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.

 

I can see what you mean- and why I love the basketball system.  You want to win the National Championship??  Win out.  You have to be perfect for those 6 tourney games. 


 

Sometimes the best team all year gets bounced in the 2nd round.  That's why they call it madness.


 

Last year Michigan State, Kentucky, and Florida were CLEARLY better than UCONN.  But the Huskies beat them all head to head in the tournament.     

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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.

 

How do you know I would never list it?  In my view, you take the top 16 teams and throw them into the playoff.  They are the most deserving at the end of the year.

 

As far as missing their qb for most of the game, that was because they knocked him out.  The UCF defense played lights out that first half and gave up a lot of yards to the running back....they also made a late run and almost won the game.  They lost to one of the better teams in the best conference in the nation last year.  That shouldn't knock them out.

 

UCF also wants to join a power five conference....I'm hoping it happens sooner rather than later.

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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 think it's fair to exclude, or have different sets of circumstances for certain conferences ?


That's like having a couple of different divisions in the NFL playing by a different set of rules to get the playoffs.

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

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.

I have said it. It's the conference champs plus one spot.

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

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.

Of course. That isn't the point. You get grumbling from teams 69+ in the NCAA tournament.

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

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.

What are you not comprehending. I have said it 3-4 times.

 

The playoff would be 16 teams. 15 conference champs and one at large. Determine the 16th in whatever way is deemed necessary.

 

Injuries are not taken into account, nor should they be.

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

I can see what you mean- and why I love the basketball system.  You want to win the National Championship??  Win out.  You have to be perfect for those 6 tourney games. 


 

Sometimes the best team all year gets bounced in the 2nd round.  That's why they call it madness.


 

Last year Michigan State, Kentucky, and Florida were CLEARLY better than UCONN.  But the Huskies beat them all head to head in the tournament.     

 

Yup. I love it, too, but it's not a great system at crowning the best teams in the country. If the goal for college football is to find the best way to crown a the best team, it shouldn't follow the NCAA Basketball model.

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I think 8 teams is the perfect amount 

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I think 8 teams is the perfect amount 

I am far from against 8. It's better then 4 for sure.

 

The problem is that the playing field still isn't level across 1A/FBS.

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

I think between 16-24 teams would be ideal.


4 teams is hardly enough when there's over 125 schools at this level

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Of course. That isn't the point. You get grumbling from teams 69+ in the NCAA tournament.

 

Yes, I know. which is why Josh's system doesn't make things more "fair" by just allowing more teams.

 

What are you not comprehending. I have said it 3-4 times.

 

The playoff would be 16 teams. 15 conference champs and one at large. Determine the 16th in whatever way is deemed necessary.

 

Injuries are not taken into account, nor should they be.

 

I was misunderstanding you to this point. I thought you meant that P5 conference champs +1 at large bid per P5 conference, leaving 6 at large bids for non P-5 schools. You can see why I was asking for your 16 teams under that assumption.

 

If your goal is to crown the best team in college football, then I really can't see putting Louisiana-Lafayette in the playoffs over 11-1 Alabma.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4) losses to:

Arkansas (who went 0-7 in the SEC)

Kansas St.

UL-Monroe

South Alabama

 

Alabama (11-1) losses to:

#4 Auburn (on the road)

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Yes, I know. which is why Josh's system doesn't make things more "fair" by just allowing more teams.

 

 

I was misunderstanding you to this point. I thought you meant that P5 conference champs +1 at large bid per P5 conference, leaving 6 at large bids for non P-5 schools. You can see why I was asking for your 16 teams under that assumption.

 

If your goal is to crown the best team in college football, then I really can't see putting Louisiana-Lafayette in the playoffs over 11-1 Alabma.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4) losses to:

Arkansas (who went 0-7 in the SEC)

Kansas St.

UL-Monroe

South Alabama

 

Alabama (11-1) losses to:

#4 Auburn (on the road)

That was perfect. And that is the mentality of the NCAA. It is the power 5 conferences and that is it for the most part. The rest of 1A has little to no chance, and that sucks imo.

 

If the NCAA decided to give everyone a shot then the talent over time would make it to the schools you are listing. Right now there is no shot of that. But if 4 star Billy Football chose to go to La. Lafayette, and 4-5 of his friends do to, then the next year 4-5 more, then the field becomes level. The way it is set up now doesn't even allow for that to happen either. Why have 15 1A conferences and play by separate rules.

 

Again, that's like having a different set of rules for 1-2 divisions in the NFL, just doesn't make sense.

 

Plus, Georgia Southern is the conference leader in the Sun Belt, not La. Lafayette.

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

Yes, I know. which is why Josh's system doesn't make things more "fair" by just allowing more teams.

 

 

I was misunderstanding you to this point. I thought you meant that P5 conference champs +1 at large bid per P5 conference, leaving 6 at large bids for non P-5 schools. You can see why I was asking for your 16 teams under that assumption.

 

If your goal is to crown the best team in college football, then I really can't see putting Louisiana-Lafayette in the playoffs over 11-1 Alabma.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4) losses to:

Arkansas (who went 0-7 in the SEC)

Kansas St.

UL-Monroe

South Alabama

 

Alabama (11-1) losses to:

#4 Auburn (on the road)

 

I think the power five plus 1 system is a good one...and then 6 at large.  

 

You have the major five covered with additions where needed.  If you have a mid major thats pretty good, throw them in as well.

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How do you know I would never list it?  In my view, you take the top 16 teams and throw them into the playoff.  They are the most deserving at the end of the year.

 

As far as missing their qb for most of the game, that was because they knocked him out.  The UCF defense played lights out that first half and gave up a lot of yards to the running back....they also made a late run and almost won the game.  They lost to one of the better teams in the best conference in the nation last year.  That shouldn't knock them out.

 

UCF also wants to join a power five conference....I'm hoping it happens sooner rather than later.

 

Right, but in Trav's system South Carolina wouldn't be included. We agree that the aim should be getting the best teams in the playoff. Why aren't you responding to his posts saying that Alabama and South Carolina should have been included in a 2013 16 team playoff?

 

My point to you is that wherever you make the cut off, you are going to have teams that felt "deserving". How do you leave out 11-1 Louisville who's only loss was to UCF? How do we know that Louisville wouldn't have beaten some of the teams allowed in a 16 team playoff like Arizona St.? At the time, how do you leave out 11-1 Fresno St. and 11-1 Northern Illinois?

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I am far from against 8. It's better then 4 for sure.

 

The problem is that the playing field still isn't level across 1A/FBS.

 

Ya know I'd argue that IAA or FCS has less of an even playing field that 1A.  Heck you have a non-scholarship conference in 1AA.  How in the world are they supposed to realistically compete year after year with schools that give out scholarships?  And just like in 1A, 1AA has their own version of power conferences as well as bottom feeder leagues.  And you get conferences that have 4 or 5 teams make the playoffs... just like the SEC probably would if we had something like a 16 team playoff.  

 

I agree that it sucks for a team in the Sun Belt who runs the table and doesnt have a realistic shot of a national title.  Realistically that team wouldnt be good enough to beat the elite teams but it would be nice for them to at least have a shot.  Instead of giving all conference champs a bid, I think you'd be better off letting the non-power leagues have their own playoff and let them crown a champion to play in the big tournament.  8 team tourney with 5 power champions, the one smaller league champion and then 2 at larges.

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Scouting well is all that matters.  Draft philosophy is all fluff.

That was perfect. And that is the mentality of the NCAA. It is the power 5 conferences and that is it for the most part. The rest of 1A has little to no chance, and that sucks imo.

 

If the NCAA decided to give everyone a shot then the talent over time would make it to the schools you are listing. Right now there is no shot of that. But if 4 star Billy Football chose to go to La. Lafayette, and 4-5 of his friends do to, then the next year 4-5 more, then the field becomes level. The way it is set up now doesn't even allow for that to happen either. Why have 15 1A conferences and play by separate rules.

 

Again, that's like having a different set of rules for 1-2 divisions in the NFL, just doesn't make sense.

 

Plus, Georgia Southern is the conference leader in the Sun Belt, not La. Lafayette.

 

I'm going by last year because there is a lot that can still happen this year. Last year, a 9-4 LA-Lafayette team would have made your 16 team playoff over 11-1 Alabama. I can't get on board with that. If you are 9-4 with loses to UL-Monroe and South Alabama, you have no business playing for a National Championship.

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If the NCAA decided to give everyone a shot then the talent over time would make it to the schools you are listing. Right now there is no shot of that. But if 4 star Billy Football chose to go to La. Lafayette, and 4-5 of his friends do to, then the next year 4-5 more, then the field becomes level. The way it is set up now doesn't even allow for that to happen either. Why have 15 1A conferences and play by separate rules.

 

 

Then how did USF go from no football program to being a 9 win team in the Big East in exactly 10 years?  They started off in IAA and worked their way to 9 win seasons in, at the time, was one of the major conferences.  A lack of opportunity isn't what is preventing the bottom feeder schools like Lafayette from ascending.  It's the lack of university commitment, lack of money, lack of wealthy alumni, lack of a fan base, etc, etc....  

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Scouting well is all that matters.  Draft philosophy is all fluff.

Ya know I'd argue that IAA or FCS has less of an even playing field that 1A.  Heck you have a non-scholarship conference in 1AA.  How in the world are they supposed to realistically compete year after year with schools that give out scholarships?  And just like in 1A, 1AA has their own version of power conferences as well as bottom feeder leagues.  And you get conferences that have 4 or 5 teams make the playoffs... just like the SEC probably would if we had something like a 16 team playoff.  

 

I agree that it sucks for a team in the Sun Belt who runs the table and doesnt have a realistic shot of a national title.  Realistically that team wouldnt be good enough to beat the elite teams but it would be nice for them to at least have a shot.  Instead of giving all conference champs a bid, I think you'd be better off letting the non-power leagues have their own playoff and let them crown a champion to play in the big tournament.  8 team tourney with 5 power champions, the one smaller league champion and then 2 at larges.

The non scholarship schools/conference is by their choice. Not something that that NCAA forces them to do. There is only one conference the Pioneer and their conference champ gets an auto bid.

 

And sure there are conferences in 1AA that are deemed stronger, but guess what, those conferences who are seen as not as strong still get representation.

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

I'm going by last year because there is a lot that can still happen this year. Last year, a 9-4 LA-Lafayette team would have made your 16 team playoff over 11-1 Alabama. I can't get on board with that. If you are 9-4 with loses to UL-Monroe and South Alabama, you have no business playing for a National Championship.

It would start off looking ugly, there is no way around that. That isn't my point. My point is the unfauir playing field under what is being presented as fair right now.

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

Then how did USF go from no football program to being a 9 win team in the Big East in exactly 10 years?  They started off in IAA and worked their way to 9 win seasons in, at the time, was one of the major conferences.  A lack of opportunity isn't what is preventing the bottom feeder schools like Lafayette from ascending.  It's the lack of university commitment, lack of money, lack of wealthy alumni, lack of a fan base, etc, etc....  

 

Right. I mean, in basketball the conference champ system is in place and has been for years. Why haven't teams like Louisiana-Lafayette reached Kentucky or Kansas level? Chasing complete parity in college sports in like unicorn hunting. Where do you draw the line to ensure that everyone is on an equal playing field? I mean, Florida is filled with little Billy 4-stars. Montana? Not so much. Should we regulate how many Florida HS kids each college can recruit so Montana is on an equal recruiting playing field?

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