Expanded NCAA football playoffs

[WinterBorn]

There is a push to expand the college football playoffs to 8 or 12 teams.

The format I have seen talked about the most is for the Power 5 conferences to get an automatic bid for their conference champions, and the rest be "at large" bids for the best teams outside the conference champs. Not a bad idea, per se. But I think the playoffs should still be the best teams, regardless of conference championships. Some conferences would get a bid with an inferior team, if they go by the conference championships. For example, when OU and Texas move to the SEC, what team in the BIG12 is typically good enough to make the playoffs on their own?

Notre Dame is a voting member of the ACC, but their football team plays as an independent. Which leaves Clemson and maybe Miami as typically being good enough to make a playoff.

Ohio State is a top contender, but after that it drops off quickly.

The SEC has had 3 teams win a National Championship in the payoff era. And 5 of the 8 champions since the playoffs started have been from the SEC. Adding OU and Texas increases that depth.


Should an 8 team playoff have automatic bids or should the committee pick the best 8 teams?

 

[1srelluc]

Oh great....More money in the coffers of the colleges that strive to indoctrinate our youth.

 

[WinterBorn]

Oh great....More money in the coffers of the colleges that strive to indoctrinate our youth.

As someone who attended one of the universities in question, I have to laugh at the "indoctrination" nonsense. Every professor I had was focused on their courses and that subject matter.

The idea that every person who attends a university is "indoctrinated" is ridiculous. Besides, you should be grateful that these universities exist. The graduates have knowledge and skills our society needs.

 

[1srelluc]

As someone who attended one of the universities in question, I have to laugh at the "indoctrination" nonsense. Every professor I had was focused on their courses and that subject matter.

The idea that every person who attends a university is "indoctrinated" is ridiculous. Besides, you should be grateful that these universities exist. The graduates have knowledge and skills our society needs.

OK I'll compromise....Just get shed of the Ivy League schools.

 

[rightwinger]

I like 5 automatic bids and three wild cards

Just like the NFL

 

[WinterBorn]

I like 5 automatic bids and three wild cards

Just like the NFL

But the parity in the NFL does not exist in college football. An example would be the ACC. When Clemson fell out of the top teams, the best the ACC had was a pair of 11-3 teams at the end of the season. Their best teams were Clemson at #14 and Wake Forest at #15. The BIG10 had 3 teams in the top 10. The SEC had 2 teams in the top 5.

Do you want the best teams in the playoff? Or do you want conference participation trophies?

 

[rightwinger]

But the parity in the NFL does not exist in college football. An example would be the ACC. When Clemson fell out of the top teams, the best the ACC had was a pair of 11-3 teams at the end of the season. Their best teams were Clemson at #14 and Wake Forest at #15. The BIG10 had 3 teams in the top 10. The SEC had 2 teams in the top 5.

Do you want the best teams in the playoff? Or do you want conference participation trophies?

Otherwise, winning your conference becomes meaningless
Put an automatic playoff bid in and there is more incentive and worth of conference games
Not much interest in playoffs of all SEC teams
Regardless, I don’t think there is much parity between the 1-2 teams and 7-8

 

[Couchpotato]

Otherwise, winning your conference becomes meaningless
Put an automatic playoff bid in and there is more incentive and worth of conference games
Not much interest in playoffs of all SEC teams
Regardless, I don’t think there is much parity between the 1-2 teams and 7-8

With the exodus from the Big 12 to the SEC by all the decent teams, and there only being 1-2 legitimate title contenders in the other power 5 conferences (and that's being generous) is that really a workable solution? There are only really 15ish programs that have any legitimate shot at a national title year in and year out. How many of those reside outside the SEC? Maybe 5? Clemson, OSU, USC (maybe under Riley). Then Oregon, PSU, UM, Wisky or Stanford on an off year? You are basically giving an auto bid to Clemson, OSU and USC every year then making all the other teams fight it out for the other spots.

 

[rightwinger]

With the exodus from the Big 12 to the SEC by all the decent teams, and there only being 1-2 legitimate title contenders in the other power 5 conferences (and that's being generous) is that really a workable solution? There are only really 15ish programs that have any legitimate shot at a national title year in and year out. How many of those reside outside the SEC? Maybe 5? Clemson, OSU, USC (maybe under Riley). Then Oregon, PSU, UM, Wisky or Stanford on an off year? You are basically giving an auto bid to Clemson, OSU and USC every year then making all the other teams fight it out for the other spots.

Well, then maybe it will help even out the conferences

If teams get tired of trying to beat out Alabama, Clemson and Georgia in the SEC every year…..
maybe they will move to a conference where they have a better chance of making the playoffs


The SEC shouldn’t be rewarded for poaching schools from other conferences

 

[Ralph Norton]

I like 5 automatic bids and three wild cards

Just like the NFL

While I agree with you re 8 teams for college playoffs, I'm not sure what you mean by "just like the NFL"?
NFL sends 14 teams to playoffs, 7 in each conference: 4 division winners plus 3 wild cards.

 

[rightwinger]

While I agree with you re 8 teams for college playoffs, I'm not sure what you mean by "just like the NFL"?
NFL sends 14 teams to playoffs, 7 in each conference: 4 division winners plus 3 wild cards.

By “Like the NFL”, I mean winners of Divisions get an automatic playoff spot and then there are three wild cards based on best record

 

[22lcidw]

Well, then maybe it will help even out the conferences

If teams get tired of trying to beat out Alabama, Clemson and Georgia in the SEC every year…..
maybe they will move to a conference where they have a better chance of making the playoffs


The SEC shouldn’t be rewarded for poaching schools from other conferences

Perhaps making sports more important then education over the decades did not help the situation. The first two teams in the rankings for the most part are the best teams anyway at this point.

 

[Couchpotato]

Well, then maybe it will help even out the conferences

If teams get tired of trying to beat out Alabama, Clemson and Georgia in the SEC every year…..
maybe they will move to a conference where they have a better chance of making the playoffs


The SEC shouldn’t be rewarded for poaching schools from other conferences

I guess but the conferences would have to allow them to come in. You don't get to join just because you want to and I'm not sure why PSU or UW is going to vote for Oklahoma to enter their conference and water down their chances of getting to play for a national title.

Also Clemson is in the ACC not the SEC

 

[rightwinger]

Also Clemson is in the ACC not the SEC

My Bad

Meant to say Auburn

 

[WinterBorn]

Well, then maybe it will help even out the conferences

If teams get tired of trying to beat out Alabama, Clemson and Georgia in the SEC every year…..
maybe they will move to a conference where they have a better chance of making the playoffs


The SEC shouldn’t be rewarded for poaching schools from other conferences

Move out of the SEC? The schools make more money being cannon fodder in the SEC than occasionally winning in another conference.

 

[rightwinger]

Move out of the SEC? The schools make more money being cannon fodder in the SEC than occasionally winning in another conference.

If you are making so much money, you don’t need more teams in the playoffs