Playoff expansion: it's about time

[Ree4]

Ree4

Ok. I am not a Notre Dame fan by any stretch of the imagination. But, I do point out that they typically schedule one of the tougher season schedules every year and play P5 opponents most games. Not many others do this so I'm fine if they play a tougher schedule than most with 12 games then throwing in a sure win directional school. I mean, they have a better shot of taking a loss with that 12 team schedule then most others who played 13 games. Here is this seasons schedule.
So, in essence, on the whole, they played a tougher overall schedule with 12 games.

UND Athletics

2018 Football Schedule

Scheduled Games

• Sep 1
  vs Michigan
  #IrishWearGreen
  W, 24-17
• Sep 8
  vs Ball State
  W, 24-16
• Sep 15
  vs Vanderbilt
  W, 22-17
• Sep 22
  at Wake Forest
  W, 56-27
• Sep 29
  vs Stanford
  W, 38-17
• Oct 6
  at Virginia Tech
  W, 45-23
• Oct 13
  vs Pittsburgh
  W, 19-14
• Oct 27
  Navy
  W, 44-22
• Nov 3
  at Northwestern
  W, 31-21
• Nov 10
  vs Florida State
  W, 42-13
• Nov 17
  Syracuse
  W, 36-3
• Nov 24
  at USC
  W, 24-17

Sigh

 

[kuhntz]

No at large selections. Must be conference champions only if you are expanding the playoffs. Otherwise the entire regular season is meaningless and its the same popularity contest of the polls.

5 power conference champs, all agree that American would be #6. Final two conference champs come from the rest of the conferences...depending on their conference records vs the top 6 conferences for that season.

8 Conference champs. Done. No whining, win and you are in.

 

[ModebaSan]

Yeah well, I was in a hurry. Still 37% (almost 40%) of the pie is to much considering that the P5's together control 90% of all eyes and $.
They would be stupid to agree to that.
If that were the option, then just have a p5 champion (which is what I was saying, except adding in an independent or the occasional exceptional non P5 to make it an even number)


Agree.


But the knife cuts both ways. If we had our west division schedule (say Braska gets better) with Purdue getting better, Northwestern getting better, Wisconsin, being Wisconsin, cross overs of PSU, OSU and Michigan, plus had ISu (whose getting better), and say one other non con of say Oklahoma, Florida, Stanford, do you realize the gautlet that would be? Our sos would be far above any sec team that played three cupcakes for non cons.
You don't think that deserves a bye??
It also rewards teams that play challenging non cons instead of cupcakes, which adds to the excitement (and $) of the beginning of the season.

I dont think those teams would keep scheduling those teams if for no other reason just to get a bye. The SEC schedules 4 cupcakes and have been in the CFP every year since inception. SOS hasnt really been a concern so far to the CFP committee. Notre Dame doesnt even play for a conference championship yet they made it in. The ninth conference game is hurting the B1G’s overall win total and is costing us positions in the playoffs and other high tiered bowls. Other conferences aren’t doing it and still getting higher bowl and playoff spots. Maybe Delaney thought that by being the first to play 9 conference games, that everyone else would follow by example. Well they didn’t, and Delaney’s lab experiment blew up in his face. It’s kinda like spending a dollar to save a dime.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

This whole "expansion" talk was totally avoidable if the powers-to-be had thought things through when implementing the whole playoff system initially.

Five major conferences, major independents, FCS teams, 8 vs 9 game conference schedules, championship games, ever-morphing playoff selection committee criteria...on and on.....who in their right mind thought four teams would be adequate?

There was pressure from the old guard, especially the bowls, not to go immediately to eight so as not to overly dilute their product. Hell, Delaney wasn't a playoff advocate, ever, then quickly jumped on board when it was inevitable. (and look at him now...as I predicted...pounding the podium for expansion....ironic).

The lesser bowls aren't affected. The NYD-6 bowls are, but too bad. Their days of determining national status are over.

These things could all been hashed out and a solid playoff system put in place initially instead of tip-toeing into this muddled mess.

Go to a 24- or 32-team playoff, make first several rounds at school sites, i.e., teams that never leave the comfy South will have to do so. Add two bowls to NY6, and let them host games in later rounds, then let one of the fo"traditionals", i.e., Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cotton (sorry, Fiesta, you were always an interloper) alternate hosting the title game.

ELIMINATE the bowls for P5 teams!

 

[4thngoal]

I dont think those teams would keep scheduling those teams if for no other reason just to get a bye. The SEC schedules 4 cupcakes and have been in the CFP every year since inception. SOS hasnt really been a concern so far to the CFP committee. Notre Dame doesnt even play for a conference championship yet they made it in. The ninth conference game is hurting the B1G’s overall win total and is costing us positions in the playoffs and other high tiered bowls. Other conferences aren’t doing it and still getting higher bowl and playoff spots. Maybe Delaney thought that by being the first to play 9 conference games, that everyone else would follow by example. Well they didn’t, and Delaney’s lab experiment blew up in his face. It’s kinda like spending a dollar to save a dime.

Once again I agree.
But for that sos should carry a lot of weight. People bitching about UCF, **** UCF, until play an entire season against somebody, you don't just get to come in all healthy having done half the work (weak sos) and get in against far better teams that have been kicking the crap out of each other all season.
That's why you go with one at large. Everyone must have played the same amount of games, sos matters because you play all 6 (3 on 3) with 3 winners. The one out of the 3 winners with the strongest sos, gets a bye and the other two play. Finally the final 2 play.
Seems unfair about the bye???? Then schedule harder non cons.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

No at large selections. Must be conference champions only if you are expanding the playoffs. Otherwise the entire regular season is meaningless and its the same popularity contest of the polls.

5 power conference champs, all agree that American would be #6. Final two conference champs come from the rest of the conferences...depending on their conference records vs the top 6 conferences for that season.

8 Conference champs. Done. No whining, win and you are in.

Then what are you going to do with the Notre Dames of the world? It wouldn't be a popularity contests if you choose the 3 at large teams by a matrix measuring and comparing schedule/strength of schedule and game results. Whichever 3 teams float to the top get it. Regular season season and scheduling would still be very important. I add that it would even better non-conference scheduling.

 

[ssckelley]

After watching the games last night I felt the need to dig this back up. I think college football has it right, the best 2 teams in the country will be playing for the NC. This year they didn't even need a 4 team playoff, they could have went with 2 (Clemson and Alabama) and still gotten it right. An expanded playoff would just dilute the playoff system and ruin the bowl system.

I say leave it alone.

 

[SpiderRico]

After watching the games last night I felt the need to dig this back up. I think college football has it right, the best 2 teams in the country will be playing for the NC. This year they didn't even need a 4 team playoff, they could have went with 2 (Clemson and Alabama) and still gotten it right. An expanded playoff would just dilute the playoff system and ruin the bowl system.

I say leave it alone.

The playoffs are an absolute joke. Only 2 semifinal games have been within a TD, with the rest all being double digits...5 of them by 4 tds or more. I’d be all for going back to the BCS and just doing the top 2 teams and give more meaning back to the bowl games.

 

[ssckelley]

The playoffs are an absolute joke. Only 2 semifinal games have been within a TD, with the rest all being double digits...5 of them by 4 tds or more. I’d be all for going back to the BCS and just doing the top 2 teams and give more meaning back to the bowl games.

I agree, the whole point is to crown the best team in college football. Right now the balance of talent is all in the south, so just get the best 2 southern teams together and crown a NC.

 

[Seth53]

The playoffs are an absolute joke. Only 2 semifinal games have been within a TD, with the rest all being double digits...5 of them by 4 tds or more. I’d be all for going back to the BCS and just doing the top 2 teams and give more meaning back to the bowl games.

There's merit to this.

Expanding to eight teams is going to mean #1--more CFP blowouts, #2--the same top 2-3 teams playing for the trophy anyway, and #3--further dilution of the bowls.

Going to eight however affords more "good" teams the opportunity to play for the trophy, and certainly more money for everyone.

 

[smhawk]

There's merit to this.

Expanding to eight teams is going to mean #1--more CFP blowouts, #2--the same top 2-3 teams playing for the trophy anyway, and #3--further dilution of the bowls.

Going to eight however affords more "good" teams the opportunity to play for the trophy, and certainly more money for everyone.

The NCAA being top heavy is a different issue then whether or not they should expand to 8 teams.

Their dominance will not last forever. And when it does end itd be a shame to not have an 8 team playoff.

 

[FirstDownHawkeyes]

What the CFP has shown is just how big the gap is between the top teams and the next tier. Players now want to team up so all the best players go to the few flavor of the month schools. It’s AL and Clemson now. It’s been OSU, OR, USC, Miami or if we go back a couple decades FSU, NE and MI. But with social media now, I think kids are more likely to travel to all “team up” and recruiting services are more accurate making the divide deeper. I never thought I’d say this but college football was more interesting before the charade of a playoff started. I will not be watching the NC game bc who gives a...

 

[pekurhawk]

68 teams baby!

 

[pekurhawk]

I think the loser of the outback bowl should be crowned national champ.

 

[Ian Pike Hammer]

I think the loser of the outback bowl should be crowned national champ.

I think we all got a pretty good idea who that'll be. Miss. St. has won 9 of their last 11 bowl games.

 

[Ian Pike Hammer]

I think we all got a pretty good idea who that'll be. Miss. St. has won 9 of their last 11 bowl games.

It will be up to BF to recognize when Miss.St. puts 8 or 9 in the box on defense, when the run isn't working and start throwing the ball effectively- bubble screens, slants, slant and go, quick out passes, wheel routes etc...

 

[uihawk82]

The best argument against expanding the playoffs to 8 teams is from analysts who say why would we want to watch another round of blowout games. The past few years have shown the semifinal games as being a big mismatch, Eight teams would be even worse.

Now having 6 teams with the top 2 teams getting first round byes might be better as it lets those two teams on the cusp a chance to prove they can win a quarterfinal and do well in a semi-final. This year add OSU and Georgia and you could have OSU vs ND and Georgia vs OKla. Maybe OSU and Georgia win it and give Clemson and Bama a tougher game in the semis.

Eight teams is just going to set up Bama and Clemson for example this year playing an offensively challenged Mich or Wash .

 

[Robowe]

Mike Leach wants 64 teams ...