Wow. CFP Implications after this year!

[Eric15]

Second...name one team that would want to play UCF in a playoff.

I don't think Clemson or OU would be scared of them.

 

[buffalorange]

Delaney will NOT be happy that his blue-blood conference champion was left out of the Dance.
Moving forward, I think this will mark the beginning of expansion of the CFP to 8 games.
Also, consider that if Miami had won the ACC Championship yesterday, it might be the ACC on the outside looking in?
Make no mistake...this snub was a B1G deal! (pun intended)

Here is an interetsing article by Dan Wetzel about "reforming" college football playoffs.

Here's the solution to college football's inefficient and (often) meaningless postseason

 

[shantydaze]

I would have been OK with Ohio State getting in over Bama, but overall I don't think the committee has made a single mistake in the four years the playoff has existed.

I think Penn State should have been in last year over Ohio State. I am not a fan of giving teams that cannot with their division, much less their conference a shot at the National Championship.

There are some schools, like Alabama and Ohio State, that will always be in the mix because of their names. When the reasons being cited as to why a team should be in the playoffs have nothing to do with the games actually played by that team (coaching, 5 star recruits, etc.) something is wrong with the system (unless you are a fan of a helmet school). Unfortunately, this hurts schools like Syracuse. If (when) SU has a season for the ages and is in the mix for a playoff spot, the national media and committee will likely give excuses why they should not be in the playoff, ala Wisconsin this year and Washington last year, and will give excuses as to why a helmet school should be in, O$U last year and Alabama this year. We will not be given the benefit of the doubt or have a margin for error.

I would love to see an expansion to eight teams, with the P5 conference champs given an automatic bid. This could create some great early season OOC games as well because a loss does not stop you from winning the conference and getting into the playoffs. It would address the imbalance and bias the "eye test" gives to helmet schools.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Because college football has an arbitrary championship system, it makes me less interested in the sport after the regular season.

I think professional boxing is the only sport with a less clear champion.

 

[Consigliere]

Delaney will NOT be happy that his blue-blood conference champion was left out of the Dance.
Moving forward, I think this will mark the beginning of expansion of the CFP to 8 games.
Also, consider that if Miami had won the ACC Championship yesterday, it might be the ACC on the outside looking in?
Make no mistake...this snub was a B1G deal! (pun intended)

I guess since there were not four teams that clearly earned there way into the playoff this year the proper response would be expand to eight.

 

[Eric15]

Because college football has an arbitrary championship system, it makes me less interested in the sport after the regular season.

I think professional boxing is the only sport with a less clear champion.

Clemson, Oklahoma and Georgia are no-brainers and 100% deserve to be in. Bama/OSU was a coin flip and the committee made their decision. Ohio State made their bed getting killed by Iowa and they have to sleep in it.

To each their own, but I'm excited as hell for these two matchups. It's not like the NFL where mediocre wild card teams get hot at just the right time and skate to a Super Bowl. These are four elite teams playing for a title.

 

[TheCusian]

Clemson, Oklahoma and Georgia are no-brainers and 100% deserve to be in. Bama/OSU was a coin flip and the committee made their decision. Ohio State made their bed getting killed by Iowa and they have to sleep in it.

To each their own, but I'm excited as hell for these two matchups. It's not like the NFL where mediocre wild card teams get hot at just the right time and skate to a Super Bowl. These are four elite teams playing for a title.

This is spot on. It's not perfect, but it's way better than the BCS and roughly a million times better than how it worked with dueling top 25.

I had to explain that to my 8 year old recently. He was like "that makes no sense. How long did it go on like that?" I didn't want to douse his new found love for sports with a the words "the douche political powers held by bowl executives" ...

 

[Hoo's That]

Here is an interetsing article by Dan Wetzel about "reforming" college football playoffs.

Here's the solution to college football's inefficient and (often) meaningless postseason

The P5 don't think it's a solution if it adds more slots, something that guarantees a non-P5 team in the playoff each year.

 

[cpatrocks]

expanding to an 8 team playoff means we get to watch four more meaningful games. What CFB fan wouldn't want that?

 

[cpatrocks]

I like this idea of an undefeated, ranked non P5 team getting an at large bid for an 8 team playoff, but I don't like the idea of elimination the Conf Champ games.
All p5 champ winners get auto bids.
3 at large teams including the unbeaten and ranked non P5 team.

Clemson/UCF
Oak/USC
Georgia/Wiscy
Bama/OH State

If this was the bracket, everyone would be bitching today that UCF got in over Auburn - but at least Auburn, Miami, Stanford and TCU would have lost their chance at the playoff on the field.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

expanding to an 8 team playoff means we get to watch four more meaningful games. What CFB fan wouldn't want that?

I wouldn’t.

You devalue the regular season. Clemson and OU could have lost last weekend without punishment. Auburn and Wisconsin losing last week wouldn’t have mattered. Bama would have been a lock instead of having to worry. tOSU and USC would be in for no good reason.

Also the more teams in the more you run the risk of a low seed getting hot and winning the title. We see it in the college basketball all the time. You rarely see the best teams in the Final Four.

Same can be said for the NFL. Plenty of flawed teams have gotten hot. Which is why there is no point in paying attention until after Thanksgiving.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I wouldn’t.

You devalue the regular season. Clemson and OU could have lost last weekend without punishment. Auburn and Wisconsin losing last week wouldn’t have mattered. Bama would have been a lock instead of having to worry. tOSU and USC would be in for no good reason.

Also the more teams in the more you run the risk of a low seed getting hot and winning the title. We see it in the college basketball all the time. You rarely see the best teams in the Final Four.

Same can be said for the NFL. Plenty of flawed teams have gotten hot. Which is why there is no point in paying attention until after Thanksgiving.

Not for nothing, but i prefer to see an underdog “flawed” team run the table, than watch the chalk play out.
It’s what makes the NCAA Tournament so popular especially in the early rounds, the idea that some Hoosiers type scenario plays out, if even for one game.
The Giants’ last 2 Super Bowls and our FF run, were some of the best sports moments I’ve ever had, precisely because they were so unexpected.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Not for nothing, but i prefer to see an underdog “flawed” team run the table, than watch the chalk play out.
It’s what makes the NCAA Tournament so popular especially in the early rounds, the idea that some Hoosiers type scenario plays out, if even for one game.
The Giants’ last 2 Super Bowls and our FF run, were some of the best sports moments I’ve ever had, precisely because they were so unexpected.

Agreed. I think College Football is pretty boring outside of following Syracuse. You can guarantee just about every year who’s in the top ten and the odds are minimal that Clemson and Bama aren’t going to
make the playoff every year. I don’t really care for a sport where 105 teams basI ally have zero chance to win a title every year. At least and college basketball you can recover from a bad start and be rewarded for a strong finish.

 

[Eric15]

Agreed. I think College Football is pretty boring outside of following Syracuse.

Oh man, every college football Saturday is like Christmas morning to me.

 

[reedny]

There's another way B1G doesn't get left out - OSU don't lose to Iowa by 31!

Typical accountant bringing FACTS into it.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I think the 4 game CFP is the way to go. Just need to iron out some problems to level the playing field among the P5 conferences and also remove some of the lingering biases that get in the way. Actually, biases will always rear their ugly head because we all have them, so I think the effort to monitor for those biases in action needs to be a top priority and the committee also needs to be flexible enough to adapt to those problems and to take measures to self-correct in real time.

Love both the 4 teams and the committee message...you gotta play a tough schedule...makes for lots of mouth-watering OOC games...

And every game becomes so important..gotta bring your A game each and every week...

College gridiron regular season is the best there is, IMHO.

 

[Orangepace]

I personally think this CFP basically laid out the fact that a G5 cannot make the CFP. UCF went undefeated and beat some mid-tier P5 teams. They only had one ranked opponent in Memphis. I think the G5 team's conferences are just never going to garner enough respect for a team to win one of the 4 slots; without scheduling the craziest non-conference slate. This is a problem if you ask me.

Please note that I'm not advocating that UCF did enough to earn a spot in the CFP. I'm just stating that they went undefeated and won their conference championship and didn't even come close to Top 4.

 

[Ish88888]

Agreed.
Unfortunately, with a rested ‘Bama and an overrated OU in the semis, I see an all-SEC championship final in our future.

Interesting, why do you think OU is overrated? I think an OU/Bama final could be epic.

 

[Ish88888]

I personally think this CFP basically laid out the fact that a G5 cannot make the CFP. UCF went undefeated and beat some mid-tier P5 teams. They only had one ranked opponent in Memphis. I think the G5 team's conferences are just never going to garner enough respect for a team to win one of the 4 slots; without scheduling the craziest non-conference slate. This is a problem if you ask me.

Please note that I'm not advocating that UCF did enough to earn a spot in the CFP. I'm just stating that they went undefeated and won their conference championship and didn't even come close to Top 4.

No, they will never make it in the current system. Fellas, we all know that 8 is perfect. 8 preserves the importance of each and every regular season game from Sept on. Thats what makes CFB unique and great.

This year:

The top 4 the committee voted in.

Plus: OSU, USC, Auburn/whisky , UCF.

The template is the subjective 4 best plus every p5 conference champ and the best G5 team. Would be an interesting 8.

I actually think auburn had a better argument than OSU, their 3 losses were more impressive than OSU. Auburn had UGA, BAMA, UGA 3 weeks in a row, played @ Clemson. Seriously, that Bama/Auburn game the last game of the year with the SEC ship the following week will always put the true talent in the SEC at risk in that championship game.

 

[CuseOnly]

I wouldn’t.

You devalue the regular season. Clemson and OU could have lost last weekend without punishment. Auburn and Wisconsin losing last week wouldn’t have mattered. Bama would have been a lock instead of having to worry. tOSU and USC would be in for no good reason.

Also the more teams in the more you run the risk of a low seed getting hot and winning the title. We see it in the college basketball all the time. You rarely see the best teams in the Final Four.

Same can be said for the NFL. Plenty of flawed teams have gotten hot. Which is why there is no point in paying attention until after Thanksgiving.

There is a thing called the NCAA tournament in CBB and it doesn't seem to devalue the regular season , nor the conference winner or their tournaments.

Also, the NFL is up to 16 games for the regular season and it doesn't seem to have lessened anyone's interest in that regular season when the playoffs and SB seem to take forever.

 

[Orangepace]

expanding to an 8 team playoff means we get to watch four more meaningful games. What CFB fan wouldn't want that?

I personally think it should be capped at 8 games. Teams have an entire season of 12-13 games to prove their worth. Adding 3 games to the end of that essentially equals playing an NFL season. That's a lot of football. For college football players, they're not playing for $$, so I think it's unreasonable to expect them to put their bodies at risk anymore than that. I wouldn't be surprised if at some point in the near future we start seeing players take these games off (much like Fournette did last bowl season).

 

[DoctorBombay]

Interesting, why do you think OU is overrated? I think an OU/Bama final could be epic.

Just think that league (Big XII), is overrated and plays poor defense. OU had a good win vs a flawed Ohio State, though they did beat good TCU and Okie State teams.
I think UGA will wear them down physically, force them to play smash mouth on offense, and that defense won’t let Mayfield sit back and just take his shots.
The UGA running game is the best I’ve seen this year. They’ll chew up the clock and run it down their throats, IMO.

 

[Ish88888]

Just think that league (Big XII), is overrated and plays poor defense. OU had a good win vs a flawed Ohio State, though they did beat good TCU and Okie State teams.
I think UGA will wear them down physically, force them to play smash mouth on offense, and that defense won’t let Mayfield sit back and just take his shots.
The UGA running game is the best I’ve seen this year. They’ll chew up the clock and run it down their throats, IMO.

Good points , but OU is a team that can jump anyone, get ahead and let their athletes take over and make a frosh qb play from behind.

 

[HtownOrange]

Taking the conference champs is the only objective measure. It is simply stated how to get into the playoffs, anything else adds in subjectivity, and only to the auto bids as subjectivity will come in for the open slots. To do so would require that the CP expand to 8 or 16 depending on whether you want the P5 only to be guaranteed slots or to include the G5,with remaining slots open for selection.

For those that believe a conference champ only scenario creates a "season doesn't matter" instance, the fact remains that they must carry their division (or in the Big 12, win the most games) which makes the season matter.

For those that refuse the G5 auto bids, you are limiting the pool of play and mandating that the G5 can virtually never make the playoffs. The G5 powers cannot secure quality games v. P5 because the P5 powers have no incentive to risk a chance at a loss against a UCF. However, if the G5 conference champs are autobids, then the P5 SOS comes into play for the runners up teams. A pansy Wiscy schedule would lose out to Miami, Auburn, and some others. Currently, the P5 powers simply beat up the G5 lesser teams. Further, limiting the playoffs to the P5 only (effectively, not on paper) guarantees that the level of competition will favor a few as there are less pathways to the championship and kids that want the chance will risk playing on a stocked team over playing time, though some may go elsewhere for playing time. Getting kids more playing time is more attractive when a school at least has an open chance at the championship.

For those that don't like the hot team winning it all, guess what, the hottest team always wins it all! What you are really saying is that if a hot Syracuse team was 10-2 in the regular season, beat Miami at 12-0 in the ACCCG, and then beat OU and Bama in the CFP, SU should not be the champion. Bama is in this season because the committee believes that the loss was due to injures (ditto Clemson's loss to Syracuse) moreso than being an incomplete team. Besides, that hot team still had to win their division to get to the conference CG.

The reality is that the cream rises to the top. You may get a season where what may have been the best team all season losing the NC title, so what, is the other team less deserving of the title if they beat the team everyone thought would win it all? See NE Patriots perfect season, ruined by the Giants, whom they beat in week 15 or the regular season. Note also, that the Giants had to have many wins to get in the playoffs, had to win in the playoffs to get another shot at NE and had to beat NE for the title. Are the Giants not the SB champs because NE was perfect in the season and the playoffs, except for one game? Did the season not matter? Did the playoffs not matter?

In the end, the games must still be played. Give everyone a shot at an objective measure, if they meet the requirements, great, if not, there is next season. For those that don't want to see Clemson play the Sun Belt champ, don't watch. Being #1, they earned the easy first round game, let the SBC Champ have a shot and let Clemson have an easy victory.

 

[Hoo's That]

I love all these elaborate plans and explanations of how the playoff should be run. But they're a total waste of time and effort. However much you may want to see it run the way you've outlined, the people who run the playoff don't.

The P5 will do everything it can to keep the present system without any changes for as long as it can. If there was to be a true, fair championship set up, it would be done by the NCAA, who would get all the money from selling the TV rights as they do from CBS and its partners for the bball championship. However the P5, and the G5 for that matter, are in no mood to surrender a dime to the NCAA following the Regents of Georgia and Regents of Oklahoma v. NCAA SCOTUS cases said they didn't have to give them the money for non-NCAA championship events. Right now, the P5 gets the money from the playoff and the G5 gets $0.00. They want to keep it that way. Any set-up that brings in a G5 conference reduces the money going to the P5 conferences; that's a non-starter. If there was a way for the P5 to take the money from bball away from the NCAA, they would do it in a nanosecond.