What a 64-team college football playoff bracket would look like

[forevereagle]

Thought this was an interesting article.

The College Football Playoff is a good start. But even this postseason system, which replaces the Bowl Championship Series in 2014, might have some alterations in its future. For example, Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson told USA TODAY Sports last week that he doesn’t expect the four-team format to last the duration of its 12-year contractual obligation to ESPN.

“I can’t tell you it’s going to be two years, four years, six years, but I cannot imagine we’re going to go 12 years with just a four-team playoff,” Thompson said.

What about a 64-team playoff, like the one used to decide the men’s and women’s basketball national champions? That might be too much, seeing that there are only 125 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.

Yes, let’s dream. Here are the rules for our 64-team bracket to decide the 2013 national championship:

Read more.

The good news is that we would have made the cut!

[cl_1_2008]

Just looking at that bracket gave me a stiffy.

[MeanGreenRoadrunner]

I've always been a fan of a 12 team playoff. It opens up for the wildcard round. All conference champions, top 4 ranked teams get a bye. This leaves two open spots for non-conference champs/independents to get in. It makes winning your conference title that more important, and basically adds a first round playoff to lead into the title race playoff.

Regular season > Conference championships > national title playoff

Oh, and I would say the regular season schedule should have at least 9 conference games.

Bowls can stick around get what's left of - 7 - wins or more teams.

[GreenBat]

Michigan State. Two great defenses. One Awesome special teams I'd give us a shot. Then the winner of Vandy & Nebraska. We don't stop the run well. Nebraska would roll. Vandy would be intersting.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Long time DFW sports media guru Norm Hitzges many years ago did a guest feature story on an NCAA play-off plan for the late, great "Sport" magazine staff (which was "the" sports fans magazine of the day and the fore-runner of Sports Illustrated).

I cannot find that article anywhere and challenge anyone who can, but many praised the Hitzghes play-off plan, but as always the college leaders of the day wanted nothing to do with it------(made too much sense I suppose).

GMG!

Edited December 12, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[Andrew]

I would prefer a 32 team bracket and that's it. Remove the bowls. To many people get invites as is. Conference champs go plus the rest of the top ranked teams.

[MeanMag]

Something doesn't add up.

NT gets a 16 seed?

Rice a 10

MT a 13

ECU a 13

Ball State a 10

ULL a 14

Marshall a 12

[golfingomez]

I wish we could have just kept the BCS... i'm actually pretty depressed that it's leaving...

[Coffee and TV]

Top 4 is fine. Let there be controversy with #5 or #6, but keep the focus on the regular season. Every game is a playoff game.

[UNT90]

Something doesn't add up.

NT gets a 16 seed?

Rice a 10

MT a 13

ECU a 13

Ball State a 10

ULL a 14

Marshall a 12

It's called perception.

And BCS ranking

[Christopher Walker]

What would the timeline for something like this be? Well into January?

[UNTflyer]

A 16-team playoff is perfect. The ten conference champions + 6 at-large. Conference championships essentially become first round playoffs, with top-ranked losers getting a second chance.

These at-large would not get a free pass - they would be seeded 11-16 and have to play seeds 1-6. This would ensure these early games aren't blowouts with #1 Florida State playing #16 Bowling Green. Instead it would be #1 FSU vs. #16 Arizona State, with #10 Bowling Green vs. #7 Rice.

Edited December 12, 2013 by UNTflyer

[UNTcrazy727]

I can't see a 12 or 16 playoff ever happening and I don't think it should. Hopefully, it goes to 8 and stays there. No team outside the top 8 has a real good argument for being the best in the country IMO.

Edited December 12, 2013 by UNTcrazy727

[UNTflyer]

I can't see a 12 or 16 playoff ever happen and I don't think it should. Hopefully, it goes to 8 and stays there.

If we're going to have a playoff, every conference champion should get in. FCS can do it. All other Division I sports do it.

[greenbyx]

Well as great as it would be for all conference champs to have a shot it will never happen.

There is no incentive to be inclusive just the same as in the BCS.

If they could ( and they might ) they would discard all non-big 5 schools and have nothing to do with us save the occasional cup cake game to start the season.

Sadly that is just the way it is, I wish it was not the case but it is.

Every other sport is a playoff run by the NCAA so unless they turn the power ( money ) of the FBS postseason over to the NCAA I don't ever see it being inclusive

Edited December 12, 2013 by greenbyx

[UNTflyer]

I think it is inevitable. A 4-team playoff will not last long, and the money will push the inclusion of all the conferences just like basketball.

[greenbyx]

There will be more teams and a larger playoff, it will just not be inclusive.

[Zeke]

I just can't imagine the powers that be allowing the Non-AQ teams an invite to the party. In football, the deck will always be stacked against the non-AQ teams.

A scenario which they might get behind is a 4 team Non-AQ playoff for the right into the larger National Championship Tournament. It wouldn't be a perfect solution but it would allow Non-AQ team a chance to get a seat at the table.

My biggest concern is that we will be left out in a completely different division apart from the AQ teams. The basketball tourney is so successful because no matter who you are - you ALWAYS have a shot at winning the national championship. Seeding stacks the deck - but all teams have a shot.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Well as great as it would be for all conference champs to have a shot it will never happen.

There is no incentive to be inclusive just the same as in the BCS.

If they could ( and they might ) they would discard all non-big 5 schools and have nothing to do with us save the occasional cup cake game to start the season.

Sadly that is just the way it is, I wish it was not the case but it is.

Every other sport is a playoff run by the NCAA so unless they turn the power ( money ) of the FBS postseason over to the NCAA I don't ever see it being inclusive

____________________________________________________________

* I've been following NCAA D1 football since 1961 with my first ever college football game to attend was at Rice Stadium--Baylor versus Rice.

* All this "proposed" separation of P5 and G5 business has been going on for the past 40 or so years--just when you think it will happen---it "NEVER" does happen. Always falls apart in the 12'th hour. (Maybe potential lawsuits the reason).

? Just how many schools in all of the Power 5 conference have actually played for a National Championship in yours, my and every other GMG.com poster's lifetimes? (Amazingly, but just not that many compared to all the other schools in P5 conferences).

When did SMU and TCU last win an NC? I think Adolph Hitler & his hardy handful were gaining control in Germany last time the 'Stangs & Froggies won NC's. Texas Tech? Red Raiders tied for one SWC championship the whole time they were in the SWC.

* Some schools in the Power 5 conferences (based on their past since 1960) will "NEVER" (and yes, I know you never say never) but based on the direction the Power 5 mega-schools are headed even now none of the bottom tier P5 schools will "NEVER" play for an NCAA National Championship and will still go to many of the same bowls North Texas and other G5 schools get invited to.

* The Big Boys will talk of this separation over and over for even the next 40 years and even when it seems it will get done it will be taken off the table of discujssion--it always has.

* TCU, Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, Texas Tech, Iowa State (sorry, Coach Mac) and others similar in other P5 conferences are most always going to finish #4 on down against their truly mega-power Big 12 conference-mates. The bottom tier Big 12 recruits it would be safe to say will "NEVER" be able say they were part of a Big 12 football championship. (Baylor has had a 1 out of 100 years kind of football season this Fall--they will come back to earth--mark it).

LIar! Liar! Pants On Fire!

During recruiting season, the lower part of the Big 12 football coaches will also be lying thru their teeth when they tell Texas HS recruits that they will play for a Big 12 champion when they know good & well that they will not.

* What probably really needs to happen (but also won't) is that the Top 25 rated football mega-schools need to take their football, just break away from the rest of us, go home, only play each other, bask in all their TV monies and just leave the rest of us the hell alone. I count only 2 Big 12 schools who would be part of those Top 25 mega football schools, too.

Edited December 12, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[MeanMag]

It's called perception.

And BCS ranking

Fixed it for you.

[gruu]

perception+$=BCS ranking

Fixed it for you both

[MeanGreenTexan]

It really only needs 8. 4 is too few. 16 is pushing it. 32 & 64 are just way too many.

[Cerebus]

I think it is inevitable. A 4-team playoff will not last long, and the money will push the inclusion of all the conferences just like basketball.

I think it is inevitable, all the top level of classification conferences will have a team in a football playoff. Unfortunately, I think the P5 is going to do it's best to push the G5 conferences out of that classification.