(11-15-2019, 10:46 AM)Cleatwood Wrote: Except having 8 doesn't diminish the regular season at all. It just allows for the SEC bias to be diminished and gives another team a shot. What if Baylor, Clemson, OSU and LSU run the table? Are all 4 in? So that leaves out 1 loss Bama, 1 loss Oregon, 1 loss Georgia?

Realistically an 8 team playoff would have the 5 big conference champs plus 3 at large w/ one possibly being from a smaller conference.  In that case the LSU-Bama game this year really would be meaningless as the loser would be assured a spot barring an additional unexpected loss.  Decent chance the Baylor-OU game this weekend is really just gonna be a warmup to their Big12 title game re-match.  And then of course any big out of conference game doesnt carry much weight anymore (which may be a good thing as we might see more big games if losing it doesnt hurt you).  Sure you'd want to win the game in the event you need an at large spot but if you lose, you still control your own destiny.  

Not sure if your question is related to a 4 team or 8 team playoff but lets say we have an 8 team playoff and Baylor, Clemson, OSU, and LSU run the table and win their conferences.  All 4 are obviously in.  Then the Pac 12 champion makes it.  To make it interesting lets say both Oregon and Utah run the table so the winner gets the automatic spot and the loser finishes the year with 2 losses.  So we got our 5 champions Baylor, Clemson, OSU, LSU, and lets say Oregon.  Who get the 3 at large?  Maybe you give one to the best small conference team.  Not any obvious good ones this year or deserving of a spot but lets say you guarantee them one.  Probably the winner of the AAC would have the best chance.  Cincinnati vs whichever of SMU / Memphis / Navy win the other division.  So lets say you give it to Cincinnati.  Now you've got 2 at large left.  Alabama is basically a lock barring an upset against Auburn.  So who gets the final spot?  2 loss Georgia with a terrible loss to SC?  2 loss Penn St who lost their two biggest games?  2 loss Utah?  2 loss Florida?  A potential 1 loss Minnesota if they run the table in the regular season and lose to Ohio St in the Big10 championship game essentially making the Big10 title game worthless?  Do any of those teams really deserve a chance?  Changing up our initial scenario with Baylor running the table, lets say OU beats them in the regular season but loses to Baylor in the championship game.  OU would have 2 losses and just as much of an argument as the other at larges.  How many big games a year do these teams play?  4 or 5?  So you lose half of them and are still in the running for the playoffs?  Obviously diminishes the regular season.  And this is only 8 teams.  Imagine if we expanded even further to 16.  Might even be worse than the NFL regular season.  All those teams I just mentioned would be locks.  And we'd be coming down the stretch of the regular season waiting to see if 7-2 Wisconsin slips up against Nebraska or if 7-2 Michigan keeps it close against Ohio St, would they solidify their playoff berth.  Just like the NFL, at that point just fast forward me to the playoff.  Unless you're a fan of that particular team or a compulsive gambler, no point caring about the regular season.

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