Automatic qualifiers vs. at large, campus vs. bowls. Lots still on the table as they resume discussions. Of course, the previous 12-team plan was shelved due to hurt feelings after OU/EOE abandoned the Orphan Eight.
Paywall
There are lots of competing interests. I don’t like the thought of giving an automatic bid to the highest ranked G5 champion. There’s a good chance under either an 8 or 12 team format such a team is not among the best.
The “current bowl structure” for first round playoff games strikes me as unworkable with a 12 team playoff. It’d mean sending teams away for 3 straight games. OTOH, I can see why teams in colder parts of the country wouldn’t be too crazy about late December home games.
I still maintain we’ve already got an excellent set up for people who want playoffs. It’s called the NFL. Pick a team & root for it. College football survived & even thrived quite nicely for nearly 150 years without a playoff system.
I think there’s a good chance that, to pick a 2021 example, Cincinnati is better than the eventual P12 champ and possibly the ACC and O8 champs as well. Thus I liked the part of the previous plan that would give auto bids to the top 5 conference champs regardless of which conference. The Pac-12, of course, hates that. And the ACC will hate it if Clemson doesn’t return to being recent Clemson.
The NFL plays outdoors in December and January in Buffalo and Cleveland and Chicago and Green Bay so I’m not too worried about the weather aspect. It’s better for the fans than expecting them to make three bowl trips in three weeks, four if you don’t get the bye.
But there’s also nothing that says a bowl sponsor can’t hang its name on a CFP game; the CFP Quarterfinal Presented by Tostitos, coming to you from beautiful Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.
And, sure enough, The Athletic is reporting that the ACC, P12 and B1G will push for an 8-team format at next week’s meeting, with spots reserved for all P5 leagues. I understand why the P-12 wants that, and the ACC will need that if Clemson goes back to its historic level. But the Big Ten? They should get 2+ in a 12 team field most years.
Ummmm, based on? You could be right but not all that sure it’s that cut and dried.
I prefer 8 not 12. I don’t like byes. To me, it i simple: All power 5 champs, the top group of 5 team (yes, there will be some years when that team isn’t necessary one of the top 8 or 12) and the rest at large, be that 2 teams or 6.
You are for sure going to get what is thought to be the top 4 teams in that way, and probably the 6 (at least). Yes, some years the winner of one of the Power 5 conferences will not be “deserving” but year in, year out. if you take the winners of the P5 and have at least 2 at large spots, you are going to get the top 5 or 6 teams in. If you had 6 at large spots, you are going to get the top 8 or 9 easy. Probably 10.
if it is 8 teams it isn’t the end of the world it you in effect get the top 5 or 6 and some others. If 12, again, not the end of the world if you get the top 9 or 10 and some others. The basketball tournament doesn’t pretend to get the top 68. But it will get in anyone who really deserved to be in.
This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.