How to Save College Football

[SCNative]

Now before y'all call me an idiot, this is just a half-baked idea for how to save the sport we love.

1. Return to Power 5. Bring back the old conferences (pre-2014). Rebuild the Big 12 with Texas, TAMU, OU, and Mizzou. Send all the OG Pac-12 teams back. Spread the competition out and restore traditional rivalries. This is unlikely to happen though because the almighty dollar. Yet, imagine a world where we play UT, UGA, UF, and UK every year...ya know? The good ole days...

2. Fix the playoffs. The 5 conference champions receive automatic bids. The 4 highest ranked champions get 1st round byes while the 5th team gets the coveted 5-seed. After that, the 7 highest ranked teams get in. This makes conference championships mean something.

3. Objectify rankings (as much as possible). No more "eye test" or "momentum". Head-to-head trumps all, followed by strength of schedule and then other metrics after. There will always be a human element, but right now? My goodness...

4. Cut back on transfers. There's a few ways to fix this, although it won't happen. First, you could make a rule where a player can transfer at any time, BUT they only receive immediate eligibility if they graduated or their coach left. Another way to do this would be to make NIL contracts binding for 2-3 years with team/player options on the end. If a player is there is a dispute about a player being "hurt" to sit out their contract, have them examined by the team doctor, their doctor, and a third party doctor (almost like arbitration).

5. Increase bowl game value. Penalize teams that refuse to play in a bowl (K-State I'm looking at you). If a team opts-out, take away their revenue share or impose a playoff ban.

This is mostly wishful thinking, but I figured it could spark some fun discussion. Would love to hear other ideas.

 

[Piscis]

I think the first thing you have to do is return to actual "college" football.

1. Make players have to be admitted to the school, through regular admission channels, BEFORE they can be on the football team.
2. Players must meet all the academic requirements to stay in school regular students have to.
3. Players must be members of the team BEFORE they can negotiate or sign NIL deals. Any program negotiating NIL deals before college admission and making the team would be banned from playing that season.

Regarding determining a national champion:

1. Create 8 12 team conferences with teams that are geographically homogenous i.e. SEC, PAC 12, SWC, etc..*
2. Each team determines its conference champion however it decides to, ranking, championship game, conference record, etc..
3. Have a three round playoff of the 8 conference champions that starts two weeks after the last regular season/conference championship game. Games could be played at bowl sites in desirable locations (no cold weather locations). There would be a total of 7 playoff games that could rotate locations.

*This would be 96 teams, more than enough to include all the teams that have a legitimate chance at being the best large football program. The 40 or so that are left out will need to move down/back to FCS i.e. Georgia Southern. Notre Dame would have to get over themselves and join the B1G, ACC or the Big East or some conference or they could go FCS. No more sort of being in the ACC.

There would be no need for polls or committees. Every fan base could look at their conference standings and see how their team stacked up.

 

[Evilchicken]

HAVE A SALARY CAP FOR NIL! Give every team an equal cap and institute contracts for players. Limit player ability to transfer whenever they want with buyouts, or policy. Build team loyalty with a revenue sharing plan for 3rd & 4th year players.

 

[I4CtheFuture]

In addition to the revenue sharing plan for the players,

Somehow or other make it an automatic 3 year ban from playing in the NFL if you "quit" on your team because YOU DEEM a game "meaningless" ..... quit on your team? Fine. But you're not playing in the NFL for 3 years. Do it twice? Lifetime ban.

Football is not a sport for quitters. Other people depend on you. I understand this is illegal and the participation trophy crowd will have an epic meltdown. I don't care. Do it anyway.