***** on Miller: Playoff System Would Render This Exciting Meaningless

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NCAABB has a comparable number of teams and has a tournament of 64!!!

Actually, NCAABB has 200 more schools than D1A NCAAFB. It's a lot easier to maintain a D1 BBall program than a D1A FBall program.

Regardless, the tournament puts 65 teams in (out of 327 ~20 %). 20% of the football teams would be a 24 team cut.

You've also got 32 conferences in college basketball. These get automatic berths into the tournament, leaving ~half the tournament slots open to at-larges. If you were to give every conference in 1A football an automatic playoff berth, you'd fill up 12 slots, leaving only 4 at-large open if you were to do a 16 team playoff. Tell me someone wouldn't whine about Troy making it to a playoff and Ohio State or Michigan not.

 

[wonkadog]

I think the most frustrating thing to those that don't want a playoff is that it seems like everyone in the sports media thinks that ALL fans DO want a playoff. I think it's pretty evident that is not the case.

No, not ALL fans want a playoff system, just 90% of fans want one.

 

[jumbopackage]

No, not ALL fans want a playoff system, just 90% of fans want one.

Well part of the problem is that nobody ever presents the other side of the argument in a thought-out and logical way. If all the pundits are saying that a playoff is the only way, what do you think the casual fans are going to think? I've actually changed quite a few minds on the subject over the years. People I know are roughly %50-%50 on the idea, with maybe a few more favoring keeping it the way it is with some tweaks than going to a all-out playoff.

Of course most of the debate on Gameday and sports center revolves around which mascot hat Lee Corso is going to put on and which SEC team is the best that particular week.

 

[Rogue52]

No, not ALL fans want a playoff system, just 90% of fans want one.

Sorry, it might seem like 90% thanks to the boys at ESPN, but it's not even close. Listen to sports talk radio around the nation and you get a completely different look at things. The major sports networks have the most to gain from a playoff, more money. Oh no! Could it be that someone wants a playoff for more money??? I thought that was only what the big bad Bowl Games did!

 

[wonkadog]

I don't hardly ever watch ESPN other than during games and it has nothing to do with my thoughts on the issue. Maybe in a poll of guys over 50, then it's a split at 50/50 because they love the good ol' boys bowl system but it's time for a freaking change. Go BC!!!

 

[Rogue52]

I don't hardly ever watch ESPN other than during games and it has nothing to do with my thoughts on the issue. Maybe in a poll of guys over 50, then it's a split at 50/50 because they love the good ol' boys bowl system but it's time for a freaking change. Go BC!!!

LOL. I'm 21 years old. It's more split than you realize...

 

[jumbopackage]

I don't hardly ever watch ESPN other than during games and it has nothing to do with my thoughts on the issue. Maybe in a poll of guys over 50, then it's a split at 50/50 because they love the good ol' boys bowl system but it's time for a freaking change. Go BC!!!

And I'm 29.

College football has done just fine without a playoff for nearly 160 years. I don't see why it's time to change that.

 

[Wesley]

I would like to see at least four teams in a playoff; eight would be better. As far as demise of regular season, just one more Telegraph or Pig Trophy to hand out.

 

[jumbopackage]

I would like to see at least four teams in a playoff; eight would be better. As far as demise of regular season, just one more Telegraph or Pig Trophy to hand out.

Why 4? What happens to the 5th team? You have the same problem you have now with 2 teams.

I don't have a problem with an "undefeateds" tournament, but when you start throwing out an arbitrary number of teams to put into a playoff, you arrive back at the same place we are now, just for a different reason.

 

[Wesley]

Easier to do four than eight.

However, just lets play round one of eight about 20 Dec. Then do the Round of Four 4 Jan and the big one 11 Jan.

I have never seen an undefeated 5th place team that is overwhelming the best. Lucky to have one or two., This year, no one is overwhelming and, if looked from a negative aspect, none deserve to be national Champions. Ohio state may be beat tomrrow, BC eesentially was beat last night except on scoreboard, Ariz State has been lucky, etc. Whomever is national Champions will probably always hear complaints from the also rans. LSU and Florida do not look lights out all the time. We know South Florida. Etc, etc.

 

[jumbopackage]

Easier to do four than eight.

However, just lets play round one of eight about 20 Dec. Then do the Round of Four 4 Jan and the big one 11 Jan.

I have never seen an undefeated 5th place team that is overwhelming the best. Lucky to have one or two., This year, no one is overwhelming and, if looked from a negative aspect, none deserve to be national Champions. Ohio state may be beat tomrrow, BC eesentially was beat last night except on scoreboard, Ariz State has been lucky, etc. Whomever is national Champions will probably always hear complaints from the also rans. LSU and Florida do not look lights out all the time. We know South Florida. Etc, etc.

Granted, an undefeated 5th place team is unlikely, but look at Boise State last year. It happens. Especially with the mid-majors.

Any playoff system has to encompass those teams. Otherwise it's pointless, and we end up back where we started.

Then let's look at this year. We may very well end up with 6 or 7 1 or 2 loss teams that are all about the same. Not to mention Boise State and Hawaii. How do you just say "well we're only taking the "top" 4" and play a true national championship playoff while ignoring other teams with equal resumes?

A 4 team or even an 8 team playoff gives you no more of a national champion than the current system.

 

[wonkadog]

The argument saying "what about the 5th/9th team?" is weak. At least at that point we're arguing about teams down in the rankings rather than arguing about the actual championship iself. If you're not good enough to be ranked in the top 2 or 3 then you're leaving it up to the computer to decide if you get into the tourney..that's your fault. The current system says "if you're undefeated or have one loss you better hope you were ranked high at the start of the year otherwise you're screwed."

 

[Rogue52]

If you are only going to have an 8 team playoff, there is NO reason to get rid of the current bowl system. Take the 4 BCS bowl winners (Minus the National Championship Bowl) and have a +2 system.

 

[jumbopackage]

The argument saying "what about the 5th/9th team?" is weak. At least at that point we're arguing about teams down in the rankings rather than arguing about the actual championship iself. If you're not good enough to be ranked in the top 2 or 3 then you're leaving it up to the computer to decide if you get into the tourney..that's your fault. The current system says "if you're undefeated or have one loss you better hope you were ranked high at the start of the year otherwise you're screwed."

Rankings at the beginning of the year have nothing to do with the BCS polls, outside of the human component. The Computers have no bias towards initial ranking at the end. This is one of the main reasons the BCS poll isn't released until the 5th or 6th week. There just isn't enough data to make the polls worth anything.

The 5th/9th argument isn't weak at all. It's the same argument you're having now about 3rd and 4th. If you're not good enough to win out, you're leaving it up to the computer to decide if you're playing for the championship. That's your fault.

 

[wonkadog]

Fine, you guys win. Long live the bowls. I see your side of things but don't agree.