No, there really needs to be 8 to make it a true playoff. The power 5 conference champs should all be in it automatically, as well as the top other 5 champ, and the remaining two best ranked.
8 is what I have wanted from the beginning of all the playoff talk. I agree with Baller. 5 power conferences get a winner and 3 at large teams. First round could be a home game for the higher seeds. Then the final 4 done just how it was.
If they can do playoffs in Div II (or whatever it's called now) for years like they have been then why can't the FBS schools? North Dakota State just won their 4th straight title and played 16 games.
I was all for 8, but would hate to see a 2 - loss team vie for the NC. I think 4 is fine. It will force all P5 contenders to up their schedule in order to build a resume/
I could agree with you, but I would be wrong too. How is that going to help anyone?
Exactly JTR. The model already exists and has proven successful. The debate against it doesn't make a lot of sense. And until all 5 power five can get into the playoff, there will always be the "left out" controversy. And that controversy is unfortunately valid, since there is not enough cross-conference play to compare conference strength until the bowl games. I think the B1G proved this year that they were stronger than everyone thought. Maybe TCU is actually better than we think (I doubt it). That argument has to be removed, and 8 would do it. The "next best being left out" argument is stupid. If you aren't a conference champ or had a serious claim to it, then you've no business being in the playoff.
I was all for an 8 team playoff. It sounded great, power 5 champs, 3 at-large bids, let them fight it out on the field.
I have since changed my mind. For several reasons, one, the Big 12 doesn't have a championship game. If we have another situation like this year, which team doesn't go? They are co champs, no clear champion.
Two, too many cup cake games. If we had 1 game as a warm up one game against a power conference foe, then right on to conference play, then maybe I'd change my mind.
Three, these kids are student athletes. They are still expected to maintain a certain GPA to continue to be eligible to play. If you keep the current schedule and add extra two to three weeks, there will be an increasing amount of numbers of SA's who become ineligible as they try to juggle school and prep for the next game. The season has to end before Winter quarter/Spring semester start in January.
Forth, if it's expanded to 6/8/12/24/48/62 teams, someone will still be left out, just like the BB tournament. It's an invalid argument. If TCU/Baylor had made it over tOSU, it would have been correct, it was correct with tOSU being a 4 seed. It is a fluid decision based on the selection committee. My only issue with the committee would be to not assign "seeds" until the final selection, to avoid who jumped who to get in, etc.
Fifth, tOSU travels very well. With one of the largest Alumni bases in the world, there are Buckeye fans everywhere, that is not true for every school. Let's say a Baylor or Kansas State gets super hot, makes it to the playoff and makes it to the championship game. You are talking, at minimum, three games that their fans will be expected to purchase tickets to, at $500 a pop each game, plus travel plus hotel plus food, etc.
Most of our fans would struggle to make all the games. As it was, I believe Oragon couldn't sell their allotment of tickets for the Championship game.
Sixth, more scholarships and less regulations on college rules for practice, recruiting, etc. urban has it right, it's already brutal to play 15 games, imagine 16 or more. We would need more players, more trainers, more support staff. The NCAA rules for practices, lifting, film study, etc. would need to be relaxed as well.
IT is a lot to keep all the moving parts moving, but I like the four game playoff format. I don't see it changing soon, until some of the issues can be sorted out. Urban is on top of the college football world and has a firm grip on its pulse. The NCAA will listen to what he says and hopefully take much of it into consideration, as will the selection and rules committees and make necessary changes to continue to improve it.
Post by ohstatefan on Jan 16, 2015 10:40:32 GMT -5
I like the idea of 8 teams. Whoever teams 9 and 10 are will be upset but that's just the nature of the beast. It would have worked out some of the controversy this year, as TCU and Baylor were certainly deserving. As far as requiring the conference champs to be in there, I can be flexible on that. If it were the top 8 teams selected by the current process, that would be fine.
What I question is the scheduling of this extra game.
Are you expecting to hold it around Christmas or to push the championship game out into late January?
Also, it might be a struggle for some of these smaller schools (like TCU) to travel well for 3 playoff games.
