The playoff committee is getting it right

[Dark Bohner]

the playoffs should start this week. 16 teams. 2 from each of the P5 Conferences play each other (10) and serves a conference championship game also; plus 6 at large teams go head to head this week. Big12 would need to tweek their scheduling since this week is not a conference championship week. Provides a path for at-large teams (with 16 total) and doesn't extend the season past New Years.

They are starting this week. It's called conference championships.

I'm not crazy about 8, but I could accept it with P5 conference champions and 3 at large. The reason CFB is the greatest sport is because of the regular season. It should never be diluted.

 

[SBG]

6 team would be nice. I could go with 8 only if there are conference auto bids.

 

[Bufffan68]

the playoffs should start this week. 16 teams. 2 from each of the P5 Conferences play each other (10) and serves a conference championship game also; plus 6 at large teams go head to head this week. Big12 would need to tweek their scheduling since this week is not a conference championship week. Provides a path for at-large teams (with 16 total) and doesn't extend the season past New Years.

16 is too many IMO. CFB is great because it is the most important regular season in all of sports. I like 8 because it honors the 5 champs and gives 3 at large bids.

 

[Quattro]

Any more than 4 is too many. It's for the national championship, how many teams a year are legit contenders a year? If a team like UCLA won it would you really think they are the best team?

 

[MtnBuff]

Any more than 4 is too many. It's for the national championship, how many teams a year are legit contenders a year? If a team like UCLA won it would you really think they are the best team?

Spot on.

 

[Buffnik]

Any more than 4 is too many. It's for the national championship, how many teams a year are legit contenders a year? If a team like UCLA won it would you really think they are the best team?

Let's say it was 16 teams. And let's say that a 3-loss UCLA had to beat KSU, Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon in the playoff. If the Bruins did that, I'd bow down to them as very worthy national champions.

 

[patebuff]

Any more than 4 is too many. It's for the national championship, how many teams a year are legit contenders a year? If a team like UCLA won it would you really think they are the best team?

So only 4 teams this year are legit?

 

[MtnBuff]

So only 4 teams this year are legit?

In terms of who had the best entire season I'd say there will very rarely be four much less more than four.

If you want to go to a "good enough" mentality of get into a playoff and get hot watch the NFL, watch basketball. I like that a week 2 loss can effectively end a teams season, means every game really matters, and not just for seeding.

 

[Quattro]

So only 4 teams this year are legit?

As national title contenders I think so. I can't say Baylor is legit with their terrible OOC schedule and Ohio State without Miller and Barrett they aren't contenders. TCU and Baylor are interesting Cades

 

[FLounder]

As national title contenders I think so. I can't say Baylor is legit with their terrible OOC schedule and Ohio State without Miller and Barrett they aren't contenders. TCU and Baylor are interesting Cades

Disagree, this is a team game, OSU has a really , really good team.

 

[Duff Man]

I don't think expanding to eight dilutes the playoffs at all. I think it improves it actually. Two losses should not automatically preclude teams.

 

[patebuff]

Can see the arguments for just 4, but I really think it is short sided to only say 4 teams out of 128 BCS Schools are legit. Sometimes a team can have a bad loss late in the season. We've seen time and time again that it doesn't mean much. I think we have too many one and two loss teams that can legitimately win it all.

8 teams make to much sense to me. JMO

 

[MtnBuff]

Remember that no matter what number you take the next two or three out are going to cry about it, nature of the deal.

The NCAA BB tourney now has 68 teams involved. No way you can tell me that there are 68 teams that deserve to have a shot at the tourney. In fact as you eliminate all the autoqualifiers that everyone knows have no chance you still end up with 20 or more at-large selections, most of whom have no business.

By the time you play six games a number of teams who had great seasons are eliminated by teams that shouldn't be there.

At the same time we had some matchups this week between top 20 teams, can anyone name them (other than Goose) without looking them up. No because nobody really cares who wins. Both teams will be in the tourney in each game, it's just a question of seeding.

 

[patebuff]

Remember that no matter what number you take the next two or three out are going to cry about it, nature of the deal.

The NCAA BB tourney now has 68 teams involved. No way you can tell me that there are 68 teams that deserve to have a shot at the tourney. In fact as you eliminate all the autoqualifiers that everyone knows have no chance you still end up with 20 or more at-large selections, most of whom have no business.

By the time you play six games a number of teams who had great seasons are eliminated by teams that shouldn't be there.

At the same time we had some matchups this week between top 20 teams, can anyone name them (other than Goose) without looking them up. No because nobody really cares who wins. Both teams will be in the tourney in each game, it's just a question of seeding.

You can sit there and say that the 6th or 7th best team in a college football season couldn't win it all? That team very easily could be a one loss P5 team.

 

[Highlander]

Should the NFL playoffs suddenly be reduced to div champs only? Would that make their playoffs better? Are the 6 previous wild card Super Bowl champions not worthy of their trophies?

 

[MtnBuff]

You can sit there and say that the 6th or 7th best team in a college football season couldn't win it all? That team very easily could be a one loss P5 team.

Entirely my point. If a 2 loss team that is the 7th team in the playoff wins it means that you are rewarding the team that got hot, not the team that had the best entire season.

One of the things that makes college football special is that every game from start to finish counts. Playoff determines who's best at the time, not for the season.

 

[FlatironsBuff]

Entirely my point. If a 2 loss team that is the 7th team in the playoff wins it means that you are rewarding the team that got hot, not the team that had the best entire season.

One of the things that makes college football special is that every game from start to finish counts. Playoff determines who's best at the time, not for the season.

I understand that, if every game really counts. Problem is, a Pac 12 loss counts more than a SEC loss. Thats the issue. If by going to 8 teams the SEC wins less MNCs, and lets the hot team win it, great.

 

[MtnBuff]

I understand that, if every game really counts. Problem is, a Pac 12 loss counts more than a SEC loss. Thats the issue. If by going to 8 teams the SEC wins less MNCs, and lets the hot team win it, great.

Then address the scheduling, don't compromise what makes college football great.

If you go to eight teams how often would one of the wild cards (or more) not be SEC? The bias is going to exist either way, the playoff doesn't change that.

For a good part of this year they had 2 SEC teams in the 4, you don't think they would try to put 3 in the 8.

 

[patebuff]

Entirely my point. If a 2 loss team that is the 7th team in the playoff wins it means that you are rewarding the team that got hot, not the team that had the best entire season.

One of the things that makes college football special is that every game from start to finish counts. Playoff determines who's best at the time, not for the season.

What's the point of a playoff then?

 

[Buffnik]

What's the point of a playoff then?

Or bowl games or conference championship games. Let's just all play 11 games like we used to and then have the sports writers vote to determine the champion. That's the only way for this to be a pure way to crown a champion.

 

[MtnBuff]

What's the point of a regular season, lets just throw 32 teams in or 64 and see who comes out the other end.

I preferred the old system but I can understand a 2 or even 4 team final. Past that you cheapen the regular season. Every game should be the one that potentially puts a team out. To big a bracket and that is gone, I believe 8 is to big.

If you want playoff watch the NFL. Get a champion that went 9-7 regular season. Doesn't matter they got in and got hot.

college football is special, part of that special is that the regular season means something every Saturday. The pros with the playoff plan on losing multiple games.

 

[FlatironsBuff]

Then address the scheduling, don't compromise what makes college football great.

If you go to eight teams how often would one of the wild cards (or more) not be SEC? The bias is going to exist either way, the playoff doesn't change that.

For a good part of this year they had 2 SEC teams in the 4, you don't think they would try to put 3 in the 8.

It's not scheduling. It's people listening to ESECPN and east coast media bias that vote the SEC teams up high because of the perceived 'toughness' of the teams there. 5 conference champions plus one or two SEC teams added in is what I expect. But if the SEC teams lose maybe it's proven on the field that they are not as far above as the media likes to portray them.

You say that every game counting makes college football great. I see media putting SEC teams that lose above teams that didn't. I don't care about media votes. Win your conference...play for all the marbles. Win or go home.

 

[tante]

This is a good year to start the playoffs. If things unfold like everyone expects, it would be hard to pick the two best teams.

 

[Buffnik]

What's the point of a regular season, lets just throw 32 teams in or 64 and see who comes out the other end.

I preferred the old system but I can understand a 2 or even 4 team final. Past that you cheapen the regular season. Every game should be the one that potentially puts a team out. To big a bracket and that is gone, I believe 8 is to big.

If you want playoff watch the NFL. Get a champion that went 9-7 regular season. Doesn't matter they got in and got hot.

college football is special, part of that special is that the regular season means something every Saturday. The pros with the playoff plan on losing multiple games.

We have 5 conferences that matter. Right now, the champions of these conferences don't all get to the post-season tournament. That's wrong.

As I've been reading this thread, I have been surprised that no one has suggested a 6-team playoff: the 5 champions and 1 at-large bid, with #1 & #2 getting a bye.

 

[L Buff]

You know ... this thread is just begging for a poll: 4, 8, 12, 16 ... etc.

I'd do it ... but I'm lazy. :lol:

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

I dunno Nik. The "bye" seems so nfl-ish. :lol:

It might be the next logical step if expanding the playoff system is continued. I don't like the idea of a couple of teams getting the off-week since that gives the top 2 an advantage (rest, healing). The argument would be made that 2 teams would earn the bye, but since the seedings are subjective, the byes would be given to one or both teams when others may have been deserving.

I like the 8 team set up. It ensures the p5 conference champs are included, and adds 3 more quality teams.

 

[patebuff]

What's the point of a regular season, lets just throw 32 teams in or 64 and see who comes out the other end.

I preferred the old system but I can understand a 2 or even 4 team final. Past that you cheapen the regular season. Every game should be the one that potentially puts a team out. To big a bracket and that is gone, I believe 8 is to big.

If you want playoff watch the NFL. Get a champion that went 9-7 regular season. Doesn't matter they got in and got hot.

college football is special, part of that special is that the regular season means something every Saturday. The pros with the playoff plan on losing multiple games.

So you are against a playoff in college football?

 

[Eggon]

We have 5 conferences that matter. Right now, the champions of these conferences don't all get to the post-season tournament. That's wrong.

As I've been reading this thread, I have been surprised that no one has suggested a 6-team playoff: the 5 champions and 1 at-large bid, with #1 & #2 getting a bye.

Yup. Playoff is the right mechanism. 4 spots a little light. 5 plus 2, with the 2 playing each other, or 5 spots with 5 and 4 going head to head. Would be better IMO. It is a start at a least per this year.

 

[Eggon]

Saw the 8 suggestion, could work well also.

 

[MtnBuff]

So you are against a playoff in college football?

In general yes I am. I can understand and support 2 or even 4 but beyond that it changes the essence of what is great about college football.

If I want to watch games that losing doesn't mean anything because they will get it back next week I will watch the NFL. If I want to go with second (and third, and fourth) chances I will watch the NFL.

In the NFL the Super Bowl champion is the champion, great, that's the system. Don't try to tell me though that a team that sneaks into the playoffs at 9-7 or 10-6 and wins the SB is the best team that season. They are the best team at the moment because they got hot at the right time and they got the right draw in the brackets.

College football to me is interesting from week one till the end because every single game matters. Lose one game and you have to hope that other teams falter, lose two and you should be done.

We have playoffs in every other major sport if you want them. Don't screw up college football so some team can lose 3 games and still get in as the 4th wild card and hit a lucky run. I'm sick of the give the loser's another chance mentality.