As of the question of why Colorado over Michigan, why Ohio State over Penn State would be my answer. The 2 team rule would stand to help fight poll bias of birthright schools.

 

[masice520]

Eight teams. Completely do away with BS conference championship games.