Good posts on the top heavy aspect of CFB. Going to go all Chattanooga on you today.
What happened in college basketball when the tournament field was greatly increased as well as the rise of conference tournament winners getting the automatic bye? Became one of the most interesting and watched events in all sports with March Madness. Even with the NCAA trying to keep the blue bloods relevant, they have all dropped down a notch. Add in the one and done and you see massive roster turnovers of the historical elites and others that fuel hope for lesser programs who have guys that stay and develop chemistry.
Same could happen with CFB - just becomes Winter Madness. All of the G5, non-conference programs and lesser P5 need to band together and push/vote for a larger playoff immediately. At one time I thought 8 was right (which is probably happening), but now I think 16 would be better. It's a process to open the sport up to newcomers at the top - just like it was in CBB. Will take time but be well worth it IMO. Reduce the OOC games by one and go back to an 11 game season with at least 9 conference games for all programs. Forget loading up with OOC cupcakes. One tune-up game and one against a equal or stronger program. All conferences must play CG game. Not in a conference - you get one shot in the 16 as a wild card so you better schedule strong. Good luck with that. Encourage conferences to expand to take in those who are not in one.
So in my fantasy land field of 16 for the NC:
10 spots to P5: CG winner and highest rated by BCS committee as the second participant. Sometimes the second best team does not make the CG game because they are in the same division. To eliminate that as an issue - do away with divisions and rivalries. Even the playing field or be subject to a committee's decision. First and second place team play each other for the championship. Personally, I am sick of getting the shaft by Birmingham with scheduling. Rivalries mean very little anymore, especially after the one time transfer rule has passed. Loyalty to archaic traditions hinders the goal of opening up the field for every program to get a fair shot. It is past time to move on and I am over being taken advantage of by make-believe rivalries that hand chosen programs a nearly automatic win each season.
5 spots to G5: CG winner if divisions exist. If not, the first and second place team play each other for the championship.
1 wildcard spot: Chosen by the committee from the entire field including programs not in conferences. Occasionally a P5 will have a third place team worthy of the wildcard.
Committee seeds the participants just like March Madness. More major bowls for the playoffs. The non-participants can still go to lesser ones. Losing one OOC game revenue will be more than made up from the increased revenues of CFB's version of March Madness when the conferences split the take. One less home game will increase demand for tickets with many programs (including ours)- which fills them up while charging higher ticket prices, increasing donations, and increasing concession/gear sales.
Over time and with tweaking all programs would benefit IMO. It lifts the level of play and opens up the competition. G5 would get their shots and be available for inclusion into P5 through conference expansion. The Liberty's and Coastal's of the world would be on the big stage. NCAA members wanted one time free agency for players. OK - now it is beneficial for all programs. Coaches can go to the portal as they need to and the players will still have the opportunity to play for the ring depending on the options available to them. With all of the coaching turnover it is fair to give them that option IMO. The coaches need to be smart about the transfers they select and yes, it is another recruiting period they have to deal with. They make the big bucks - deal with it.
