OT: Playoff Expansion Update

[WhiteBus]

I don't think many people feel this way. It's so much fun when a low level team beats a P5 school in the lower rounds and when a Butler or VCU gets to the Final Four.

TV says otherwise. People don't watch later rounds with no name teams. Rating take a hit.

 

[MADHAT1]

8 Team playoff or 12 teams, there will be complaints.

Some years they might be valid. other years just whines by teams that just fell short.
Eventually a two loss team will get in in a field of 12,.
The 2 loss 2007 LSU team got in the National Championship game and came away with the title.

 

[MADHAT1]

If the playoffs were 12 this season along with the 4 in already ;
we might see this ( courtesy of an Athlon Sports article I read)
The Next Eight Teams
The final eight selections would be filled by six at-large teams and the highest-rated of the remaining conference champions.

5. Georgia (at-large)
6. Notre Dame (at-large)
7. Ohio State (at-large)
8. Ole Miss (at-large)
9. Oklahoma State (at-large)
10. Michigan State (at-large)
11. Utah (No. 5 conference champion)
12. Pitt (No. 6 conference champion)
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/what-if-college-football-had-a-12-team-playoff-in-2021

 

[rutgersguy1]

If the playoffs were 12 this season along with the 4 in already ;
we might see this ( courtesy of an Athlon Sports article I read)
The Next Eight Teams
The final eight selections would be filled by six at-large teams and the highest-rated of the remaining conference champions.

5. Georgia (at-large)
6. Notre Dame (at-large)
7. Ohio State (at-large)
8. Ole Miss (at-large)
9. Oklahoma State (at-large)
10. Michigan State (at-large)
11. Utah (No. 5 conference champion)
12. Pitt (No. 6 conference champion)
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/what-if-college-football-had-a-12-team-playoff-in-2021

This is how it would look. Unfortunately could set up a bunch of rematches but if that’s how it plays out in any given year just have to accept it.

 

[Mufasa94]

Sure but other way to look at it which I prefer lol…after a qb change, team goes on a 9-1 run gets hot and who knows what kind of noise they may make in the playoffs.

Just an update, Utah went 0-3 OOC against FBS teams. I will give them credit that they gave a very competitive game to the top BIG (sit out depleted) also ran team. Now imagine a face image with a wink as I don’t know how to insert one from my phone.

Utah received the opportunity they deserved. Nothing more was necessary.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Just an update, Utah went 0-3 OOC against FBS teams. I will give them credit that they gave a very competitive game to the top BIG (sit out depleted) also ran team. Now imagine a face image with a wink as I don’t know how to insert one from my phone.

Utah received the opportunity they deserved. Nothing more was necessary.

Yea they performed better after the QB change. But you see a competitive game can be had. I'm not saying a close game will happen always or often but it can. I know I've had this debate with you before. I don't feel it's a participation award too if you've won 10-12 games in a 12 game regular season. That's a pretty deserving season imo. 9 win teams will get in also at times but I'll accept that to get these double digit win teams in.

IMO all the bowls are more participation awards then an expanded playoffs with mostly double digit win teams. But they make money and get decent viewership so they're sticking around. I still watch the lower tier ones if I have a chance and usually do watch the upper tier ones.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Wait! I was told on this board it was a done deal! LOL. All that was needed was the presidents signatures, opps I guess he was wrong.
People that think this was going to be a slam dunk were fooled by the media reporting from a single source or two. The only guarantee is that it will change to 8 or 12 when the current deal expires. The more the talk about 12 the more issues without a consensus. Who gets in a 12 and where is the first round played seem to be the biggest issues

The presidents tho!!! Omg! What if they say no!!! LOL. Holloway could ruin this… imagine thinking that… LOL

 

[rutgersguy1]

 

[NickRU714]

The big difference is that the current argument "Georgia, Michigan and USC are in the Top 4 even if they lose" goes out the window.

2022: Conference Championships don't matter
2024: Conference Championships matter.

Any of them lose in 2024 and it's Clemson, Kansas State or Purdue as the Top 4 seeds.
Also, #18 Tulane or #22 UCF get the 12 seed for winning the AAC.

 

[rutgersguy1]

The big difference is that the current argument "Georgia, Michigan and USC are in the Top 4 even if they lose" goes out the window.

2022: Conference Championships don't matter
2024: Conference Championships matter.

Any of them lose in 2024 and it's Clemson, Kansas State or Purdue as the Top 4 seeds.
Also, #18 Tulane or #22 UCF get the 12 seed for winning the AAC.

Well KSU would be a top 10 team so that’s not too bad. If the B10 gets rid of divisions, a low or unranked team like Purdue wouldn’t be there in the B10 champ game. It would be Michigan OSU rematch. You could actually get a 3peat. Michigan /OSU in a given year. I suppose the same could happen for some of the other conferences too.

 

[rutgersguy1]

 

[NickRU714]

How is the NFL encroaching on CFB?
They deliberately don't play on Saturday until after the CFB season ends.

I could see the NFL taking issue and shooting back by adding earlier marquee Saturday night games - to compete with CFB.

 

[rutgersguy1]

How is the NFL encroaching on CFB?
They deliberately don't play on Saturday until after the CFB season ends.

I could see the NFL taking issue and shooting back by adding earlier marquee Saturday night games - to compete with CFB.

I believe the NFL is considering Black Friday games in the future.

Edit: forgot that the NFL also encroached on Thursdays

 

[RU at the shore]

View embedded media

View embedded media

3 of the 4 projected 1st round games completely uninteresting to me.

 

[MGSA99]

The G5 can't complain anymore. There will never be an undefeated G5 team left out of the CFP.

 

[rutgersguy1]

I’m guessing ESPN will exercise the rights for the these next two years, unless they think divvying it up with Fox now can help them work together for 2026 and beyond and keep NBC/CBS out.

 

[NickRU714]

The G5 can't complain anymore. There will never be an undefeated G5 team left out of the CFP.

I've been saying it's gone too far the other way now.
In 2 years a 23rd ranked Temple gets in the CFP for winning the AAC at 8-4? (after Cincinnati, Tulane and UCF have left for the Big 12)

Think of the recruiting pitch:
Don't go to a lower P5 team. You'll likely never compete for a championship. If you come here we can get to the CFP just by winning the conference. No need to be undefeated or ranked in Top 4.

 

[rutgersguy1]

 

[miketd1]

No idea why any of this is necessary. If I had a magic wand...

I would just go to 6 teams:

• The P5 champions +1
• "+1" goes to next highest ranked non P5 champion unless:
  • In priority order:
    • Notre Dame is ranked #5 or better
    • There is an undefeated G5 ranked #5 or better

Ranking is done similar to college basketball's NET ranking system.

Top 2 teams get a first round "bye".

First round:
#3 gets to pick who they want to play among the rest of the eligible teams in one game.
The other two teams automatically play each other in the other.

Second round:
#1 gets to pick who they want to play among the rest of the eligible teams.
The other two teams automatically play each other in the other.

ALSO:
Get rid of conference championship games unless:

• The conference's best two teams are in different divisions and haven't already played each other or
• There is an undefeated team that isn't among the conference's two best teams. In this instance, the undefeated team becomes the default second best team in the championship game (This provides a path to the title game for say an undefeated Nebraska when UM and OSU are the two highest ranked teams).

WHY?

• "Win and you're in" is simple to understand
• If you're in a particularly difficult division, you are rewarded (possible to skip a championship game and have a first round bye)
• There is a reasonable path to the title for all teams without requiring a bunch of poor playoff match-ups.
• Gives priority to regular season excellence and keeps these games relevant. (Imagine us playing spoiler to PSU late in the season?).
• G5 has a way to the title without simply beating a bunch of unranked teams. They would need to beat 3 playoff teams to win the title.
• Ranking matters: #1 & #2 get first round byes. #3 gets to pick who they play in the first round & #1 gets to pick who they play in the second round. Just an added element of intrigue/excitement. And if there is a particularly weak team, they can be exploited.
• Conference games are contingent which helps prevent rematches.