How to improve the FBS playoff selection process for next year. RAISE THE BAR on G5 qualifiers.

[MarathonMike]

The "Group of Five" refers to five lower tier conferences from which two teams made the 12 team FBS playoff this year, James Madison and Tulane. Despite their game stats in round one blowouts appearing competitive, they clearly were not. But per the selection criteria they got in, and BYU and Notre Dame were left out.

So how do we improve the selection process to STILL ALLOW G5 teams a chance to qualify but not leave clearly stronger contenders out?

I say make the criterion tougher on the G5 qualifiers. Since they are playing a much weaker schedule than the Power 4 conference teams, they need to be undefeated AND unchallenged against unranked opponents. If they play ranked opponents, they need to be competitive in those games. Yes, they need to show that against weaker teams they are totally dominant. That was not the case for James Madison or Tulane this year as anyone can see looking at the 2025 game stats. What say you?

 

[Meister]

Fully agree, two legitimate playoff teams were left out, and two teams
that shouldn't have been there were in. Can anyone say Affirmitive Action?

 

[candycorn]

Well you have to make it a handicap match due to big schools paying their players now. If your payroll is a jillion dollars, perhaps you spot the smaller school 14 points or play with 3 players on offense.

 

[Meister]

Well you have to make it a handicap match due to big schools paying their players now. If your payroll is a jillion dollars, perhaps you spot the smaller school 14 points or play with 3 players on offense.

 

[MarathonMike]

Fully agree, two legitimate playoff teams were left out, and two teams
that shouldn't have been there were in. Can anyone say Affirmitive Action?

I heard the current selection process of G5 teams into the playoffs is college football's version of a "Make a Wish" program. LOL

 

[MarathonMike]

Well you have to make it a handicap match due to big schools paying their players now. If your payroll is a jillion dollars, perhaps you spot the smaller school 14 points or play with 3 players on offense.

Thanks. I believe my proposal is a bit more realistic.

 

[tyroneweaver]

Thanks. I believe my proposal is a bit more realistic.

I went to byu. Ya don't think I would be a little bias
Bear Brockmeir is America's best kept qb secret

 

[leftwinger]

Got it. Backroom suits get to pick and choose which teams are allowed to be blown out by 20 or more? Plenty of past "big teams" have been demolished in recent playoffs too.

The sad part is pre-season rankings. Hold off rankings till the end. Why should yo be in just because a suit thinks "a Clemson is top ten"....oooops they go 3-7. My bad. But they were "in" never playing one down. Can only play themselves out. No room for others to jump over them, no matter who or how they play.

College Football Playoff History

College Football Playoff History

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[candycorn]

Just revert back to the AP poll to declare the winner; let the coaches vote on it.

 

[Meister]

Just revert back to the AP poll to declare the winner; let the coaches vote on it.

Revenue

 

[MarathonMike]

Just revert back to the AP poll to declare the winner; let the coaches vote on it.

Thanks, but I believe most football fans would not dump the FBS playoffs because the selection criteria should be improved.

 

[Darkwind]

End the entire playoff system in CF.

Play and do your best to win your conference.

Then stop playing and go back to class.

 

[MarathonMike]

End the entire playoff system in CF.

Play and do your best to win your conference.

Then stop playing and go back to class.

That's what 99.5 percent of the D1 teams do. For remaining 12 teams, the additional month of prep and games is well worth it to the players, coaches, schools and fans in my opinion.

 

[leftwinger]

Thanks, but I believe most football fans would not dump the FBS playoffs because the selection criteria should be improved.

Top 16 teams. No byes. 125 coaches vote top 16 after season ends.

They seem to have ended up with the best 4 teams in the finals this year. But too much funny business getting to this point.

 

[leftwinger]

End the entire playoff system in CF.

Play and do your best to win your conference.

Then stop playing and go back to class.

Yeah. They all but ended classes with NIL money. It is now minor league football. Not many have taken classes seriously since the 1990s probably anyway? They passed the thru with Sports management or personal training. Ugh.

 

[Darkwind]

That's what 99.5 percent of the D1 teams do. For remaining 12 teams, the additional month of prep and games is well worth it to the players, coaches, schools and fans in my opinion.

I disagree.

I think that with the sheer number of universities that participate in football, the inequities based on size alone are grounds for placing all the colleges in the same size grouping and then just letting them play for their conference titles.

College football has become a SOP for the NFL and undercuts the entire purpose of the athletic programs.

But I realize others think different and the dog I have in this fight is pretty small.

 

[MarathonMike]

Top 16 teams. No byes. 125 coaches vote top 16 after season ends.

They seem to have ended up with the best 4 teams in the finals this year. But too much funny business getting to this point.

Yeah that could work. For the bottom teams you might have ties, how would handle the tiebreakers?

 

[candycorn]

Thanks, but I believe most football fans would not dump the FBS playoffs because the selection criteria should be improved.

The playoff doesn’t seem to have cured anything as far as delivering a clear cut #1 team (in some seasons).

 

[22lcidw]

The "Group of Five" refers to five lower tier conferences from which two teams made the 12 team FBS playoff this year, James Madison and Tulane. Despite their game stats in round one blowouts appearing competitive, they clearly were not. But per the selection criteria they got in, and BYU and Notre Dame were left out.

So how do we improve the selection process to STILL ALLOW G5 teams a chance to qualify but not leave clearly stronger contenders out?

I say make the criterion tougher on the G5 qualifiers. Since they are playing a much weaker schedule than the Power 4 conference teams, they need to be undefeated AND unchallenged against unranked opponents. If they play ranked opponents, they need to be competitive in those games. Yes, they need to show that against weaker teams they are totally dominant. That was not the case for James Madison or Tulane this year as anyone can see looking at the 2025 game stats. What say you?

There is one thing. The 5 and 6 seeds can make an argument to be one of the Top 4 seeds who get a bye. So, for this year, they got a consolation prize in their first-round games.

 

[MarathonMike]

There is one thing. The 5 and 6 seeds can make an argument to be one of the Top 4 seeds who get a bye. So, for this year, they got a consolation prize in their first-round games.

I'm not sure what you mean about the consolation prize. Amazingly the "bye teams" are 1 and 7 in their quarter final games over the last two years.