How to expand the college playoffs

deanvogs

deanvogs

Well-Known Member
Ok, it is only a matter of time until this happens. First of all, it is BS that conference champs don't get in. I think this is the way the playoffs need to go:

Auto bid for conference champs. All conferences have to play at least 9 conference games and a championship game (Big12 the #1 and #2 teams play for auto birth in a championship game).

That gives you 5 teams, and you take 3 at larges as well, giving you a 8 team playoff. Why shouldn't a 2 or 3 loss conference champ go to the playoffs? They won the games that counted. Why should we punish a 1 loss team that doesn't happen to go to the conference championship? This allows for them to make it as well. Re seed and play it on the field. No exceptions like you played this team already so you don't play 1st round...none of that, it is seeded 1-8 and play who you play.

This wouldn't dilute the regular season, as it makes conference games that much more meaningful. Plus it actually gives 3 teams a chance as well that might have slipped up once, but really deserve to be in. Imagine an undefeated #1 team losing a conference championship game (say a 2 loss Georgia beats Miss. St.), well Miss. St. could still make it as at large, and Georgia is in as well as they won the SEC and deserve to be in. At the same time it doesn't let too many at larges in that would dilute the season. Plus this rewards really strong conferences as in theory you could have 4 from any conference in the playoffs.

I know it would never happen, but that would make the the regular season meaningful, conference championship games REALLY meaningful and only expand the playoffs by 1 round.
 
Agree with your original 5 + 3 scenario in the OP. Expanding to 16 would be too many games IMO. I would also think they would seed 1-8 with 1 playing 8, 2 playing 7, etc.. That might get a little political also so I would not be opposed to a blind draw. That alone could be a major television event like the NBA lottery event. You put the 8 teams in to a hat and let a fan pick out the names to set the pairings and what venue they would be assigned to. This would take out some of the political b.s. and ESPN influence out of the decision.
 
I'm probably crazy, but I still think there is still a chance a time comes within the next 5-10 years where we end up with 4 16 team conferences. Maybe this group of 64 teams leaves the NCAA and has their own playoff system. Only thing for certain is that someone will figure out how to make more money out of the deal.
 
If I were king for a day, this is how I'd do it:

1. Require all Power 5 conferences to go to 2 non-cons (no FBS) and 10 conference games (this would force the Big 12 to pick up one more team, but I'm sure they could find one). The 10 conference games is important because it will almost all but eliminate the "easy schedule" opportunity and will ensure equal home/road games in conference.
2. Require all Power 5 conferences to go to a conference championship.
3. Expand the playoffs to 10 teams total.....the 5 conference champions and 5 at large selections.
4. Seed all 10 teams and then play the opening round games (seeds 7-10) at the higher seeded team's home stadium.
5. Rotate the remaining 6 games before the finals (the 4 quarterfinal and 2 semi final games) at 6 locations: Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, Outback, and Cotton.
6. Farm out the college football championship to the highest bidder like now.
 
Prefer the 4, can live with 8......if it goes beyond 8 can we just scrap the bowl system because it will be regulated to NIT status.
 
deanvogs said:
Ok, it is only a matter of time until this happens. First of all, it is BS that conference champs don't get in. I think this is the way the playoffs need to go:

Auto bid for conference champs. All conferences have to play at least 9 conference games and a championship game (Big12 the #1 and #2 teams play for auto birth in a championship game).

That gives you 5 teams, and you take 3 at larges as well, giving you a 8 team playoff. Why shouldn't a 2 or 3 loss conference champ go to the playoffs? They won the games that counted. Why should we punish a 1 loss team that doesn't happen to go to the conference championship? This allows for them to make it as well. Re seed and play it on the field. No exceptions like you played this team already so you don't play 1st round...none of that, it is seeded 1-8 and play who you play.

This wouldn't dilute the regular season, as it makes conference games that much more meaningful. Plus it actually gives 3 teams a chance as well that might have slipped up once, but really deserve to be in. Imagine an undefeated #1 team losing a conference championship game (say a 2 loss Georgia beats Miss. St.), well Miss. St. could still make it as at large, and Georgia is in as well as they won the SEC and deserve to be in. At the same time it doesn't let too many at larges in that would dilute the season. Plus this rewards really strong conferences as in theory you could have 4 from any conference in the playoffs.

I know it would never happen, but that would make the the regular season meaningful, conference championship games REALLY meaningful and only expand the playoffs by 1 round.
Click to expand...

I like most of what you said, but i say just go to 6 games with the "top" 2 seeds getting a bye week. All 5 power conferences get an auto-big along with the highest rated team from outside the "power-5". This leaves the conference championships very meaningful as you can't get in w/o a championship (which really, how can you claim to be the best team in football w/o winning your conference).
 
I'd be in favor of the 8 team playoff. What I'd really love though is to have a couple cold-weather stadiums in the mix for the games, such as Lambeau or Soldier Field.
 
I would certainly go with at least six teams. That way no 12-1 conference champ would ever be left out. Ohio St., TCU, and Baylor would all be in. I would love to see that playoff.
 
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