Who will win the BigTen in 2024?
- Thread starter ivan brunetti
- Start date
this year showed again that the g5 don't belong in the upper echelon so I think it's a mistake
The G5 will take time to re-establish new worthy teams. The P5 has absorbed their best over the years from Utah, TCU, UCF etc… so it’ll take time to build new ones just like it takes time for those teams to transition to a P5 conference from a G5.
I still like their inclusion because it’s good for the sport and good to have more opportunity. Having a playoff shot is a selling point for those programsto try and build up too. Whether they get blown out more often than not is besides the point.
I think a better long term compromise would be an eventual move to a 16 team model with an auto-bid for any conference winner ranked in the top 25 of the CFP rankings. I think this would be the best model for the sport. If the best G5 team is 9-3, they shouldn’t qualify for the playoffs. On the other hand, there are 3 undefeated or one loss G5 teams I’d prefer to see all of them get their chance much like the 15-16 seeds in March Madness.
Do people complain when 16-seeds get blown out of the NCAA tournament? Do people say they shouldn't even let them play?
That's my argument for letting the G5 into the playoff. At least let them have a chance. At best, a miracle upset happens. At worst, the 5 seed gets a de facto bye to playing the 4 seed.
That's my argument for letting the G5 into the playoff. At least let them have a chance. At best, a miracle upset happens. At worst, the 5 seed gets a de facto bye to playing the 4 seed.
I agree with anyone in the top25 if 16 team playoff. But would want a Minimum of 1. a 9-3 G5 would never be ranked top25, but a 11-1 team could be ranked 26, be the highest g5 and not make it.
Liberty at 13-0 and SMU at 11-2 were 23/24 respectively. As a 16th seed, i believe they should be in even if they were ranked 26th.
I also don't see a scenario where there are more than 2 ranked in the top 25 now that most teams have been taken by the Big12 and ACC. And if the ACC gets raided, even more teams will be picked off to replenish.
That’s a fair point. It’ll never happen, but in a perfect world - the champs of the top 4 rated conferences would get an auto-bid for the CFP and 6 mid December “play in” bowl games would be played to determine the other 8 teams in the field. Every conference winner would be guaranteed a spot in a play in game (the 5 champs of the weakest rated conferences plus 7 at large selections). Match ups base on CFP ranking and the bowls could rotate selection order for which pair of teams they’d get. All 6 winners of these games would then be guaranteed a spot in the CFP field plus an additional 2 at large spots.
The rest of the bowl games could then be fun, TV openers for the play ins and CFP games.
Stop the charade already.
There are only 3 sensible options:
Anyone who argues "but FSU was a conference champ" and then says "only certain conference champs matter" is being hypocritical.
There are 10 conference in CFB.
Not 5+1+some others.
Is there any other sport where "equal conferences" aren't treated equally for post season eligibility?
There are only 3 sensible options:
- No AQs. 100% At-Large by whatever metric you want to use
- ALL conference champs get AQ
- Split up "P5"/"G5" into separate playoffs and go from there.
Anyone who argues "but FSU was a conference champ" and then says "only certain conference champs matter" is being hypocritical.
There are 10 conference in CFB.
Not 5+1+some others.
Is there any other sport where "equal conferences" aren't treated equally for post season eligibility?
@NickRU714 I would agree if the Power 4 .... or Power 2 and MiniPower 2 didn't play games against the group of 5. "We" tolerate and let them participate. But we do not want to get sued, hence we give them an opportunity.
So we give them 1 spot and not 2 since they likely don't even deserve the 1.
But we want to play 1-3 games against them per year so we throw them a bone.
There are only 2 options for the next 2 years
1) 6 + 6 - SEC and BIG10 are fighting this
2) 5 + 7 - This needs a change so other conferences (and PAC-2 since technically they have a spot in 6+6) are looking for some concessions to change it.
Afterwards these are the options in likelihood of occurring
1) 5 + 7 (Likely the consensus pick that everyone will sign off on)
2) 6 + 6 (SEC and BIG10 will not allow this - also likely removes any shot at the ACC / Big12 having a 2nd team - the P4 will not allow
3) No AQ (SEC and BIG10 would love this. Not going to happen as it removes any chance, especially after all this expansion, for the Group of 5 and in some years it might remove the ACC or Big12 champion.
99) ALL conference champs get AQ ( As Vince McMahon would say, "No Chance in Hell)
If expands to 16 teams i can see
1) 5 + 11
2) 6 + 10
I believe the big change in 2026 will be that the top 4 conference champs DO NOT get a bye. NO reason for the Big12 champ ranked 9 and ACC champ ranked 11 to take the 3rd / 4th spots and byes. But i also don't want the SEC taking 3 byes, so not sure how i feel.
So we give them 1 spot and not 2 since they likely don't even deserve the 1.
But we want to play 1-3 games against them per year so we throw them a bone.
There are only 2 options for the next 2 years
1) 6 + 6 - SEC and BIG10 are fighting this
2) 5 + 7 - This needs a change so other conferences (and PAC-2 since technically they have a spot in 6+6) are looking for some concessions to change it.
Afterwards these are the options in likelihood of occurring
1) 5 + 7 (Likely the consensus pick that everyone will sign off on)
2) 6 + 6 (SEC and BIG10 will not allow this - also likely removes any shot at the ACC / Big12 having a 2nd team - the P4 will not allow
3) No AQ (SEC and BIG10 would love this. Not going to happen as it removes any chance, especially after all this expansion, for the Group of 5 and in some years it might remove the ACC or Big12 champion.
99) ALL conference champs get AQ ( As Vince McMahon would say, "No Chance in Hell)
If expands to 16 teams i can see
1) 5 + 11
2) 6 + 10
I believe the big change in 2026 will be that the top 4 conference champs DO NOT get a bye. NO reason for the Big12 champ ranked 9 and ACC champ ranked 11 to take the 3rd / 4th spots and byes. But i also don't want the SEC taking 3 byes, so not sure how i feel.
They're not equal so they won't be treated the same. It's not the NFL where there are mechanisms like draft, salary cap, revenue share, prevention of tampering of coaches etc...which promote parity and equal opportunity at success.
Between conferences there isn't equality and within the same conference there isn't either besides some equal revenue sharing.
What you say is fine if there is a true effort to promote full parity and equal opportunity for success across all teams but that's never going to happen in CFB among 130+ teams or even within conferences with 12-18 teams. You can only take small steps in that direction and try to have more opportunity for everyone but it'll never be truly equal. Opportunity is as good as its ever been in CFB but it'll never be truly equal. It is what it is and you work in the reality of the world that is not what you want.
The difference is the NCAA tournament is - I believe - 68 teams. Even with the the expansion, CF is at only 12 teams (when compared to BB). Not much room for error in the smaller field
