NCAA Football will crown a true champion

Lurker · December 9, 2015

NCAA Football will crown a true champion in Division III on December 18th.

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/football/d3

19 conferences and a 32 team playoff. I wish the FBS was smart enough to figure this out.

Ben Gooding · December 9, 2015

NCAA Football will crown a true champion in Division III on December 18th.

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/football/d3
19 conferences and a 32 team playoff. I wish the FBS was smart enough to figure this out.

Yep. Money would be too distributed in this format. The greedy pigs in the P5 would freak out.

Withers940 · December 9, 2015

I'll pass on this. 32 teams dont belong in a tournament built to crown a National Champion. I personally think 4 is the right number. The absolute max in my mind would be a conference champion from SEC, ACC, B10, PAC12, BIG 12, AAC and maybe 2 at large teams. If you go more than 8 team, you are diluting the waters. Even if you include a conference champion from one of the major conferences, you still might be muddying the waters due to an off year in the conference. Thats just my thinking though

forevereagle · December 9, 2015

I'll pass on this. 32 teams dont belong in a tournament built to crown a National Champion. I personally think 4 is the right number. The absolute max in my mind would be a conference champion from SEC, ACC, B10, PAC12, BIG 12, AAC and maybe 2 at large teams. If you go more than 8 team, you are diluting the waters. Even if you include a conference champion from one of the major conferences, you still might be muddying the waters due to an off year in the conference. Thats just my thinking though

You must hate the basketball tournament and all pro playoffs as well.

Cr1028 · December 9, 2015

NCAA Football will crown a true champion in Division III on December 18th.

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/football/d3
19 conferences and a 32 team playoff. I wish the FBS was smart enough to figure this out.

But it's too hard on the kids blah, blah, blah, finals, blah, blah, blah. I wonder why D3 schools don't care about the student athlete.

Withers940 · December 9, 2015

You must hate the basketball tournament and all pro playoffs as well.

Different thing if you think about it. If you take a look at all the playoffs around professional ball and college.

College Basket: Anyone can beat anyone at any time. You just have to get hot at the right time and yes I like how big this tourney is.

MLB: They take the winners of each division and 2 at large teams (WildCard)

NFL: They Take the winners of each division and 2 at Large Teams (Wild Card)

If you take 32 of the "Best teams" in the nation and throw them into a large playoff bracket, how do you decide who makes the playoffs between teams ranked in the 26-50 range? How do you weed out teams? There will be 4 loss teams in the playoff and those guys are not deserving of a chance of playing for a national title.

forevereagle · December 9, 2015

Different thing if you think about it. If you take a look at all the playoffs around professional ball and college.
College Basket: Anyone can beat anyone at any time. You just have to get hot at the right time and yes I like how big this tourney is.
MLB: They take the winners of each division and 2 at large teams (WildCard)
NFL: They Take the winners of each division and 2 at Large Teams (Wild Card)

If you take 32 of the "Best teams" in the nation and throw them into a large playoff bracket, how do you decide who makes the playoffs between teams ranked in the 26-50 range? How do you weed out teams? There will be 4 loss teams in the playoff and those guys are not deserving of a chance of playing for a national title.

I don't think 32 makes sense, but 12 or 16 does. 4 is just too small and doesn't give everyone even close to a fair shot at the playoff.

My point with the pro sports is that you have 40-50% of the league in the playoffs, and more in some sports. 12 teams would still be less than 10% of teams, and 16 would be 12.5%. That is hardly a dilution of the playoff and would give every conference a chance to win. Each would get the conference winners and 2 to 6 at large spots a shot at the title.

I would also argue that in college football, anyone can beat anyone at any time. MSU and OU, both playoff teams, were beat by 5-7 teams. Virginia Tech finished 7-6 and beat the eventual national champs by 14.

Your last argument is kind of undercut by your earlier basketball argument. There are instances of teams with losing records getting hot at the right time and ending up in the NCAA tournament. You don't want a four loss football team in a playoff, but in basketball, a losing record is no big deal?

All I am looking for is a true playoff dictated by results on the field and distribution of opportunity, not by a selection of P5 ADs, former P5 ADs/coaches/players, and other P5 alums.

FirefightnRick · December 9, 2015

32 team playoff would be excellent.

Rick

NorthTexan95 · December 9, 2015

I'll pass on this. 32 teams dont belong in a tournament built to crown a National Champion. I personally think 4 is the right number. The absolute max in my mind would be a conference champion from SEC, ACC, B10, PAC12, BIG 12, AAC and maybe 2 at large teams. If you go more than 8 team, you are diluting the waters. Even if you include a conference champion from one of the major conferences, you still might be muddying the waters due to an off year in the conference. Thats just my thinking though

The AAC has no business being lumped in with the other P5's. I really like 8 teams but that's my minimum. I'd take any larger number they wanted to use as long as all conference champs were included.

Withers940 · December 9, 2015

I don't think 32 makes sense, but 12 or 16 does. 4 is just too small and doesn't give everyone even close to a fair shot at the playoff.
My point with the pro sports is that you have 40-50% of the league in the playoffs, and more in some sports. 12 teams would still be less than 10% of teams, and 16 would be 12.5%. That is hardly a dilution of the playoff and would give every conference a chance to win. Each would get the conference winners and 2 to 6 at large spots a shot at the title.
I would also argue that in college football, anyone can beat anyone at any time. MSU and OU, both playoff teams, were beat by 5-7 teams. Virginia Tech finished 7-6 and beat the eventual national champs by 14.
Your last argument is kind of undercut by your earlier basketball argument. There are instances of teams with losing records getting hot at the right time and ending up in the NCAA tournament. You don't want a four loss football team in a playoff, but in basketball, a losing record is no big deal?
All I am looking for is a true playoff dictated by results on the field and distribution of opportunity, not by a selection of P5 ADs, former P5 ADs/coaches/players, and other P5 alums.

I dont think I ever said that nor did I ever bring up records in basketball because this is a Football forum and could give 2 shits about basketball. Losing records have no business being in a playoff/tournament/bowl games.

To your VA Tech example, its not how you start, its how you finish. Ohio State lost to an early game to a not so bad VA Tech team but after that they started to lay the smack down on their competition. Some teams go through the motions and are good enough to pull of wins but when they get smacked in the mouth with a loss, it wakes them up a bit....See Bama this year. Michigan State and OU were beat by 5-7 teams but In OU's case, you can bring that medaphore of waking a sleeping giant. They got their asses whipped by Texas but ever since then, they have been playing possessed and beating the crap out of people (TCU is the exception). If you look at Michigan State, they should be undefeated right now if it werent for an absolute god awful call at the very end of the game when the WR went out of bonds and then came back in to catch the ball to put Nebraska ahead.

I guess 12 would work but how would you structure a 12 team play off? how many at large bids or would it just be the top 10 teams ranked?

Aldo · December 9, 2015

That'd be, what, an 18 game season if you include a conference championship, and make a bowl game part of the first round of playoffs?

That would include only about 2 independents and 2 G5s, if you go by rank.

If the G5s want in, they need to make their own playoff system, and they better get some exciting teams in there. 8-12 teams?

Edit: Oh and Div III has a 9 game season. So a 14 game season for the champion, if my math is correct. So that seems reasonable.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Aldo

ColoradoEagle · December 9, 2015

16 teams. Every conference champion and 6 at-large berths. Best solution, but will never happen unless Congress or the courts step in.

Withers940 · December 9, 2015

I wish Congress and the courts would stay their happy asses out of sports. HSO

ColoradoEagle · December 9, 2015

MeanGreenTexan · December 9, 2015

16 teams. Every conference champion and 6 at-large berths. Best solution, but will never happen unless Congress or the courts step in.

I think a jump from 4 teams to 16 or 32 is asking way too much up front.

Need to start with an 8 team tourney with the P5 champions getting in, 1 G5 (decided upon by selection committee), and 2 at-larges. I think this is do-able. Take some of the big bowls out of the rotation in order to host this playoff, therefore reducing the number of bowls for other teams to go to... and eliminating the 5-7 teams bowling.

untjim1995 · December 9, 2015

I think a jump from 4 teams to 16 or 32 is asking way too much up front.
Need to start with an 8 team tourney with the P5 champions getting in, 1 G5 (decided upon by selection committee), and 2 at-larges. I think this is do-able. Take some of the big bowls out of the rotation in order to host this playoff, therefore reducing the number of bowls for other teams to go to... and eliminating the 5-7 teams bowling.

The 8 team idea that is open to everyone is the right way to go. By opening it up to one G5, they will help keep the current FBS status quo in place for a while. What makes sense is 5 P5 conference champion, top ranked G5, and two wild cards. This year, you'd have Clemson vs. UH, Alabama vs. Ohio State, Michigan State vs. Stanford, and Oklahoma vs. Iowa. That would be a nice starting point, played at the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl, with the winners playing at the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, and the final game being in Arizona. Doesn't change one thing about the other bowls, either.

MeanGreenTexan · December 9, 2015

The 8 team idea that is open to everyone is the right way to go. By opening it up to one G5, they will help keep the current FBS status quo in place for a while. What makes sense is 5 P5 conference champion, top ranked G5, and two wild cards. This year, you'd have Clemson vs. UH, Alabama vs. Ohio State, Michigan State vs. Stanford, and Oklahoma vs. Iowa. That would be a nice starting point, played at the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl, with the winners playing at the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, and the final game being in Arizona. Doesn't change one thing about the other bowls, either.

This would virtually never allow for a G5 team to get in though. Whoever the 'selection committee' is would find ways to exclude any G5 if an open, 8-team playoff is the format. There has to be a guaranteed G5 spot. That keeps it at least somewhat fair.

Cr1028 · December 9, 2015

Different thing if you think about it. If you take a look at all the playoffs around professional ball and college.
College Basket: Anyone can beat anyone at any time. You just have to get hot at the right time and yes I like how big this tourney is.
MLB: They take the winners of each division and 2 at large teams (WildCard)
NFL: They Take the winners of each division and 2 at Large Teams (Wild Card)

If you take 32 of the "Best teams" in the nation and throw them into a large playoff bracket, how do you decide who makes the playoffs between teams ranked in the 26-50 range? How do you weed out teams? There will be 4 loss teams in the playoff and those guys are not deserving of a chance of playing for a national title.

Wow, those 6-loss 2007 New York Giants must've burned you up when they beat the undefeated New England Patriots for the NFL title.

untjim1995 · December 9, 2015

This would virtually never allow for a G5 team to get in though. Whoever the 'selection committee' is would find ways to exclude any G5 if an open, 8-team playoff is the format. There has to be a guaranteed G5 spot. That keeps it at least somewhat fair.

I agree--that's what I was advocating, that a G5 be included.

But to be honest, I really don't care if the Power Leagues break away and make their own playoff system, either. Their media wants that anyway, as do their fans and their coaches. Those people completely dominate the rest of us in numbers and dollars.

None of us should be surprised when that schism occurs, whether its under the NCAA or not. They have the legislatures and media to get it cleared, too.

Withers940 · December 9, 2015

Wow, those 6-loss 2007 New York Giants must've burned you up when they beat the undefeated New England Patriots for the NFL title.

Actually yes only because I hate Eli "Mouth Breather" Manning which has no business with 2 SB rings but you can easily make the case that all 12 teams (6 Teams from each Conference) that make the NFL playoffs are closer competitively than a 32 or 16 team College football playoff.

untjim1995 · December 9, 2015

And to prove my point on having the media...check out this listing on espn.com right now. Notice anyone missing?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/14312923/college-football-easiest-toughest-recruiting-jobs-1-65

Lurker · December 10, 2015

One thing about the 32 team tournament at DIII. There are 19 conferences (each conference must have at least 8 teams) that get an automatic bid. The remaining spots are picked by committee with no more than 3 teams coming from a single conference including the 1 automatic bid. DIII teams play a 10 game season and it takes 5 playoff wins to earn the title. Four regions, each seeded 1 to 8. And it's great tournament. And it's the way every sport in the NCAA is done EXCEPT FBS and it's all about the big schools keeping the money - which interestingly enough why there is a 3 team per conference rule at DIII. It keeps the power conferences from locking the smaller conferences out.

BTW - 239 teams in DIII.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Lurker

Ben Gooding · December 14, 2015

16 teams. Every conference champion and 6 at-large berths. Best solution, but will never happen unless Congress or the courts step in.

I am 100% on favor for this. The rich looking to get richer would go the the depths of hell and back 100 times to ensure that this never happened.

mgfan · December 14, 2015

Very similar to what this is , but there are 10 conferences and independents. 10 conference Champs and highest ranked independent with 5 at large bids for a 16 team playoff

Coffee and TV · December 14, 2015

If you want conference champs to be auto bids for the CFB playoffs then we already have that. They play it every Sunday and it's called the NFL. Just look at the mess that it has become since they split each conference into 4 divisions. Who the hell wants Florida resting its starters against their biggest rivals in Florida State, just so they can save them for Bama. Because after all, that conference championship would matter 20x's more than a loss to another ranked team in a different conference.

How about Southern Cal? What if they upset Stanford and went into the CFB playoff with 4 losses over 1 loss teams like Iowa, Ohio State, or a 2 loss Notre Dame or TCU?

If you wanna expand the playoff to 8 teams I'm all ears, but don't include conference champs as an auto bid. That waters down the regular season too much. That's what I love about college football more than all the others: every game matters so much more than any almost any other sport.