Expanding the CFP

[CincySportsFan]

We call it a National Championship, but it's not. Half of the teams are pretty much automatically excluded before they even play a game. A G5 team has no chance of making it to a selection of the top 4 right now. And even expanding to 8 doesn't guarantee it. We've had 3 years where there's been an undefeated G5 team, and during that time 8 1-loss teams have gotten in over them. So, there is a bias for the P5 conferences over the G5.

[Jumper_Dad]

No automatic bids. That would be a PR disaster for the big schools and the NCAA.

 

Before the NCAA Basketball tourney expanded in the mid 70's all teams were automatic qualifers based on winning their conference. That left a ton of great teams out, while allowing a lot of weak teams in. Part of UCLA'S dominance was that they played no one prior to the final four each year, just weak west coast teams from small conferences.

 

It should be the best eight teams, but it won't be most years.

[CincySportsFan]

And just to toss a little gas on the fire (and really stir things up with Jumper Dad)...what I'd actually prefer seeing is this...expand to 16 teams. All 10 conference champions get an automatic bid, and you have 6 at-large bids to allow for the strength of the "better" conferences.

 

So, this year, you'd have:

AAC - Memphis (12-1)

ACC - Clemson (13-0)

Big 12 - Oklahoma (12-1)

Big 10 - Ohio State (13-0)

CUSA - Florida Atlantic (10-3)

MAC - Miami (Oh) (8-5)

Mount. West - Boise State (12-1)

Pac 12 - Oregon (11-2)

SEC - LSU (13-0)

Sun Belt - Appalachian State (12-1)

 

And using the last CFP rankings (because we trust their judgement, right?)...you're at-large teams would be:

Georgia (11-2)

Baylor (11-2)

Wisconsin (10-3)

Florida (10-2)

Penn State (10-2)

Utah (10-2)

 

Jumper Dad is probably foaming at the mouth at the thought of allowing Miami and Florida Atlantic in. But, I would rather have one or two "weak" teams get in, if it allows for other conference champions whose record may be deserving to get an opportunity to show what they've got. And tell me, who'd still want to play Clemson right now even if they had gotten nipped by North Carolina during the regular season?

 

We always hear about "each week matters", but it's really only applicable to about a dozen or so teams. Doing the playoffs this way would create late season excitement in all conferences, and still allow for a season to not be "lost" by a powerhouse team who happens to match up with another tough team and loses.

 

And yes, I'd have the first 2 rounds played on campus at the higher seed.

 

You okay Jumper Dad? I wasn't trying to make your head explode. :lol2:

[Walter]

We call it a National Championship, but it's not. Half of the teams are pretty much automatically excluded before they even play a game. A G5 team has no chance of making it to a selection of the top 4 right now. And even expanding to 8 doesn't guarantee it. We've had 3 years where there's been an undefeated G5 team, and during that time 8 1-loss teams have gotten in over them. So, there is a bias for the P5 conferences over the G5.

 

To add to this.. The year UCF went undefeated and beat Auburn, that same Auburn team beat both the national champ and runner up. Some hate UCF on here, but they absolutely could have competed with anyone that year. Same with Houston the year they beat Florida State.

 

The P5 arrogance gets really old. Half the teams in those leagues are garbage and lose to G5 teams all the time.

 

The American had as many as 4 teams ranked in the top 25 this year, yet still gets no respect. If you have 6 teams in your conference considered to be top 35 (Memphis, UC, SMU, Navy, UCF, Temple) consistently, you should be given an auto bid for winning that conference and being the top ranked G5 team.

 

I also think that you'd see a bump in recruiting among G5 programs since they would be able to tell kids "you can compete for a national championship here."

 

Look how Luke Fickell is recruiting at UC. You can't tell me adding that to his recruiting pitch wouldn't elevate what he is already doing.

[swamprat]

To add to this.. The year UCF went undefeated and beat Auburn, that same Auburn team beat both the national champ and runner up. Some hate UCF on here, but they absolutely could have competed with anyone that year. Same with Houston the year they beat Florida State.

 

The P5 arrogance gets really old. Half the teams in those leagues are garbage and lose to G5 teams all the time.

 

The American had as many as 4 teams ranked in the top 25 this year, yet still gets no respect. If you have 6 teams in your conference considered to be top 35 (Memphis, UC, SMU, Navy, UCF, Temple) consistently, you should be given an auto bid for winning that conference and being the top ranked G5 team.

 

I also think that you'd see a bump in recruiting among G5 programs since they would be able to tell kids "you can compete for a national championship here."

 

Look how Luke Fickell is recruiting at UC. You can't tell me adding that to his recruiting pitch wouldn't elevate what he is already doing.

 

I hate UCF, but it has nothing to do with that.

 

I completely agree with the recruiting aspect of your post. The elevation in recruiting for UC, UConn, Louisville, and even South Florida because the Big East had an automatic bid to the BCS made all the difference when they were members of that conference.

[Jumper_Dad]

And just to toss a little gas on the fire (and really stir things up with Jumper Dad)...what I'd actually prefer seeing is this...expand to 16 teams. All 10 conference champions get an automatic bid, and you have 6 at-large bids to allow for the strength of the "better" conferences.

 

So, this year, you'd have:

AAC - Memphis (12-1)

ACC - Clemson (13-0)

Big 12 - Oklahoma (12-1)

Big 10 - Ohio State (13-0)

CUSA - Florida Atlantic (10-3)

MAC - Miami (Oh) (8-5)

Mount. West - Boise State (12-1)

Pac 12 - Oregon (11-2)

SEC - LSU (13-0)

Sun Belt - Appalachian State (12-1)

 

And using the last CFP rankings (because we trust their judgement, right?)...you're at-large teams would be:

Georgia (11-2)

Baylor (11-2)

Wisconsin (10-3)

Florida (10-2)

Penn State (10-2)

Utah (10-2)

 

Jumper Dad is probably foaming at the mouth at the thought of allowing Miami and Florida Atlantic in. But, I would rather have one or two "weak" teams get in, if it allows for other conference champions whose record may be deserving to get an opportunity to show what they've got. And tell me, who'd still want to play Clemson right now even if they had gotten nipped by North Carolina during the regular season?

 

We always hear about "each week matters", but it's really only applicable to about a dozen or so teams. Doing the playoffs this way would create late season excitement in all conferences, and still allow for a season to not be "lost" by a powerhouse team who happens to match up with another tough team and loses.

 

And yes, I'd have the first 2 rounds played on campus at the higher seed.

 

You okay Jumper Dad? I wasn't trying to make your head explode. :lol2:

 

We would need a running clock rule...1st round games for 4 to 6 teams each year would be a glorified scrimmage game.

 

I'm not going to respond further to this non-sense. :lol2:

[Walter]

I hate Harbaugh, but actually like his proposal of an 11 team playoff:

 

 

Eliminating all conference title games, Harbaugh would take each Power-5 conference regular-season champion and the highest-ranked non-Power 5 team (Notre Dame included), ranking them 1-6.

 

-Then, using the previous BCS computer model, determine the next five-highest ranked teams in the country, no matter their conference affiliation.

 

Five highest-ranked teams, including the non-Power 5 team, get a first-round bye, setting up three play-in games between the 6-11 teams.

 

Those first-round games would happen the first weekend in December, taking the place of the original conference championships, and determine a final eight. The quarterfinals would take place the second weekend in December, the semifinals the final week in December and the championship game the first week in January.

 

Now, I doubt you could get conferences to agree to give up their CCG, but still interesting.

[Voice of Reason]

I hate Harbaugh, but actually like his proposal of an 11 team playoff:

 

[ATTACH]69513[/ATTACH]

 

Eliminating all conference title games, Harbaugh would take each Power-5 conference regular-season champion and the highest-ranked non-Power 5 team (Notre Dame included), ranking them 1-6.

 

-Then, using the previous BCS computer model, determine the next five-highest ranked teams in the country, no matter their conference affiliation.

 

Five highest-ranked teams, including the non-Power 5 team, get a first-round bye, setting up three play-in games between the 6-11 teams.

 

Those first-round games would happen the first weekend in December, taking the place of the original conference championships, and determine a final eight. The quarterfinals would take place the second weekend in December, the semifinals the final week in December and the championship game the first week in January.

 

Now, I doubt you could get conferences to agree to give up their CCG, but still interesting.

 

I am on board with that proposal much more than any other idea I have seen. But I agree with you, the conferences are not giving up their conference title game.

[CincySportsFan]

I hate Harbaugh, but actually like his proposal of an 11 team playoff:

 

[ATTACH]69513[/ATTACH]

 

Eliminating all conference title games, Harbaugh would take each Power-5 conference regular-season champion and the highest-ranked non-Power 5 team (Notre Dame included), ranking them 1-6.

 

-Then, using the previous BCS computer model, determine the next five-highest ranked teams in the country, no matter their conference affiliation.

 

Five highest-ranked teams, including the non-Power 5 team, get a first-round bye, setting up three play-in games between the 6-11 teams.

 

Those first-round games would happen the first weekend in December, taking the place of the original conference championships, and determine a final eight. The quarterfinals would take place the second weekend in December, the semifinals the final week in December and the championship game the first week in January.

 

Now, I doubt you could get conferences to agree to give up their CCG, but still interesting.

 

Still leaves too much debate on the value of one conference versus another. For example, this year we have Memphis (American), Boise St (Mtn. West) and Appalachian State (Sun Belt) all with matching 12-1, conference champion, records. All three deserve the chance to show what they've got against the big boys.

 

Look, I'm not going to sit here and say there won't be some mismatches and lopsided scores. There will. But, I still believe everyone should have a shot at the title. And right now, they don't.