24 team playoff

[MelroseHawkins]

Serious question, do the players actually have academic requirements to play anymore?

Doesn't seem like they even need to go to classes anymore.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

By rule, all NCAA athletes have to be enrolled at a member institution and taking a minimum number of hours. But you are right, when is the last time we have lost a kid in any sports due to grades?

I just think every school has gotten better at expanding their buffet of Basket Weaving 101 type classes. You major in general studies and take 4 online classes with open book tests and even a walking moron can cobble together passing grades.

That all said, and this is important to say, the vast majority of NCAA athletes are there to get an education and play a sport and most take their studies seriously.

 

[Westernhawk]

I admittingly in the past have been opposed to this but have warmed up to it after listening to some podcasts and points.

1) Iowa would have made it in the playoffs about 4-5 times over the years if implemented.
2) With the bowl games really tailing off, teams and fans have kind of needed a new carrot dangling in front of them with how the landscape of college has been changing.
3) I had concern that this was going to water down the conference/regular season for teams. But in actuality, fans will be following their 2-3 loss teams in late season games with the chance of making the playoffs. This kind of offsets in years past hoping for 1-2 losses to win the conference or get into the conference c-ship game. I mean, it would make those games interesting to fans that might not otherwise be interesting, like Iowa having to beat a Mich St. or Purdue towards the end of a season. Or a Vandy going up against Georgia to have a chance.
4) It would be really cool if the top teams got a 1 or 2 week of a homefield advantage. This would prevent a 10-1 or 11-0 team of resting their top players if already locked into the playoffs. They might have to play for a home field advantage.

There are some positives out there. 24 teams would only take a few weeks.

One downside is the attendance in the early playoff rounds. Are teams fans going to travel to mult games ($$$)? Will certain games only be attended by the locals? Not sure how that is going to work.

I think you make some compelling points here. I've also warmed up to the idea. Small bowls, and even medium sized bowls just don't matter to people any more. November would have major "juice" for teams in the top 20, and I think that overall, fan interest will actually increase.

 

[Grady]

I think you make some compelling points here. I've also warmed up to the idea. Small bowls, and even medium sized bowls just don't matter to people any more. November would have major "juice" for teams in the top 20, and I think that overall, fan interest will actually increase.

Yep.

 

[BigD]

Doesn't seem like they even need to go to classes anymore.

Correct! This format has been used in the past in the SEC for multiple decades.

 

[BuiltLikeWilt]

Ok bored night, maybe a few to many ,so ....... I'm against the 24 for the most part ,but think of how many times our Hawkeye teams were just really peaking and maybe had loss to a should win game earlier in season, and it gave us a middle of the road bowl (even before play offs), after the Bowl win we probably could have beat anyone in the country. Or at least advanced for sure to another game. It might be good for us second tier schools.