Expanding the CFP

From Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated:

A Power 5 AD in New York this week said a specific 8-team playoff model is circulating around the CFB world that would incorporate bowls, including a bowl-sponsored national championship game.

The model:

- 5 auto bids for P5 champs

- 2 at-large

- 1 Group of 5

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Under that format, this year's playoff would have been:

1 LSU v 8 Memphis

4 Oklahoma 5 Georgia

3 Clemson v 6 Oregon

2 Ohio State v 7 Baylor

A few things to consider:

-ESPN-CFP deal is good through 2026. How soon would ESPN be willing to move in a new direction? Current format would run atleast two years before any change.

-Conferences keep 100% of championship game Revenue... AD's likely aren't approving this without being able to keep the CCG

- Would a 16 game schedule for the title game teams be too much on the players? (I say no)

Thoughts?

I would only be in favor of 8 teams if the higher seeds get to play at home. I want to see Alabama, Clemson, LSU, in the Horseshoe in a December game where its 20 degrees and snowing. Doesn’t even have to be the horseshoe. ND Stadium, Camp Randall, Autzen, Husky Stadium, etc. anywhere its cold and potential for snow.

I would only be in favor of 8 if there were no automatic bids. This shouldn't be set up like a charity, pick the 8 best and go. That said, I'm perfectly happy with 4 teams.

I would only be in favor of 8 teams if the higher seeds get to play at home. I want to see Alabama, Clemson, LSU, in the Horseshoe in a December game where its 20 degrees and snowing. Doesn’t even have to be the horseshoe. ND Stadium, Camp Randall, Autzen, Husky Stadium, etc. anywhere its cold and potential for snow.

Or your boys playing a night game at LSU!

I would only be in favor of 8 teams if the higher seeds get to play at home. I want to see Alabama, Clemson, LSU, in the Horseshoe in a December game where its 20 degrees and snowing. Doesn’t even have to be the horseshoe. ND Stadium, Camp Randall, Autzen, Husky Stadium, etc. anywhere its cold and potential for snow.

Looking back at CFP rankings for each year, OSU would have played at Bama twice, at ND and would have hosted Baylor.

I would only be in favor of 8 teams if the higher seeds get to play at home.

This would be a cool idea. But the coaches would never go for it.

Also, why would you want to see OSU, Wisky, Oregon, Notre Dame etc lose in terrible weather?

I really have no interest in seeing LSU vs Memphis or Ohio St. vs Baylor. Sure I guess anything could happen but it would just be like watching a 1 vs 16 in the NCAA tourney. More often than not it's unwatchable unless you have a rooting interest in one of the teams.

I would only be in favor of 8 if there were no automatic bids. This shouldn't be set up like a charity, pick the 8 best and go. That said, I'm perfectly happy with 4 teams.

I know you and I have disagreed with this in the past. The thing about picking the best 8, is you're doing just that...picking. Which brings in the human element of bias. Which conference is better than another...which loss is better than another...which win is better than another? Blah, blah, blah. Let the decision be made on the field, instead. It's one thing to let a committee decide the seeding, it's another to let them decide who's in in the first place.

I absolutely love the concept of having the higher seed host the first round of games. Another caveat that I would like to toss out...if you schedule an FCS team, you are not eligible for the FBS playoff.

I know you and I have disagreed with this in the past. The thing about picking the best 8, is you're doing just that...picking. Which brings in the human element of bias. Which conference is better than another...which loss is better than another...which win is better than another? Blah, blah, blah. Let the decision be made on the field, instead. It's one thing to let a committee decide the seeding, it's another to let them decide who's in in the first place.

 

I absolutely love the concept of having the higher seed host the first round of games. Another caveat that I would like to toss out...if you schedule an FCS team, you are not eligible for the FBS playoff.

You will never convince me a 7-5 Pac Champ is more deserving than 10-2 B1G or even 9-3 team. The ACC is so weak, that if Clemson has lost to NC and another game...no one from that conference would have deserved to get in. Being a conference champ of a horrible conference is just more "blah blah blah look what we did!"

Reserving a spot for a non-power 5 is even more ludicrous, if one is a top 8 team take them. If the best non P5 team is 9-3, then no way they deserve an autobid.

As far as the selection by the committee, name a year that they've been completely wrong?

You will never convince me a 7-5 Pac Champ is more deserving than 10-2 B1G or even 9-3 team. The ACC is so weak, that if Clemson has lost to NC and another game...no one from that conference would have deserved to get in. Being a conference champ of a horrible conference is just more "blah blah blah look what we did!"

 

Reserving a spot for a non-power 5 is even more ludicrous, if one is a top 8 team take them. If the best non P5 team is 9-3, then no way they deserve an autobid.

 

As far as the selection by the committee, name a year that they've been completely wrong?

Name a year they've been completely wrong?!? Well, considering you can't win it unless you're in it...so, yep, you've got me there. But, considering a #1 seed hasn't won the entire thing yet, and two #4 seeds have...I wouldn't say the committee is exactly flawless. I mean, if the last team "in" has won it more than the team that the committee says is the best team...then, that's not a good reflection.

What we have now...by design...allows for a team to win all of their games and still be excluded. That's not right. As someone else mentioned in one of the other threads, you (as a player/coach/team) should know exactly what you need to do in order to make the playoffs. Right now, there's "win and hope the committee picks you". You can't control what other teams do outside of your conference, or what the perception is of your conference.

I'd just rather see it settled on the field, instead of in some committee room.

Name a year they've been completely wrong?!? Well, considering you can't win it unless you're in it...so, yep, you've got me there. But, considering a #1 seed hasn't won the entire thing yet, and two #4 seeds have...I wouldn't say the committee is exactly flawless. I mean, if the last team "in" has won it more than the team that the committee says is the best team...then, that's not a good reflection.

 

What we have now...by design...allows for a team to win all of their games and still be excluded. That's not right. As someone else mentioned in one of the other threads, you (as a player/coach/team) should know exactly what you need to do in order to make the playoffs. Right now, there's "win and hope the committee picks you". You can't control what other teams do outside of your conference, or what the perception is of your conference.

 

I'd just rather see it settled on the field, instead of in some committee room.

How do you pick the two at large and one non P5 team? They aren't playing themselves in?

It can't be 100% decided on the field, no matter how many times you say that. Automatic bids will almost certainly allow teams in that don't belong and punish teams that play in a great conference/division.

Or your boys playing a night game at LSU!

Absolutely! The only difference is the weather. LSU and Ohio State could do a home and home under the lights now, but I love that inclement weather could play a factor. I mean how many great NFL playoffs games have happened in the snow or extremely cold weather. Would be cool to see the same thing in college. Either way these games being played on campus if it expands to 8 is hands down the best way to do it in my opinion.

This would be a cool idea. But the coaches would never go for it.

 

Also, why would you want to see OSU, Wisky, Oregon, Notre Dame etc lose in terrible weather?

I’m just a sucker for the way football looks in the snow.

In almost every single case in an 8 team playoff a power 5 conference champ is going to be in the top 8 as long as they have 2 losses or less. It will take care of itself. I have no interest in seeing a 3 loss team have any chance at a title.

Or your boys playing a night game at LSU!

They would have to remove one or their FCS opponents, only so many weeks in a season.