How many years until the playoff is expanded?

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

And to how many teams?

I'm thinking it will go to 6 teams where teams that don't play in conference championship games (at larges, Big 12 champ, ND(lol)) have to play in. Granted, that means some teams that win conference championships have to play an extra game too. Give it 3 years.

 

[dawgstudent]

I really don't think there should be automatic qualifiers. Just pick the best 8 according to the committee or whatever criteria they use.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I don't think there should be AQ's either, but you must play in if you don't play in a conference championship game.

 

[Someones Touchy]

First, let me point out that the current contract with ESPN for the 4-team CFP runs until 2025. Could they change it before then? Sure. But I don't think that they are going to jump to a change too soon because they want to see how it goes. Also, who wants to say "well we messed up the first time around." They will keep it 4 for a little bit just because if they changed too soon then they look stupid for putting it at 4 in the first place.

However, I do think beginning this season there will be criticism of the method and size. People will start pushing for it to be more like the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. People will want January Madness, or whatever. The largest push will be automatic qualifiers, but it would be hard to give the Power 5 conferences auto bids in this one sport that all conferences get in other sports. So, I think 16 with all conference auto bids (and a ND clause) is more likely to happen than 8 teams with just Power 5 auto bids.

However however, I actually think that there will be another major wave of realignment before 2020 that will see either the Big 12 or ACC fold. I could write a whole book on that, though.

 

[dawgstudent]

I honestly think they will revisit conf champhionship games. It's not fair for some to play one and others not. Even though the SECCG makes a ton of $$$ - the schools in the SEC don't want to be at a disadvantage b/c they play one more game. They might take away the 12 team requirement for the conf championship games or something. Who knows.

 

[00Dawg]

Better go ahead and make it 8.

While I like the idea of the "best 8", you won't get the conferences to buy in unless you AQ their champions. I'm sure it's been suggested here before, but Power 5 champs, 1 non-Power 5 champ, and 2 at-larges.
Top 4 seeds host on-campus games the 3rd Saturday in December, then use the system as you have it now to finish things off.

 

[Hammer Down]

I'd like to see the season shortened to 11 games, with 2 off weeks. No championship games. 8 team playoff chosen by the committee. No FCS opponents, and every game played must be a home/home unless it's a neutral site game.

I like to see things streamlined and equal across the board. Might be boring to some.

 

[rem101]

As soon as some big boys are on the outside looking in and complain. If this year would have had MSU, Ole Miss, TCU, Baylor, K State, etc. the Bama's, OSU's of the world would be bitching like crazy.

I think it would take multiple being left out though, not just one.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I'm with you on bringing back the 11 game season. I found a lot of hypocrisy in saying you couldn't have a playoff for so long because these are students but let's make them play another game a year so we can have more wealth transfer to the lower tier conferences and 1-AA teams.

 

[Dogariffic]

We go to 8 next year and the committee recommends it!!!

Just because of this!

Someone with clout will be left out!

As soon as some big boys are on the outside looking in and complain. If this year would have had MSU, Ole Miss, TCU, Baylor, K State, etc. the Bama's, OSU's of the world would be bitching like crazy.

I think it would take multiple being left out though, not just one.

 

[DancingRabbit]

We'll have 2 or 3 years in the current format, then go to 8 teams.

If 2 of the Power 5 get shut out this year and next, it could happen before we see the 3rd year in this format.

Conference champ automatic qualifiers will be part of the deal.

I doubt we see more than 4 years in the current format.

 

[Hammer Down]

A friend of mine had a good idea. He said perhaps play an FCS opponent in sort of an exhibition game on the weekend before opening weekend. It can be a home game for all the FBS teams, and doesn't count towards your bowl eligibility (or record). Almost a scrimmage to work out the kinks.

 

[patdog]

The current deal is through the 2026 season. I fully expect they will stay with 4 at least until then.

 

[Cherokee]

Wrote this several days ago.

Here's a plan

The new playoff while better than the BCS is short-sighted and actually creates more problems. This year you've had a couple of teams rise to prominence (at least at this stage of the season) (I'm talking MSU and TSUN) which makes choosing even more difficult. Scrap the current 4 team playoff and expand it to 10 teams with a single elimination format. Take the two SEC, Big 10, Pac 12, ACC division winners, the Big 12 winner, and 1 "at-large". The For all but the two winners of the "play-in" games, this would require no more games than now. Likely the two "play-in" winners wouldn't make it to the championship so most years there are no more games to play than now with the conference championships and the semi-finals.

Now, put the play in and first round games on campus and you have a recipe for $$$$$$ and unbridled enthusiasm.​

 

[RocketDawg]

Not so sure about automatically taking conference division winners. There are 4 or 5 West teams better than the best in the East.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

Seems like they are an advantage as much as they are a disadvantage. If we had a 12-0 team on one side and a 10-2 on the other, maybe both make it if the 10-2 wins. They afford as much an opportunity to play your team into the championship as much as they offer a way to play yourself out. Not having one may keep a Big 12 team out that would make it if they had one. A fifth place team likely really wants the championship game.

 

[dawgstudent]

No way it lasts until 2026.

 

[DerHntr]

The current deal is through the 2026 season. I fully expect they will stay with 4 at least until then.

When the $ signs are forecasted for the 8 game playoff, ESPN will break their contract and stipulate that they get the new system with longer terms (2030-ish time frame). 2026 under the same system won't happen.

 

[Seinfeld]

Your point is a valid devil's advocate argument, but as long as there is a very limited # of spots(whether it be 4, 6, or 8), there will always be a greater chance of playing yourself out of the playoffs than being able to sneak your way in with a conference championship. Just looking at this season, you could make an argument that Ohio St might be the team that could sneak its way in by winning, but on the flip side, you've got a host of schools like Oregon, MSU, Bama, and FSU that could all play their way out.

 

[patdog]

Too bad in 2026 I won't remember or care enough to say I told you so.

 

[patdog]

The 12th game is here to stay. No way the schools give up that money. As for the idea of playing an exhibition against an FBS team the first weekend, how is that really any different than what we have now? Other than the fact that now, not every school plays a I-AA team, some play 12 I-A games.

 

[patdog]

2026 is only 12 years away. It took 16 years for the championship game to expand to a 4-team playoff.

 

[Hammer Down]

As for the idea of playing an exhibition against an FBS team the first weekend, how is that really any different than what we have now? Other than the fact that now, not every school plays a I-AA team, some play 12 I-A games.

Evens the field, and it could be optional. Then they would still get the home money. Being first game helps coaches see what they have before big competition, as I alluded to earlier.

 

[dawgstudent]

I've got it bookmarked.

 

[patdog]

You'll just delete it if I'm right.

 

[Seinfeld]

I could up being wrong about this, but my personal bet is that the both NCAA and ESPN forget all about that contract as soon as they find out how much money this thing is truly going to generate. I think it's going to be mind boggling

 

[Miss.Stake]

All previous deals with BCS were upheld the full length I believe. I expect the 4 team playoff to be the same. ESPN has locked up the rights, can't just cancel and open it back up to the market with more playoff games.

 

[Miss.Stake]

The only way conference championships will be revisted is if they force the Big 12 into having a conference championships, or they tell playoff committee members that Conference Championship games cannot be counted in determining playoff teams. Only regular season counts toward playoff picture.

 

[patdog]

You can't just not consider the conference championships. And I doubt the rest of the leagues are going to tell the Big 12 what they have to do. Personally, I think the Big 12 should just go ahead and add BYU and Cincinnati and add a title game. Really don't understand why they haven't already done that. I know it's 2 more ways to split the money, but those two plus title game would bring in a lot of money.

 

[57stratdawg]

I heard Brad Edwards on ESPNRadio the other day get asked this exact question. He said that the current deal is for 12 years, but it can be altered every three years. He said he thought in 6 years it would be expanded to an 8 team playoff, because of the additional revenue that it would generate.

He said he thought those first 4 games would be campus in the future too.

 

[Mjoelner]

The first year that ND and OSU don't get in so it's coming soon!

eta: Meant to say ND OR OSU.