Thamel: The lean towards a 12-team playoff

[ChrisMWilliams]

Fascinating few months ahead of us.

With College Football Playoff change looming, a 12-team model leads the way

While popular sentiment has the College Football Playoff expanding to an eight-team tournament, that isn't the focus of the sport's power brokers.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Clonehomer]

Of course they're going to screw this up by going to 12 teams. 8 teams makes all the sense in the world, but let's mess this up and give teams bye's. 5 power conferences champs, 1 top group of 5 team, 2 at large would be a perfect balance to award champions while still making the regular season important. With 12 teams, a loss means less for the top teams.

 

[Halincandenza]

What is the point? Only a few teams capable of winning it all. No way a 12 team playoff happens anytime soon.

 

[heitclone]

12 teams sound good but in reality, its a backup plan to ensure Alabama, OU, Ohio St etc...never get left out. Much better than four but still won't bring diversity. It just reserves spots for ESPN's cash cows in case they lose their CCG. The rich will only get richer.

 

[Gonzo]

Of course they're going to screw this up by going to 12 teams. 8 teams makes all the sense in the world, but let's mess this up and give teams bye's. 5 power conferences champs, 1 top group of 5 team, 2 at large would be a perfect balance to award champions while still making the regular season important. With 12 teams, a loss means less for the top teams.

Exactly. They probably figure if we're gonna do this, let's do this in a way that makes the most $$$ even though 8 teams is clearly the smartest play. Unreal.

 

[CoachHines3]

What is the point? Only a few teams capable of winning it all. No way a 12 team playoff happens anytime soon.

im betting it happens by next year

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

What is the point? Only a few teams capable of winning it all. No way a 12 team playoff happens anytime soon.

You are correct there are only 3 to 5 teams in a given year capable of winning the championship, but how much excitement and program building support would it do for a program like ISU to just make the playoffs?

That is what the Alabama's and Clemson's of the world do not want, they want to keep the same teams going year after year, allowing them to continue to dominate the recruiting circuit and thereby making it more difficult for other teams to reach their level. The other teams cannot win it now, but after making it a few times, just maybe they can recruit well enough to actually win the title.

 

[Tre4ISU]

12 teams sound good but in reality, its a backup plan to ensure Alabama, OU, Ohio St etc...never get left out. Much better than four but still won't bring diversity. It just reserves spots for ESPN's cash cows in case they lose their CCG. The rich will only get richer.

Last year you would have had ISU, Indiana, CIncinatti and Coastal Carolina in. Yes, the good programs will be there but that's always going to be true.

Now, it will further destroy the bowl system but at this point it's wrecked beyond repair anyway. It isn't really good for programs as a whole at this point as much as it's good for people who manage the bowls.

 

[KnappShack]

I won't be satisfied until there's a 32 week schedule followed by two rounds of play-in games for the 64 team playoff.

 

[dawgpound]

I am good with any situation that gives the group of 5 a chance. It is ridiculous that the FBS is literally the only NCAA sport where half of the teams have ZERO shot of playing for a title. 8/12 anything is better than 4. Plus this will open up the playoffs to other parts of the country. Right now its the Bama/Clemson invitational.

 

[CoachHines3]

you could go back to the BCS system because typically there are going to be 3 maybe 4 teams above all rest.

open it up and let more high profile matchups happen and maybe youll get a random "cinderella" type moment.

im all for more high profile matchups/games

 

[Hoggins]

I like it as it would still provide interest in the regular season with top teams needing to avoid 2 losses to get the bye week. Plus on campus playoff games in the middle of December would be epic

 

[cyfanatic13]

I'm not sure why anyone would complain about more high level football, and something that clearly gives ISU way more of a chance to get into than the current set up. I'm surprised they're going with 12, but I like it

 

[Halincandenza]

You are correct there are only 3 to 5 teams in a given year capable of winning the championship, but how much excitement and program building support would it do for a program like ISU to just make the playoffs?

That is what the Alabama's and Clemson's of the world do not want, they want to keep the same teams going year after year, allowing them to continue to dominate the recruiting circuit and thereby making it more difficult for other teams to reach their statues. The other teams cannot win it now, but after making it a few times, just maybe they can recruit well enough to actually win the title.

Yeah I don't think that would make a difference on the recruiting front.

 

[Aclone]

I am good with any situation that gives the group of 5 a chance. It is ridiculous that the FBS is literally the only NCAA sport where half of the teams have ZERO shot of playing for a title. 8/12 anything is better than 4. Plus this will open up the playoffs to other parts of the country. Right now its the Bama/Clemson invitational.

The G5 has a chance. It simply requires playing good P5 teams in their non conference schedule—and beating them.

That was the flaw in Cincinnati’s argument last year. If they’d played a full schedule and beaten three B1G teams—say, including Michigan (in a normal year), they’d have been in.

 

[BMWallace]

At the end of the day, it comes down to the money. More teams being viable candidates to make the playoff later into the season, means more intrigue for the casuals fans, and more viewers. Having a spot for the G5 plus additional at-large bids, opens up the playoff to roughly 1/2 the sport that realistically would never have been invited in the current format, which again should help draw viewers.

More high quality inventory for the sports broadcasters is always going to be favorable. It will also be a huge bonus for the institutions if some of the playoff games are held on campus. The extra gate, plus all the ancillary spending that occurs around a football game would be massive for both the host school and the surrounding community.

 

[Aclone]

I'm not sure why anyone would complain about more high level football, and something that clearly gives ISU way more of a chance to get into than the current set up. I'm surprised they're going with 12, but I like it

The reason Nick Saban gave. You can only ask kids to take so much time away from academics for football. In his opinion, we’re at that limit.

And I’d far rather that ISU just play well enough to get in in the current four team format. Much more prestige than if it’s “easier”.

 

[BMWallace]

The G5 has a chance. It simply requires playing good P5 teams in their non conference schedule—and beating them.

That was the flaw in Cincinnati’s argument last year. If they’d played a full schedule and beaten three B1G teams—say, including Michigan (in a normal year), they’d have been in.

In theory, sure. But in reality, the committee will always find a way to exclude the G5 in favor of the P5 in the 4 team format.

 

[cyfanatic13]

The G5 has a chance. It simply requires playing good P5 teams in their non conference schedule—and beating them.

That was the flaw in Cincinnati’s argument last year. If they’d played a full schedule and beaten three B1G teams—say, including Michigan (in a normal year), they’d have been in.

A lot of the good G5 teams can't find any good P5 teams to play them. I guess you can say they technically have a chance, but it's as close to 0 as it can get

 

[cyfanatic13]

The reason Nick Saban gave. You can only ask kids to take so much time away from academics for football. In his opinion, we’re at that limit.

And I’d far rather that ISU just play well enough to get in in the current four team format. Much more prestige than if it’s “easier”.

Nick Saban doesn't actually give a **** about academics, don't kid yourself