I'm in favor of an 8 team playoff. Conference champ of the P5 schools get in. 3 At-Large bids. If you really wanted to keep some historical involvement (read: money), you could keep the major bowls involved.

 

Rose Bowl

Big Ten champ vs Pac 12 champ

 

Fiesta Bowl

Big 12 champ vs At-Large At-Large #3

 

Sugar Bowl

SEC champ vs At-Large #2

 

Orange Bowl

ACC Champ vs At-Large #3

 

 

 

That way, the four major money bowls still get their sites every year and they still have their same conference affiliations. You could also develop new pretty cool "rivalries" between the Bowls themselves. What I mean by that is, if the Sugar Bowl always plays the Orange Bowl champ in round 2, it will build the ACC / SEC rivalry because you know that only one of the conference champs can play for the NC.

 

 

Just my thoughts.

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Eight is surely better then four. I would prefer 16. Let all the conference champs in plus one. 1AA did it for years, they expanded to 20, and last season went to 24.

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TravC59, aka JacksJags. @TravC59 on Twitter
;
; "This is really good, you want a bite, Honey?"

I think it will go to 8 eventually.

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Eight is surely better then four. I would prefer 16. Let all the conference champs in plus one. 1AA did it for years, they expanded to 20, and last season went to 24.

 

I think 16 is too much. When you start letting that many teams in, you devalue the regular season too much. You also get teams that have no business competing for a NC in. I'm fine with 2 SEC teams in the playoff, even in a 4 team system, if that's how that's how things shake out. I don't think a team that finishes 5th in their own conference should be competing for National Championship, though, and that's the kind of stuff you'd have happening in a 16 team playoff. 

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id love it, but the NCAA doesn't want to change their bowl system too much

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I think 16 is too much. When you start letting that many teams in, you devalue the regular season too much. You also get teams that have no business competing for a NC in. I'm fine with 2 SEC teams in the playoff, even in a 4 team system, if that's how that's how things shake out. I don't think a team that finishes 5th in their own conference should be competing for National Championship, though, and that's the kind of stuff you'd have happening in a 16 team playoff.

The devaluing thought cones from 4-5 conferences who have grown to weed everyone else out. Once recruits know that there's an even playing field throughout all of college football then you will, overtime, see the field becone more level.


Right now you have SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC 12, and Big 10/11/12/13/14 running the show with other conferences, still in 1A as side pieces. There is no level playing field. It's pointless to have other 1A conferences if there is next to no shot of competing in a playoff. I feel for the Marshall's, Boise's, and schools like that over the years. They need a perfect season couple with so many other variables to occur to make the playoff.


And no team finishing fifth in conference would be in a 16 team playoff. Conf champs only plus 1.

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TravC59, aka JacksJags. @TravC59 on Twitter
;
; "This is really good, you want a bite, Honey?"

Main problem, you won't get fanbases to travel to three neutral site bowl games.

 

You'd have to start assigning home teams unless you want attendance issues and that devalues the bowl system.

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The devaluing thought cones from 4-5 conferences who have grown to weed everyone else out. Once recruits know that there's an even playing field throughout all of college football then you will, overtime, see the field becone more level.


Right now you have SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC 12, and Big 10/11/12/13/14 running the show with other conferences, still in 1A as side pieces. There is no level playing field. It's pointless to have other 1A conferences if there is next to no shot of competing in a playoff. I feel for the Marshall's, Boise's, and schools like that over the years. They need a perfect season couple with so many other variables to occur to make the playoff.


And no team finishing fifth in conference would be in a 16 team playoff. Conf champs only plus 1.

 

So you'd be in favor in leaving out 2 loss SEC teams for 2 or 3 loss non-SEC teams?

 

If you've got a minute, I'd like to see what 16 teams you think should have been in the 2012 playoffs.

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So you'd be in favor in leaving out 2 loss SEC teams for 2 or 3 loss non-SEC teams?

 

If you've got a minute, I'd like to see what 16 teams you think should have been in the 2012 playoffs.

It'd be all conference champs, plus one. Or go 24 teams like 1AA, 2, 3.

 

What other organization makes it next to impossible for teams on a supposed same level playing field to make it into the postseason? NCAA football is the absolute worst.

 

It just bothers me to have 15 1A conferences but only 5 have a legit shot. Just go to the 16 team, 4 super conference route as suggest in the past as "1A" and everything is 1AA, 2, and or 3.

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TravC59, aka JacksJags. @TravC59 on Twitter
;
; "This is really good, you want a bite, Honey?"

Main problem, you won't get fanbases to travel to three neutral site bowl games.

 

You'd have to start assigning home teams unless you want attendance issues and that devalues the bowl system.

This is the biggest issue of all. NCAA worrying to much about the almighty dollar rather then having a good playoff system.

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TravC59, aka JacksJags. @TravC59 on Twitter
;
; "This is really good, you want a bite, Honey?"

I think 16 is too much. When you start letting that many teams in, you devalue the regular season too much. You also get teams that have no business competing for a NC in. I'm fine with 2 SEC teams in the playoff, even in a 4 team system, if that's how that's how things shake out. I don't think a team that finishes 5th in their own conference should be competing for National Championship, though, and that's the kind of stuff you'd have happening in a 16 team playoff. 

 

If you go to 16 though you give those mid majors a shot at getting into the playoff field.  Who is to say that a team like Marshall couldn't win the national title (we all know they cant, but there have been instances in the past where those teams had a shot)

 

Say last year...a team like UCF would not have made the 8 team playoff, but they hopped in and beat a team that would have been in the top 4.

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Well, agree to disagree. I think that the goal should be to crown the best football team in the country the National Champion, not even the playing fields across the board. I think that the a 2 or 4 team system risks leaving out National Championship level teams. I think allowing 16 allows teams in that don't really deserve to be competing for a National Championship.

 

If you are a team like Marshall, you will get into an 8 team playoff if you go undefeated. If you can't go undefeated playing in the Mid-American Conference, then I don't consider that a National Championship caliber team.

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Well, agree to disagree. I think that the goal should be to crown the best football team in the country the National Champion, not even the playing fields across the board. I think that the a 2 or 4 team system risks leaving out National Championship level teams. I think allowing 16 allows teams in that don't really deserve to be competing for a National Championship.

 

If you are a team like Marshall, you will get into an 8 team playoff if you go undefeated. If you can't go undefeated playing in the Mid-American Conference, then I don't consider that a National Championship caliber team.

 

You have basketball allowing 64 teams in and its become the most exciting tournament around.  Allowing other teams in only increases the competitiveness.

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If you go to 16 though you give those mid majors a shot at getting into the playoff field.  Who is to say that a team like Marshall couldn't win the national title (we all know they cant, but there have been instances in the past where those teams had a shot)

 

Say last year...a team like UCF would not have made the 8 team playoff, but they hopped in and beat a team that would have been in the top 4.

 

In an 8 team system, there are three At Large bids. If a team like UCF has a National Championship level team/season, they get an At-Large bid.

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In an 8 team system, there are three At Large bids. If a team like UCF has a National Championship level team/season, they get an At-Large bid.

 

UCF had one loss last year to South Carolina and then beat Baylor in the Fiesta.  They didn't crack the top 10 until after beating Baylor.  Who is to say they didn't have a contender with Bortles and Storm Johnson on their team?  Those mid majors are at a competitive disadvantage in the rankings.

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You have basketball allowing 64 teams in and its become the most exciting tournament around.  Allowing other teams in only increases the competitiveness.

 

Most exciting, yes. March Madness is special. The best at crowning the top team in the country National Champion? No.

 

I'm a huge Michigan fan. Two years ago, Michigan lost in the National Championship game. Do I think Michigan was the 2nd best team in the country? No, I don't. Michigan finished 4th in their own conference and was swept that season by Indiana. Michigan just got hot at the right time, lucky at the right time, and went on a good run. That is great and what makes March Madness so exciting, but I'm more interested in crowning the best team in the sport.

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UCF had one loss last year to South Carolina and then beat Baylor in the Fiesta.  They didn't crack the top 10 until after beating Baylor.  Who is to say they didn't have a contender with Bortles and Storm Johnson on their team?  Those mid majors are at a competitive disadvantage in the rankings.

 

When there is a selection committee involved, overall body of work should be considered. Strength of schedule, margin of victory, etc. I think a UCF team that only has one loss to South Carolina, but dominates the rest of their schedule, grabs an at-large bid. I don't think a UCF team that closed the season like this....

 

(4 of last 5 games)

19-14 win over 8-5 Houston

23-20 win over 2-10 South Florida

39-36 win over 2-10 Temple

17-13 win over 5-7 SMU

 

 

....is a National Championship caliber team. A mid-major with a National Championship caliber team and National Championship caliber season will get an At-Large bid.

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When there is a selection committee involved, overall body of work should be considered. Strength of schedule, margin of victory, etc. I think a UCF team that only has one loss to South Carolina, but dominates the rest of their schedule, grabs an at-large bid. I don't think a UCF team that closed the season like this....

 

(4 of last 5 games)

19-14 win over 8-5 Houston

23-20 win over 2-10 South Florida

39-36 win over 2-10 Temple

17-13 win over 5-7 SMU

 

 

....is a National Championship caliber team. A mid-major with a National Championship caliber team and National Championship caliber season will get an At-Large bid.

 

Ok, but a team like Baylor that they absolutely ran over would have made the 8 team playoff?   Further proof that just because you dont blow teams out, doesn't mean you are a better team.  See Ohio State....they will run it up as much as they can...and they still aren't very good.

 

Edit:  As most threads on this board, I'm not saying you are wrong...its a matter of opinion.  I just know rooting for a team like UCF it will be rare where our team is good enough and should be in the talk of a national title type tournament.  If they were in a 16 team tournament last year, I think they could have made it interesting....at least made it deep into it.

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Ok, but a team like Baylor that they absolutely ran over would have made the 8 team playoff?   Further proof that just because you dont blow teams out, doesn't mean you are a better team.  See Ohio State....they will run it up as much as they can...and they still aren't very good.

 

You're going to run into that problem no matter what cut-off you make, whether it be 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, or 32. This is why I'd like to see your list of 16 teams for last season so I can go through and do the same.

 

It's not about running the score up. It's about playing like the best team in the country. If you are the best team in the country, you shouldn't have so many nailbiters against cupcake opponents. My goal is to crown the best team in the country, not make sure everyone get's a participation award.

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You're going to run into that problem no matter what cut-off you make, whether it be 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, or 32. This is why I'd like to see your list of 16 teams for last season so I can go through and do the same.

 

Just to reiterate this point, because I'm sure neither you or Trav will list your hypothetical 2013 16 team playoff:

 

UCF lost, at home, to a South Carolina team that was missing it's starting QB for most of the game. USC was ranked #8 at the end of the season. They would not be eligible for a 16 team playoff, but UCF would?  You're going to run into these kind of scenarios regardless of the cut-off.

 

The three at large bids would be reserved for teams who had exceptional seasons but didn't win a P5 conference. I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to assuring that 1 at large bid must go to a non-P5 school if you think that makes things more fair.

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