12-Team Playoff in Jeopardy

[BCClone]

I think they guessed wrong. I think they figured when the SEC pulled in OuT that the B1G, ACC, and PAC would each circle their own wagons, act independently and throw together their own expansion plans as best they could. I don't think they envisioned those three joining together and blunting the SEC's powerplay. ESPN is now very likely f*cked, and I'm fully stocked up on popcorn.

I think they thought the B12 would panic and jump to the AAC with their stepped up payment. First shot was the Big 12 declaring tortious interference and saying they will stick together for the four years and hold OU and UT in the conference. The second shot was the 3 other conferences alliance.

 

[houjix]

Would love to see an 8 team format with P5 auto bids (including the Big XII, TOP G6 champ and 2 at large not from same conference.

The alliance said they want to support us, this would be how to do it.

Agreed. Going to 12 was always for SEC/ESPN's benefit, not CFB as a whole. At 8 teams, it still make conferences matter and doesn't introduce byes which allows for more ESPN manipulation.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Would love to see an 8 team format with P5 auto bids (including the Big XII, TOP G6 champ and 2 at large not from same conference.

The alliance said they want to support us, this would be how to do it.

As much as I love the idea of playoff expansion, if it screws the SEC and ESPN, it can wait a while.

 

[Cyforce]

As much as I love the idea of playoff expansion, if it screws the SEC and ESPN, it can wait a while.

Cutting your nose off inspite of your face. Only way we get an autobid for the P5 is expanding to 8. Guarantee G6 representation and limit conference participation to 2 teams and all the boxes are checked. (Eventually go to 12 maxing each conference at 3)

Screw ESPN and the SEC is a great battle cry but if it forces the SEC Super 32 league what did we really win?

 

[cyIclSoneU]

Would love to see an 8 team format with P5 auto bids (including the Big XII, TOP G6 champ and 2 at large not from same conference.

The alliance said they want to support us, this would be how to do it.

And Fox, NBC, CBS, and ESPN all broadcast the playoff. Would be 7 playoff games so plenty to go around. Don’t give it all to ESPN on a platter.

 

[TopCy]

I don't like throwing the baby out with the bathwater here. The 12-team playoff was a good idea, and it would open up the championship to a lot more teams. The top 6 conference champions is a good start, but the pushback should come on the restrictions for the wild card teams. No more than 3 total per conference, and more transparent and equitable selection criteria.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Aw, poor Oklahoma.

Going from winning the Big 12 every year and making the playoff...

...to...

6-2 record in the SEC, one of those losses almost always being Alabama, and playing in the Tidy Bowl.

I wonder if they'll regret giving up their gold-plated path in what amounted to their own private conference.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Cutting your nose off inspite of your face. Only way we get an autobid for the P5 is expanding to 8. Guarantee G6 representation and limit conference participation to 2 teams and all the boxes are checked. (Eventually go to 12 maxing each conference at 3)

Screw ESPN and the SEC is a great battle cry but if it forces the SEC Super 32 league what did we really win?

No, I get you. I'd support 8, so long as it doesn't allow the SEC and ESPN to dominate the money.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

I don't like throwing the baby out with the bathwater here. The 12-team playoff was a good idea, and it would open up the championship to a lot more teams. The top 6 conference champions is a good start, but the pushback should come on the restrictions for the wild card teams. No more than 3 total per conference, and more transparent and equitable selection criteria.

My guess is this is a bargaining position from the Alliance for now. If ESPN wants its 12 team playoff, it will have to pay up (and probably split the media rights). And if the SEC wants it now, it might have to agree to some concession about the maximum number of at-large bids per conference.

 

[knowlesjam]

To think that if the whole OuT was kept under raps until the CFP expanded...

That is almost made-for-TV drama there.

Now, the three conferences have more than enough power to keep the SEC at bay. Might that drive the SEC to work on OSU/Michigan/USC/Oregon, etc...maybe. But they still end up playing by the four team rules. Additionally, don't underestimate the power of the BIG presidents...something tells me that they would be very involved if tOSU/Michigan start to get wandering eyes.

 

[Chitowncy]

I think they guessed wrong. I think they figured when the SEC pulled in OuT that the B1G, ACC, and PAC would each circle their own wagons, act independently and throw together their own expansion plans as best they could. I don't think they envisioned those three joining together and blunting the SEC's powerplay. ESPN is now very likely f*cked, and I'm fully stocked up on popcorn.

I hope you're right and this decision works out well for us. Short-term it seems to work out well and I'm enjoying the irony in this as well, but long-term....we shall see grasshopper. The laws of unintended consequences.

Part of me also says the 12 team appears inevitable and maybe they'll just restructure organizationally somehow to get the votes at a later point. But, it is fun to see Gee shoot down what the power players at ESPN and the SEC want (more big time playoff games and more money / eyeballs on them). Would be the sweetest thing to keep it at 4 and ISU to beat OU this year and make the playoff. We can dream, right!?

 

[Stormin]

I like limiting the conferences to 2 teams. 8 teams. Conference Champions. Guarantee G6 Team.

That completely blows up the SECESPN plan.

 

[Cycsk]

Heard an interesting take this morning. Could conferences not named SEC band together to put a stop to the 12-playoff, forcing 16 SEC schools to fight for 1 or 2 playoff spots instead of 5 or 6?

I could see the Big 12 moving into a powerful position, not unlike a small party in a country with a parliamentary system. A small party can wield great power if the largest party needs them in a coalition to form a majority.

 

[twojman]

Screw ESPN and SEC. We will get to a 12 team playoff eventually but ESPN had an exclusive right to bid on it for a couple more years. Wait until that is gone and then open it up for bidding. If ESPN wants it, they'll probably have to pay double what they were going to if we moved straight to 12 while in their exclusive window.

Oh and screw ESPN.

 

[besserheimerphat]

I like limiting the conferences to 2 teams. 8 teams. Conference Champions. Guarantee G6 Team.

That completely blows up the SECESPN plan.

Yes - no more than 2 teams per conference. All P5 conference champs get in, strongest G6 conference champ gets in, then the next two highest rated teams makes 8. I would prefer the rating come from a fully algorithmic system. It can have committee oversight and be tweaked during the offseason but everyone should know "the rules" on Week 0. And the committee should be independent or, at worst, no majority by any conference. The current BS with 80% of the CFP committee being B1G or SEC needs to stop.

 

[DarkStar]

8 team playoff made up of conference champions or one independent only. In essence it is a 16 team playoff.

Each conference sends their best team and let a scoreboard determine the winner. Maybe then the narrative turns to each conference race.

Current 12 team proposal would make it harder for anyone but the top 4 teams win a championship. Top four teams only need to play 3 games to win the championship while everyone else plays 4. BB tourney doesn't do by weeks. Neither should football. The top four teams get an extra couple weeks to rest up and heal while everyone else gets beat up in another game.

 

[MeanDean]

To think that if the whole OuT was kept under raps until the CFP expanded...

That is almost made-for-TV drama there.

Now, the three conferences have more than enough power to keep the SEC at bay. Might that drive the SEC to work on OSU/Michigan/USC/Oregon, etc...maybe. But they still end up playing by the four team rules. Additionally, don't underestimate the power of the BIG presidents...something tells me that they would be very involved if tOSU/Michigan start to get wandering eyes.

This.
The ESPeNis plan was to keep the OuT move under wraps until the 12 team playoff was voted in. THEN allow the news to leak out. Then Profit! AtM let the cat out of the bag prematurely - and now everybody else is saying, "Um, no we're not having the SEC get 4, 5, or 6 chances out of 12 to win it all."

 

[NetflixAndClone]

still in favor of 8 team playoff.

P5 conference game winners get 5 spots (hoping the Big 12 stays as a power conference)
Top G5 conference winner.
2 at larges.

Makes winning your conference worth something.

 

[intrepid27]

I could support 8 team play off. 5 Power Five conference Champs, the highest ranked representative from the Group of 5 and 2 at large. That would limit the $EC to 3 at the most and more than likely 2 teams most years.

As much as I would like to see it expanded to help ISU chances I hope at some point TX and OU have to realize they screwed themselves.

 

[Die4Cy]

I could support 8 team play off. 5 Power Five conference Champs, the highest ranked representative from the Group of 5 and 2 at large. That would limit the $EC to 3 at the most and more than likely 2 teams most years.

As much as I would like to see it expanded to help ISU chances I hope at some point TX and OU have to realize they screwed themselves.

I really don't think any team that comes in third in a conference and fail to even make the championship game has much of an argument to be in it anyway. It seems obvious now the 12 team playoff was organized primarily around securing money for the SECSPN.

The next smartest thing that can be done is to remove the human element from the selection of the at large teams. We've seen the selection committee do nothing but put their thumb on the scale for brand names since the beginning.