College Football Playoffs to stay at four teams

[bilsker]

What is the reason for an 8-team playoff over a 4-team one?

To let more teams in? More qualified teams in? To fix some injustice/inconsistency with the current system?

Who got left out of this year’s version that deserved to be in?

Let's not fool ourselves. Why do ANY of these games exist? Entertainment. Not because we are trying to solve any societal issues. Not for the health of the athletes. Entertainment.

4 more games that matter? Sign me up.

Also to take the subjectivity out of the process as much as possible.

Sept 1...we all know what we need to do....Aaaaaaand off!

 

[GoBigRed]

Have good teams been left out of the 4 team format each year? Absolutely. Have the two best teams in the country ever been left out? I don’t believe so. And that’s what matters.

I’m of the old school mentality that the 2 best teams at the end of the season get a chance to play for the title. I think this system does that. And in college football, if you don’t win all your games then you can’t complain. I love that every week matters and a loss can take you out of it (unless you’re Alabama).

I think the solution is to realign the conferences to 4x 16 team P5 conferences and have the winners face off in a playoff. And yes, Notre Dame, that includes you.

 

[CrabHusker]

Good bad or indifferent.....every time you expand the CFP......you sacrifice the quality and importance of bowl games. While that might be fine......there are many which don't like that. I guess its a matter of what you want but there certainly doesn't appear there is a consensus to do that. And for the record. I don't have a problem going to 8. I just don't want to add an unfair conference championship automatic qualification rule to it. Just my opinion.

I'm not sure I agree on the sacrificial aspect as it relates to bowls. I've always thought the best solution is to integrate the bowls with the CFP. I don't know that we'll ever have a consensus as it relates to this issue, but I do think doing what's best overall for the game and the fans of the game is the biggest or should be the biggest concern.

It's interesting that you see a conference championship tie as a negative. I'm actually fine with the automatic conference championship tie, plus the other at large players filling the gaps. Again, just my opinion.

 

[CrabHusker]

Why assume that 5 through 8 wouldn't get boat raced? Recently history suggests that is the more likely scenario.

Additionally expanding the CFP waters down the importance of the regular season - every game is important. As it is now - 1-loss doesn't necessarily eliminate your chance to making the playoff. Now an 8-team playoff opens the chance that a 3-loss team could make the playoffs. Especially if conference champs are guaranteed a spot.

History as in the last four or five years? I'm more concerned with the long term set up and I don't think you can paint an accurate picture that says the 5 through 8 teams are a joke and shouldn't be in the mix.

Completely disagree on the regular season. Expanding makes the regular season much more important or the non conference champions, especially non P-5 conference champions.

In regards to a 3 loss team playing the the playoff, why not? If they win it all, what wrong has been done? Think March Madness or the FCS playoffs. Perfection shouldn't be the only qualifier.

 

[wcbsas]

Not for the health of the athletes.

Which brings me to my last point ... an 8-team playoff would have 2 teams playing a 16 game schedule. I am not even going to pretend academics is important but there are professional football players who cannot survive the physicality of 16 games ... we should expect college kids to do so?

 

[bilsker]

Which brings me to my last point ... an 8-team playoff would have 2 teams playing a 16 game schedule. I am not even going to pretend academics is important but there are professional football players who cannot survive the physicality of 16 games ... we should expect college kids to do so?

1 more game isn't going to kill the best two teams in the land

 

[Hville]

It’s like watching Joe Dirt. A classic, but after 4 or 5 times, it loses its appeal.

Here is the deal. I don't like that the same two teams are in. But I put my rational hat on when discussing changes. There hasn't been a presentation put forward yet that seems to be agreeable to the masses. Every single one comes with as many problems as the present situation and none of them solve the Clemson/Alabama being in the final game issue. An issue that is driving many peoples desire for the change. It is only solvable by other teams getting better. Not changing the playoff structure. While I wish it was different......I can't argue the fairness of the best 2 teams being there.

 

[Hville]

Have good teams been left out of the 4 team format each year? Absolutely. Have the two best teams in the country ever been left out? I don’t believe so. And that’s what matters.

I’m of the old school mentality that the 2 best teams at the end of the season get a chance to play for the title. I think this system does that. And in college football, if you don’t win all your games then you can’t complain. I love that every week matters and a loss can take you out of it (unless you’re Alabama).

I think the solution is to realign the conferences to 4x 16 team P5 conferences and have the winners face off in a playoff. And yes, Notre Dame, that includes you.

This is a good post. I don't believe the best teams 2 teams have been left out in any year. You solve that problem by inviting 4 in. Your idea that every week should matter includes non-conference games. For those that want conference automatically in totally eliminates what happens in the non-conference part of the season.

Now, the only way I could see the equity of going to "division" type structure is doing it the way you mentioned. 4 X 16 divisions that are structured evenly, schedules are structured evenly and the G5 schools put in a different Division. I just don't see college presidents going that way.

 

[Hville]

Personally I don't believe the present structure is as broken as people want to think. Its done exactly what it was intended to do every year. Was their controversy? Yes. There will be controversy in any structure that is put in place. For those that think knowing exactly what you need to do to qualify....as in winning your conference.....won't be controversial you are kidding yourself. Winning the SEC or B1G is much tougher than winning the Pac.

 

[MartyHuskerFan]

Go ahead and mis-state and over dramatize my comments. The truth of the matter is there have been no plans put forward by anyone that rationalizes anything more than what we have right now. There are about a half dozen ideas and plans out that do anything from adding 4, 12, or 28 more teams. Some plans include automatic qualifiers, some include automatic qualifiers for a G5, some plans include going back to all bowl games and some include a combination of all of them. There is no single plan that has any type of consensus. I'm guessing that if all the plans were put to a vote the most likely top vote receiver is the one presently in place. I guess if that bothers fans that the chairman of the playoff committee recognizes that than don't be upset at me for stating it or supporting it.

I apologize for making it personal. I know a few who feel similar to you and one guy not on this board really rubs me wrong so I was taking it out on you. You are right that there are many different plans out there and it makes it hard to gain concensus. However most people agree a move to a basic 8 team model is the best next step. I think there are far more of them than there are guys supporting the current 4 team model.

 

[BigRedAvenger]

Here is the deal. I don't like that the same two teams are in. But I put my rational hat on when discussing changes. There hasn't been a presentation put forward yet that seems to be agreeable to the masses. Every single one comes with as many problems as the present situation and none of them solve the Clemson/Alabama being in the final game issue. An issue that is driving many peoples desire for the change. It is only solvable by other teams getting better. Not changing the playoff structure. While I wish it was different......I can't argue the fairness of the best 2 teams being there.

I think the 4 playoff format accomplishes it’s mission as well as any other. The changes that need to be made are outside of the CFP format.

 

[MartyHuskerFan]

Have good teams been left out of the 4 team format each year? Absolutely. Have the two best teams in the country ever been left out? I don’t believe so. And that’s what matters.

I’m of the old school mentality that the 2 best teams at the end of the season get a chance to play for the title. I think this system does that. And in college football, if you don’t win all your games then you can’t complain. I love that every week matters and a loss can take you out of it (unless you’re Alabama).

I think the solution is to realign the conferences to 4x 16 team P5 conferences and have the winners face off in a playoff. And yes, Notre Dame, that includes you.

I think there is some merit to this idea if finding the best team is the only thing you are doing. I. know many who say that is all they are doing. But I want more and different things. More teams need to be in so as to keep it fun for everybody. It think there is a limit and I put it at 16 teams. Every team in America thinks they might have a year where they could get in the top 16. There are only about 10-15 that really think they could be a top 4.

 

[GoBigRed]

This is a good post. I don't believe the best teams 2 teams have been left out in any year. You solve that problem by inviting 4 in. Your idea that every week should matter includes non-conference games. For those that want conference automatically in totally eliminates what happens in the non-conference part of the season.

Now, the only way I could see the equity of going to "division" type structure is doing it the way you mentioned. 4 X 16 divisions that are structured evenly, schedules are structured evenly and the G5 schools put in a different Division. I just don't see college presidents going that way.

Yeah for sure, the conference realignment is a whole other beast. If you expand to 8 teams with 5 conference champs and 3 at-large bids as some have suggested, there will be just as much drama around who those 3 teams are as there is with the current 4 teams.

The main weakness I see of a straight 4 conference champ playoff model is if a weak division (i.e. BIG West) pulls off an upset – you could have a 4-loss team in the Championship. The current model actually prevents that.

 

[GoBigRed]

I think there is some merit to this idea if finding the best team is the only thing you are doing. I. know many who say that is all they are doing. But I want more and different things. More teams need to be in so as to keep it fun for everybody. It think there is a limit and I put it at 16 teams. Every team in America thinks they might have a year where they could get in the top 16. There are only about 10-15 that really think they could be a top 4.

I think that's a fair thing to want, and I can't really argue against it. But for me, that's what the NCAA Basketball Tournament is for. And the NFL Playoffs.

There is no other major sport where every week matters the way College Football does. I love that, and hope it never goes away. But making the sport relevant to a younger generation, and money making opportunities, will eventually deteriorate it for sure.

 

[bilsker]

Here is the deal. I don't like that the same two teams are in. But I put my rational hat on when discussing changes. There hasn't been a presentation put forward yet that seems to be agreeable to the masses. Every single one comes with as many problems as the present situation and none of them solve the Clemson/Alabama being in the final game issue. An issue that is driving many peoples desire for the change. It is only solvable by other teams getting better. Not changing the playoff structure. While I wish it was different......I can't argue the fairness of the best 2 teams being there.

would someone tell this guy that the desire to expand to 8 has nothing to do with trying to prevent bama v clemson? Good lord.