‘We don’t need to wait another six years’: College football leaders ready to discuss eight-team Play

[Die4Cy]

Until somebody addresses the broad disparity in what passes for a Power 5 schedule, nobody has any real reason to have confidence in the system, be it 4 teams or 8.

There is a 14 team league down south playing an 8 game conference schedule that gets the majority of the media hype, and they are always in the discussion of getting two teams in the playoff based on maintaining preseason hype and not tripping up late in the year.

In a perfect world we wouldn't reward these oversized, dead weight laden leagues with multiple spots when everybody can see they exist just for providing a few select brands an easy path. I'd make it an 8 team playoff, but only for the five conference champions with 3 at large spots rewarded by a real (computer) measurement of quality wins. Force these conferences to improve the quality of team schedules and we get better games and less doubt about the teams at the top.

 

[Diggame]

Honestly I don't want to expand anymore games until we address the elephant in the room that these players aren't getting paid. Are they going to get more compensation for playing more games?

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Why would conference championship games need to be cut? And then how would you decide who gets the conference autobid if say a B1G west Wisconsin and a B1G east Ohio state don’t play each other but both go 9-0 in conference play?

They would play in the Big 10 CG.

 

[HoopsTournament]

I like the 8 team playoff but please include the top FCS school. Part of what makes March Madness fun is the potential for the Davids to defeat the Goliaths. If you're the number 8 P5 team that means you didn't win your conference so you have no real claim to ***** about someone else getting in with an undefeated season.

No. They have their own playoff.

 

[cyfanatic13]

They would play in the Big 10 CG.

Not if they get rid of conference championship games like they claim needs to happen if the playoff goes to 8

 

[erikbj]

My thoughts.

I think going to 8 will dilute the regular season. This year for example, why would GA and Bama play the SEC champ game - risk injury (Tua) knowing they both are in the playoffs. It's going to come to the point where they both say we forfeit.

You are going to end up with teams with 2,3, or 4+ losses in the playoffs - those teams deserve to be in a nice bowl game, not playing for a national championship.

Also if the first round games are played on campus, what if ISU had to host a game on December 1st like they did against Drake. That weather and field conditions is not where a game for the national championship should be played.

Also the conferences are not balanced. The ACC (outside of Clemson) is garbage, the PAC12 is garbage. So letting conference winners in for the sake of being "conference champ" is silly. Also conferences are not required to play the same # of conference games, non-conference game requirements are different. Also, Notre Dame should be required to play in a conference so they have to play a conference championship and have a schedule that is not hand picked.

Also the non-power 5 auto bid - ok, UCF has had a decent team the past two years, with one quality win in 2 years. Why not have a final 4 of non-power 5 schools. Let them have their own championship. Most years, you are going to have a team that is a fringe top 25 - that would have to play Alabama or some other powerhouse of that season.

Not sure why everyone thinks more is better - the final four has been great. If they really want to make it 8. Then go to 4 equal weighted conferences and the conference championships are round 1 and then a final 4 of conference champs.

 

[Tri4Cy]

Maybe move it to Thanksgiving night then? Idk. It needs to stand alone, but there is a reason the game is played on a weekend where no other teams play.

I'd love that. I understand there is a reason it plays when no other games are going on. I personally, have always loved the tradition, the pageantry, and I've always looked at that game as the closing of the regular season for college football.

 

[mcblogerson]

All for either the top 8 ranked teams in a playoff, or just copy the NFL format. Playoffs are must see tv.

The watering down the regular season argument is terrible. The NFL doesnt suffer from this, b/c there are bye weeks, home field advantage and just making the playoffs to gain with every game. The bowls can stay as consolation prizes for the other good teams.

 

[CyForPresident]

My thoughts.

I think going to 8 will dilute the regular season. This year for example, why would GA and Bama play the SEC champ game - risk injury (Tua) knowing they both are in the playoffs. It's going to come to the point where they both say we forfeit.

You are going to end up with teams with 2,3, or 4+ losses in the playoffs - those teams deserve to be in a nice bowl game, not playing for a national championship.

Also if the first round games are played on campus, what if ISU had to host a game on December 1st like they did against Drake. That weather and field conditions is not where a game for the national championship should be played.

Also the conferences are not balanced. The ACC (outside of Clemson) is garbage, the PAC12 is garbage. So letting conference winners in for the sake of being "conference champ" is silly. Also conferences are not required to play the same # of conference games, non-conference game requirements are different. Also, Notre Dame should be required to play in a conference so they have to play a conference championship and have a schedule that is not hand picked.

Also the non-power 5 auto bid - ok, UCF has had a decent team the past two years, with one quality win in 2 years. Why not have a final 4 of non-power 5 schools. Let them have their own championship. Most years, you are going to have a team that is a fringe top 25 - that would have to play Alabama or some other powerhouse of that season.

Not sure why everyone thinks more is better - the final four has been great. If they really want to make it 8. Then go to 4 equal weighted conferences and the conference championships are round 1 and then a final 4 of conference champs.

They'd be playing for home field advantage. Plus the whole conference championship thing.

And the field conditions argument is ****. FCS, DII, and DIII have been dealing with it just fine for decades. The Drake game is an anomaly. If it was played on Friday, Nov. 30th instead of Saturday, Dec 1st, there are zero problems.

 

[beentherebefore]

Honestly I don't want to expand anymore games until we address the elephant in the room that these players aren't getting paid. Are they going to get more compensation for playing more games?

I would have loved free college.

 

[cyfanatic13]

All for either the top 8 ranked teams in a playoff, or just copy the NFL format. Playoffs are must see tv.

The watering down the regular season argument is terrible. The NFL doesnt suffer from this, b/c there are bye weeks, home field advantage and just making the playoffs to gain with every game. The bowls can stay as consolation prizes for the other good teams.

Yeah “watering down the regular season” is a hilarious argument when FBS football would STILL have the smallest playoff at any level of football. High school is 16, FCS is 24, D2 is 28, D3 is 32, NFL is 12. But moving to 8 is too dang much!

 

[heitclone]

My thoughts.

I think going to 8 will dilute the regular season. This year for example, why would GA and Bama play the SEC champ game - risk injury (Tua) knowing they both are in the playoffs. It's going to come to the point where they both say we forfeit.

You are going to end up with teams with 2,3, or 4+ losses in the playoffs - those teams deserve to be in a nice bowl game, not playing for a national championship.

Also if the first round games are played on campus, what if ISU had to host a game on December 1st like they did against Drake. That weather and field conditions is not where a game for the national championship should be played.

Also the conferences are not balanced. The ACC (outside of Clemson) is garbage, the PAC12 is garbage. So letting conference winners in for the sake of being "conference champ" is silly. Also conferences are not required to play the same # of conference games, non-conference game requirements are different. Also, Notre Dame should be required to play in a conference so they have to play a conference championship and have a schedule that is not hand picked.

Also the non-power 5 auto bid - ok, UCF has had a decent team the past two years, with one quality win in 2 years. Why not have a final 4 of non-power 5 schools. Let them have their own championship. Most years, you are going to have a team that is a fringe top 25 - that would have to play Alabama or some other powerhouse of that season.

Not sure why everyone thinks more is better - the final four has been great. If they really want to make it 8. Then go to 4 equal weighted conferences and the conference championships are round 1 and then a final 4 of conference champs.

Because if conference champs get a auto bid, there would only be 3 bids for non champs. If you win you automatically in, lose and who knows. Doesn't change anything from the current model, if anything, it makes the championship game and every regular season game more valuable.

This year, for example, short of getting beat by 50, Bama was in the CFP no matter how they played in the SEC Title game. It had zero impact on if they went to the playoff or not. Georgia was the only team in that game with a playoff spot on the line. Was Saban crazy for playing? Are you saying Bama should have forfeited?

 

[Boxerdaddy]

Hadn't thought about that side of things. Let's say ISU keeps climbing. We win the Big XII and take a top 4 spot in that scenario. I'd love to have a playoff game at Jack Trice. But then, thinking of the Drake game, would we want an end of December game in Ames? NFL has had some ice bowl games, but pretty sure people won't stand for a playoff game on a icy/muddy/snowy/frozen field. On the other hand, we'd lose the advantage of hosting a game if we move it somewhere else.

Closest NFL stadium...Minneapolis or Arrowhead.

 

[Cycsk]

Notice how Alvarez uses the pronoun "we" in the article?

 

[Boxerdaddy]

6 teams, top two get byes.
Each Power-5 conference champ gets an auto-bid, provided they have 0-1 loss. A two loss champ forfeits the auto-bid and that slot turns into an at-large (which they could still get)

In this scenario, i would think the Pac-12 would still have been left out this year.

 

[Clonehomer]

Honestly I don't want to expand anymore games until we address the elephant in the room that these players aren't getting paid. Are they going to get more compensation for playing more games?

I do agree, but not the system that's been talked about. I'd take the entire TV revenue from post season competition, FB playoffs, March Madness, ect. and distribute that to all D1 athletes. Have it come from the NCAA not the schools.

Giving it to athletes based on the school revenue or jersey sales just asking for a more lopsided situation.

 

[Clonehomer]

6 teams, top two get byes.
Each Power-5 conference champ gets an auto-bid, provided they have 0-1 loss. A two loss champ forfeits the auto-bid and that slot turns into an at-large (which they could still get)

In this scenario, i would think the Pac-12 would still have been left out this year.

What's the incentive to schedule harder then? Guaranteeing a conference championship would help bring back more good non-conference games. Limiting to 0 or 1 loss teams only makes teams schedule more "southern Alabama technical school for the blind" or Drake.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

What's the incentive to schedule harder then? Guaranteeing a conference championship would help bring back more good non-conference games. Limiting to 0 or 1 loss teams only makes teams schedule more "southern Alabama technical school for the blind" or Drake.

Good point. But do you think the 3 loss Huskies, the PAC12 champ deserved a bid this year? Stretch it out to 2 losses then as the limit I guess? I see what you're saying. Not sure there's a good answer other than great teams not losing.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

If conference champs are taken and as an example this year, had NW beaten Ohio State and received an auto-bid, people have been saying no way should they have gotten a bid. But on the other hand, would Ohio State have deserved the bid, losing to them? Hypothetically? Do we want a tournament or do we want to reward the best teams with a shot at the title?

Take a look at Georgia and Alabama...if Georgia had gotten in this year, in my mind would have been insane. They just lost to Alabama on a neutral site, so you'd want Alabama to have to beat them again on a neutral-er site in the Championship? Why? They lost on the field of play, which is where it matters, and couldn't beat Alabama. We know that. What we don't know is how other highly ranked teams would fare against them. I get there being something to the eye test, but you just saw with your own eyes them losing. So they're not the best team in the country. Sorry got off on a tangent, but that's the kind of thing I don't want to see. I agree with 4 teams, we don't always know if we have the best team. How good is UCF? How good were they last year when they pasted the only team that beat Bama? We'll never know. That's what we need is giving shots to those teams that we don't know about. But 2-3 loss teams that have lost to the top teams already....why would we wan those? They had their shot.

 

[CyHans]

Why would conference championship games need to be cut? And then how would you decide who gets the conference autobid if say a B1G west Wisconsin and a B1G east Ohio state don’t play each other but both go 9-0 in conference play?

Maybe they should have a smaller conference, say 10 teams, so they can play a round robin?? ; )