Fixing the playoff (by removing it)

[NoBareFeet]

This weekend we are treated to some conference championship games that are both nonsensical and meaningless while we await dozens and dozens of declarations that kids aren't playing in their school's bowl game. How do we fix it? By going back in time. Go back to the traditional bowl system with traditional tie-ins. Once all of the bowls are played, the top two teams battle it out for the national championship.

Rose Bowl: OSU/Indiana winner vs. Georgia/Alabama winner
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Georgia/Alabama loser
Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. OSU/Indiana loser
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. North Texas
Peach Bowl: Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Gator Bowl: JMU vs. BYU

This would all be much better if the conferences were shrunk and realigned, but that probably won't ever happen. Play them all, use a combo of polls and computer rankings, and come up with a title game.

 

[Connorpozlee]

4 main conference champions play in a 4-team playoff. Conference championship games are essentially the first round of the playoffs, followed by the 4-team playoff. Though now that I think of it, what are the 4 main conferences?

 

[LB99]

This weekend we are treated to some conference championship games that are both nonsensical and meaningless while we await dozens and dozens of declarations that kids aren't playing in their school's bowl game. How do we fix it? By going back in time. Go back to the traditional bowl system with traditional tie-ins. Once all of the bowls are played, the top two teams battle it out for the national championship.

Rose Bowl: OSU/Indiana winner vs. Georgia/Alabama winner
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Georgia/Alabama loser
Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. OSU/Indiana loser
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. North Texas
Peach Bowl: Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Gator Bowl: JMU vs. BYU

This would all be much better if the conferences were shrunk and realigned, but that probably won't ever happen. Play them all, use a combo of polls and computer rankings, and come up with a title game.

Go back to the traditional tie ins that had us locked into the Rose Bowl in 1994 that cost us a national championship? Why on earth would you advocate for that? The playoff is the most entertaining, reasonable way to settle it. On the field.

 

[op2]

4 main conference champions play in a 4-team playoff. Conference championship games are essentially the first round of the playoffs, followed by the 4-team playoff. Though now that I think of it, what are the 4 main conferences?

It's true that conference championship games are essentially the first round of playoff games but the problem is that usually when a round of playoff games happens the field is narrowed down whereas the conference championship games does not narrow the field and instead takes some teams out while putting other teams in. There are only so many weeks to play on and conference championship games wastes one of them.

 

[KingLando]

This weekend we are treated to some conference championship games that are both nonsensical and meaningless while we await dozens and dozens of declarations that kids aren't playing in their school's bowl game. How do we fix it? By going back in time. Go back to the traditional bowl system with traditional tie-ins. Once all of the bowls are played, the top two teams battle it out for the national championship.

Rose Bowl: OSU/Indiana winner vs. Georgia/Alabama winner
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Georgia/Alabama loser
Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. OSU/Indiana loser
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. North Texas
Peach Bowl: Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Gator Bowl: JMU vs. BYU

This would all be much better if the conferences were shrunk and realigned, but that probably won't ever happen. Play them all, use a combo of polls and computer rankings, and come up with a title game.

So let's make it infinitely worse--great
In that scenario only one game matters

 

[EricLAllen]

This weekend we are treated to some conference championship games that are both nonsensical and meaningless

People will still watch them, but you have to wonder if the loser of these may be in better shape for the playoff. As long as they qualify for the playoff, they may be better off losing these exhibitions to save up for the playoff and maybe even ambush people like OSU did last year. Tennessee had no idea that OSU was worth a damn, got ambushed bigtime.

 

[84lion]

Even simpler:

o Expand B1G and SEC to 20 teams each
o Make NCG between B1G and SEC teams only, others can be placed in a FBS-B or some other league and do their own championship
o 16 team playoff consisting of top 8 conference teams, seeded by record, no byes, first round on campus of the top 4 teams in each conference
o Eliminate CCGs

 

[Anon1754923206]

Texas? They’re not in the playoff. If you’re going to come up with your own fantasy line up at least get the teams right

 

[Grant Green]

The expanded playoff is the best thing to happen to CFB for a while. Going backwards would make no sense.

 

[NoBareFeet]

Big Ten
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana
Wisconsin
Purdue
Northwestern
Illinois

SEC
Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss St
LSU
Tennessee
Georgia
Vandy
Kentucky
Florida

Southwest Conf
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Arkansas
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Houston
Tulsa

Big East
Penn State
Pitt
Syracuse
Boston College
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech
Rutgers
Temple
West Virginia

ACC
Clemson
South Carolina
Virginia
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Wake Forest
Duke
Florida State
Maryland
South Florida

Big 8 + 2
Nebraska
Colorado
Missouri
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas State
BYU
Utah
Boise State
Colorado State

Pac 10
USC
UCLA
Oregon
Oregon St
Washington
Washington St
Arizona
Arizona St
Cal
Stanford


Each team plays 9 conference games (every other team in the conference). No conf championship game because it wouldn't be needed. 7 conference champs are in the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Cotton, along with an at-large (non Power 7 conference team ranked in top 15, or highest ranked non-conference champ). Top 2 teams after the bowls play for the championship.

This improves college football by 1000%.

 

[KingLando]

Even simpler:

o Expand B1G and SEC to 20 teams each
o Make NCG between B1G and SEC teams only, others can be placed in a FBS-B or some other league and do their own championship
o 16 team playoff consisting of top 8 conference teams, seeded by record, no byes, first round on campus of the top 4 teams in each conference
o Eliminate CCGs

100% on board but i want all games at the higher seeds until the title game

 

[KingLando]

Big Ten
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana
Wisconsin
Purdue
Northwestern
Illinois

SEC
Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss St
LSU
Tennessee
Georgia
Vandy
Kentucky
Florida

Southwest Conf
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Arkansas
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Houston
Tulsa

Big East
Penn State
Pitt
Syracuse
Boston College
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech
Rutgers
Temple
West Virginia

ACC
Clemson
South Carolina
Virginia
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Wake Forest
Duke
Florida State
Maryland
South Florida

Big 8 + 2
Nebraska
Colorado
Missouri
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas State
BYU
Utah
Boise State
Colorado State

Pac 10
USC
UCLA
Oregon
Oregon St
Washington
Washington St
Arizona
Arizona St
Cal
Stanford


Each team plays 9 conference games (every other team in the conference). No conf championship game because it wouldn't be needed. 7 conference champs are in the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Cotton, along with an at-large (non Power 7 conference team ranked in top 15, or highest ranked non-conference champ). Top 2 teams after the bowls play for the championship.

This improves college football by 1000%.

This is awful--stop living in the past

 

[[email protected]]

The expanded playoff is the best thing to happen to CFB for a while. Going backwards would make no sense.

Love games played at campus sites

 

[NoBareFeet]

The expanded playoff is the best thing to happen to CFB for a while. Going backwards would make no sense.

Meh. It has turned what used to be the best regular season in all of sports into just another sport. The regular season WAS the playoff.

 

[psuro]

Big Ten
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana
Wisconsin
Purdue
Northwestern
Illinois

SEC
Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss St
LSU
Tennessee
Georgia
Vandy
Kentucky
Florida

Southwest Conf
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Arkansas
Baylor
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Houston
Tulsa

Big East
Penn State
Pitt
Syracuse
Boston College
Miami
Notre Dame
Virginia Tech
Rutgers
Temple
West Virginia

ACC
Clemson
South Carolina
Virginia
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Wake Forest
Duke
Florida State
Maryland
South Florida

Big 8 + 2
Nebraska
Colorado
Missouri
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas State
BYU
Utah
Boise State
Colorado State

Pac 10
USC
UCLA
Oregon
Oregon St
Washington
Washington St
Arizona
Arizona St
Cal
Stanford


Each team plays 9 conference games (every other team in the conference). No conf championship game because it wouldn't be needed. 7 conference champs are in the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Cotton, along with an at-large (non Power 7 conference team ranked in top 15, or highest ranked non-conference champ). Top 2 teams after the bowls play for the championship.

This improves college football by 1000%.

Post first - then smoke crack. Not the other way around.

 

[NoBareFeet]

Post first - then smoke crack. Not the other way around.

Mom psuro smoked crack, then gave birth. An even bigger mistake!

Roasted.

 

[KingLando]

Meh. It has turned what used to be the best regular season in all of sports into just another sport. The regular season WAS the playoff.

It wasn't--recall us going undefeated and not having a shot to be a champion?

 

[Grant Green]

Meh. It has turned what used to be the best regular season in all of sports into just another sport. The regular season WAS the playoff.

Totally disagree. The regular season is still determining who makes the playoffs and it's just as exciting. I love that there is interest over which G5 team gets the final playoff spot. There is just as much debate today over who gets in the playoffs as there was years ago over the 2 teams that make the final.

Imagine if this system was in place in 1994. Strong chance that PSU adds another title to the resume.

 

[NoBareFeet]

Totally disagree. The regular season is still determining who makes the playoffs and it's just as exciting. I love that there is interest over which G5 team gets the final playoff spot. There is just as much debate today over who gets in the playoffs as there was years ago over the 2 teams that make the final.

Imagine if this system was in place in 1994. Strong chance that PSU adds another title to the resume.

The 94 team would have played for the title in my scenario as well. One game after the bowls.

 

[Connorpozlee]

It's true that conference championship games are essentially the first round of playoff games but the problem is that usually when a round of playoff games happens the field is narrowed down whereas the conference championship games does not narrow the field and instead takes some teams out while putting other teams in. There are only so many weeks to play on and conference championship games wastes one of them.

The field is narrowed by cutting down the number of teams in the playoff. Championship games this weekend, semifinals 1/1, championship game a week later.

 

[BiochemPSU]

Until you get rid of the conferences, nothing will work. You play who you play and your record is what it is and then we try to pick the best twelve on paper and have a tournament. The end.

 

[Grant Green]

The 94 team would have played for the title in my scenario as well. One game after the bowls.

Ok, what about all the years where PSU finished top 5? 2005 comes to mind. 1981? How about 2016 when we won the B10 and didn't make the 4 team playoff? I'm sure there are more. Would have been nice to decide it on the field instead of rankings by the press.

 

[NoBareFeet]

Until you get rid of the conferences, nothing will work. You play who you play and your record is what it is and then we try to pick the best twelve on paper and have a tournament. The end.

Disagree. If you have uniform 10 team conferences, that allows everyone to play every team in their conference. Then you can have a clear conference champion at the end of the season (with clearly defined tiebreaker scenarios). Then conference champs play each other in the bowl games.

Granted, we will likely never go back to 10 team conferences and the sport is forever ruined, but it would be nice!

 

[op2]

The field is narrowed by cutting down the number of teams in the playoff. Championship games this weekend, semifinals 1/1, championship game a week later.

A 12 team playoff starts the weekend of Dec 19-21. But my point was that the conference championship games this weekend won't change the number of teams that have a shot.

If there were no conference championship games and they picked a 12 team field based on games so far then there'd be 12 teams in the playoff. But since there are conference championship games there still will be 12 teams in the playoffs but it's just that the 12 teams in it might be different based on the outcomes of those conference championship games.

We have a 12 week regular season with typically 1 week of bye, and then we have one week of conference championship games. So we have 12 + 1 + 1 = 14 weeks just to get to the playoff.

The teams that don't make their conference championship game but do make the playoff are actually at an advantage in the playoff because the weekend of Dec 6-7 will be a bye for them, unlike the teams that were successful enough to make their conference championship game.

 

[Connorpozlee]

A 12 team playoff starts the weekend of Dec 19-21. But my point was that the conference championship games this weekend won't change the number of teams that have a shot.

If there were no conference championship games and they picked a 12 team field based on games so far then there'd be 12 teams in the playoff. But since there are conference championship games there still will be 12 teams in the playoffs but it's just that the 12 teams in it might be different based on the outcomes of those conference championship games.

We have a 12 week regular season with typically 1 week of bye, and then we have one week of conference championship games. So we have 12 + 1 + 1 = 14 weeks just to get to the playoff.

The teams that don't make their conference championship game but do make the playoff are actually at an advantage in the playoff because the weekend of Dec 6-7 will be a bye for them, unlike the teams that were successful enough to make their conference championship game.

Got it.
I don’t like the 12 team playoff. I’d rather just let each conference have one representative determined by that conference’s methodology (I suppose within a conference they could go to their own 4-team playoff). I don’t want a panel of people with opinions to have any determination upon who gets to play.

 

[Pa$ky859]

Meh. It has turned what used to be the best regular season in all of sports into just another sport. The regular season WAS the playoff.

THIS!!!

3 loss Alabama can’t be up for a national championship. Way to ruin a long season just like baseball did

 

[PSUForever]

This weekend we are treated to some conference championship games that are both nonsensical and meaningless while we await dozens and dozens of declarations that kids aren't playing in their school's bowl game. How do we fix it? By going back in time. Go back to the traditional bowl system with traditional tie-ins. Once all of the bowls are played, the top two teams battle it out for the national championship.

Rose Bowl: OSU/Indiana winner vs. Georgia/Alabama winner
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Georgia/Alabama loser
Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. OSU/Indiana loser
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. North Texas
Peach Bowl: Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Gator Bowl: JMU vs. BYU

This would all be much better if the conferences were shrunk and realigned, but that probably won't ever happen. Play them all, use a combo of polls and computer rankings, and come up with a title game.

No. This is not 1972 anymore. Play it out on the field. Top 16 teams, no conferences guaranteed, just top 16 teams. Get rid of conference championship games and no byes. First round starts the 2nd weekend of Dec. First weekend of Dec is Army Navy all by itself.

 

[NoBareFeet]

No. This is not 1972 anymore. Play it out on the field. Top 16 teams, no conferences guaranteed, just top 16 teams. Get rid of conference championship games and no byes. First round starts the 2nd weekend of Dec. First weekend of Dec is Army Navy all by itself.

The bowls, the conference tie-ins, and the rivalries, (and rosters full of actual STUDENT athletes) are what make college football college football. We already have an NFL. Don't need another one.

 

[KingLando]

A 12 team playoff starts the weekend of Dec 19-21. But my point was that the conference championship games this weekend won't change the number of teams that have a shot.

If there were no conference championship games and they picked a 12 team field based on games so far then there'd be 12 teams in the playoff. But since there are conference championship games there still will be 12 teams in the playoffs but it's just that the 12 teams in it might be different based on the outcomes of those conference championship games.

We have a 12 week regular season with typically 1 week of bye, and then we have one week of conference championship games. So we have 12 + 1 + 1 = 14 weeks just to get to the playoff.

The teams that don't make their conference championship game but do make the playoff are actually at an advantage in the playoff because the weekend of Dec 6-7 will be a bye for them, unlike the teams that were successful enough to make their conference championship game.

Exactly which is why CCGs must end