Remaking the CFP Selection Process

[TMvol10]

I just want the 4 best teams. In the current set up of conferences being split into two divisions and the champ of each division playing for the championship, you could have a 4 game loser win and have no business being in the CFP. If we go with auto bids for power 5 champs, we need to do away with divisions. Then the championship game is matching up the 2 teams with the best record and the winner of that game would truly be deserving of the CFP. For example, imagine if something crazy happens in the Big 10 champ game (QB goes down, wild weather) and Ohio state/Michigan loses to an 8-4 Minnesota this year. No way on gods green earth does that crappy Minnesota team deserve to go to the playoffs cause they got lucky.

 

[JBVolunteer]

You left out a representative from the group of 5 conferences.

If there is a group of 5 team that finishes among the top two after the conference champions are determined they would get a play-in. I know there have been years in the CFP where a group of 5 team was the first team out but the group of 5 teams have not done well this year.

 

[Voltopia]

Disagree with this. The only way you arrive at this line of thinking is a belief that some regular season games don't matter.

Which is exactly what ESPN and media corporations want. They have bought college football, bought the traditions, bought the pageantry, bought the fans, bought everything - but many people just haven't figured it out yet. They can't control regular season games arranged between colleges, but they can claim near total control of the playoffs they've placed at the end of the year.

 

[Biso]

Does the NFL have it wrong? Does the NFL regular season not matter enough?

I think most college football fans would agree that regular season NFL games matter way less than regular season college football games. By expanding the playoff, we're inevitably going to devalue the regular season. Under the 4-team format, our game against UGA was huge. If the 12-team format were in place this year, we would've gone into the game at UGA knowing that it means very little.

Take college basketball for instance. Does anyone care that Tennessee lost to Colorado? I mean, really, deep down, do we care? No, because we realize that game is meaningless. To be fair, part of it is that basketball season consists of 30 or so games whereas football season is just 12 games. But that's just a small part of it.

There will always be controversy when you don't have an automatic qualifying process. It's just inherent. We've expanded the NCAA Tournament in basketball to 68 teams, and now there is active talk about expanding it further. The same will be true with a 12-team playoff. I'm not opposed to expanding the playoff to 8 teams. But I think 12 is too many.

 

[VOLfrombama]

I disagree that it creates more issues. If you look at the CFP poll rn, these are the teams that would be in if it started today:

1. Georgia (10-0)
2. Ohio State (10-0)
3. Michigan (10-0)
4. TCU (10-0)
5. Tennessee (9-1)
6. LSU (8-2)
7. USC (9-1)
8. Alabama (8-2)
9. Clemson (9-1)
10. Utah (8-2)
11. Penn State (8-2)
12. Oregon (8-2)


Only 1 team has any argument at all, and that's UNC at 9-1. BUT if you want in, get a harder OOC schedule, esp since the ACC is turrble

 

[Stonewall83]

I wished we’d stop putting value in “conference champs” in garbage conferences. There are 3-4 SEC teams that would be favored against TCU or USC.

 

[JBVolunteer]

Disagree with this. The only way you arrive at this line of thinking is a belief that some regular season games don't matter.

If the best two teams in the conference are not represented in the conference championship; it’s the conference’s own fault.

This is why the SEC is getting rid of divisions. The two best teams should play for the title.

 

[a vol n tears]

Just do like basketball. Let 5% of the teams make the playoffs. A regular season loss (or 2) wouldn’t mean anything. A 4 team playoff makes every game count. I do like the 2 team play in game, just to make everyone play that 13th game.

 

[Notorious NIC]

Are you serious? The AP and Coaches polls are way too political.

I agree with you. I’d throw the coach poll and the AP poll out of the window on the Sunday after the championship games. I think the committee should make their decision on “Selection Sunday” instead of every Tuesday beginning in November. My main point is they need to quantify wins: a conference champion of the Pac12 isn’t on in the same league as the number 2 team in the SEC.

 

[JBVolunteer]

I wished we’d stop putting value in “conference champs” in garbage conferences. There are 3-4 SEC teams that would be favored against TCU or USC.

I would argue that the whole point to the regular season and conference championship is to settle who is the best in conference and to then to have that team represent the conference in a national playoff against everybody else’s champion to determine who really is the best in the nation.

We can always assume that some power 5 conferences don’t stack up. Even the NFL has weak divisions that end up with .500 teams in the playoffs. There really isn’t a way around those inequalities

 

[Stonewall83]

I would argue that the whole point to the regular season and conference championship is to settle who is the best in conference and to then to have that team represent the conference in a national playoff against everybody else’s champion to determine who really is the best in the nation.

We can always assume that some power 5 conferences don’t stack up. Even the NFL has weak divisions that end up with .500 teams in the playoffs. There really isn’t a way around those inequalities

Then the committee should stop saying “the four best teams” and just say they are gonna go with whoever the king of the trash heap is in the Big 12 or Pac 12.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

The best way that I can think of at the moment is 8 teams.
5 Champs each from their respective division and get rid of the split div like SEC has with West & East. The two best out of the SEC play each other for the Champ.
3 at large teams and just get it done. Make it so that at least one or two OOC game is tougher and have meaning other than paying for some schools athletics dept budget.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

A playoff tournament is the format for every single sport, except FBS college football. So do you believe every other sport is wrong because the regular season games don't mean enough? Does the NFL have it wrong? Does the NFL regular season not matter enough? Should the NFL just have regular season games and then have polls to determine who plays in the Super Bowl instead of a playoff?

I understand people liking tradition. I like tradition too, but the traditional format of college football is wrong and way more controversial than a playoff.

The NFL absolutely does have it wrong. Regular season NFL games don’t mean jack. Players and coaches don’t seem to care so why should I as a spectator. Don’t get me started about the NBA and MLB. The playoff expansion is a cash grab and nothing more.

And “polls”? Why would the NFL need a poll, when there’s only 32 teams and a great deal of parity between them? It isn’t hard to look at the NFL after the season and say which few teams are the best based on record.

 

[TheVolsFrog]

The NFL absolutely does have it wrong. Regular season NFL games don’t mean jack. Players and coaches don’t seem to care so why should I as a spectator. Don’t get me started about the NBA and MLB. The playoff expansion is a cash grab and nothing more.

And “polls”? Why would the NFL need a poll, when there’s only 32 teams and a great deal of parity between them? It isn’t hard to look at the NFL after the season and say which few teams are the best based on record.

Well you have to win regular season games in order to get a chance at winning your division but NBA what I don't like is now how the so called stars instead of playing won't dress out, saying they're saving themselves for the playoffs, missed the old days where the guys played every game unless they were hurt

 

[KoachKrab127]

I think most college football fans would agree that regular season NFL games matter way less than regular season college football games.

I’m not convinced that is a bad thing. There should be a specific balance to the regular and postseason. In my opinion, the NFL has it just about perfect.

When you have so few games that you have to have a committee to decide who the top 4 best teams are in the entire league, there’s a problem. It was an even bigger problem when polls would choose one undefeated team as a national champion over another undefeated team, or even share a national championship. I’m so glad that system is over.

 

[KoachKrab127]

The NFL absolutely does have it wrong. Regular season NFL games don’t mean jack. Players and coaches don’t seem to care so why should I as a spectator. Don’t get me started about the NBA and MLB. The playoff expansion is a cash grab and nothing more.

And “polls”? Why would the NFL need a poll, when there’s only 32 teams and a great deal of parity between them? It isn’t hard to look at the NFL after the season and say which few teams are the best based on record.

Please explain what system you would come up with to improve the NFL regular and postseason.

 

[volfan102455]

I disagree that it creates more issues. If you look at the CFP poll rn, these are the teams that would be in if it started today:

1. Georgia (10-0)
2. Ohio State (10-0)
3. Michigan (10-0)
4. TCU (10-0)
5. Tennessee (9-1)
6. LSU (8-2)
7. USC (9-1)
8. Alabama (8-2)
9. Clemson (9-1)
10. Utah (8-2)
11. Penn State (8-2)
12. Oregon (8-2)


Only 1 team has any argument at all, and that's UNC at 9-1. BUT if you want in, get a harder OOC schedule, esp since the ACC is turrble

Actually - Oregon does not get in. #20 UCF (Or Tulane or Cincinnati) would get in as the 6th highest conference champ. You have UGA (SEC), OSU (Big 10), TCU (Big 12), USC (PAC), Clemson (ACC) and UCF (American).

And the independent teams, like Notre Dame would never get a bye.

 

[Vol in Buckeye Land]

Please explain what system you would come up with to improve the NFL regular and postseason.

They could reduce the number of teams in the playoffs. Nearly half get in, which is ridiculous. Since they’re unlikely to want to give up any of their TV money by having fewer games, make the playoff double elimination. Or you could keep the absurd 14 team playoff with teams with terrible records getting in, but make the playoffs and Superbowl separate from the NFL Championship. NFL Championship goes to the team with the best record, similar to soccer in Europe (or regular season conference championships in college basketball and baseball). Super Bowl is a chance for some extra hardware.

 

[VolBricks]

I think most years the committee does a very reasonable job picking the best teams for the playoff. Yes every year you can probably say this team should have been #4 of that team should have been #4 but for the most part the #1 and #2 teams have proven to be the best two teams.

 

[sami]

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying the CFP committee and conference commissioners are past that and onto 12 teams. They have already agreed to that format.

College Football Playoff Board of Managers Votes to Expand Playoff to 12 Teams - College Football Playoff


The board approved the following:

1. The 12 teams will be the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
2. The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
3. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
4. The other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
5. The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
6. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
7. The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
8. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
9. With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
10. The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
11. First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.

My main issue with this system (aside from hating the idea of it because what it will do to the regular season):

There should be no neutral site until the championship game. There will be enough uninteresting games and blowouts, but having the games at campus sites instead of sterile bowl settings will at least generate some energy. I understand that it's only about money and the bowl people must get theirs, but just an argument to make the whole thing more interesting.

 

[sami]

A playoff tournament is the format for every single sport, except FBS college football. So do you believe every other sport is wrong because the regular season games don't mean enough? Does the NFL have it wrong? Does the NFL regular season not matter enough? Should the NFL just have regular season games and then have polls to determine who plays in the Super Bowl instead of a playoff?

I understand people liking tradition. I like tradition too, but the traditional format of college football is wrong and way more controversial than a playoff.

It's not about tradition. College football is unlike any other sport, pro or college - anyone thinking that a cinderella 10 or 12 seed is going to win even one, much less two, three or four games is delusional. This isn't March Madness, where a couple of guys can get hot and carry a team to a sweet sixteen - ain't going to happen here.

We're going to get a final four from the pool of 4-5 teams that would have been there in the 4-team system, and the national champ will come from one of 2-3 teams every season. CFB is about depth of talent, and most schools can't compete with the top SEC and Big 10 schools, the result being a lot of dreary blowouts in sterile neutral sites. And for that we're going to give up a final month full of do or die games and intrigue like we have this year, and all the debate and attention that comes with it?

 

[sami]

I just want the 4 best teams. In the current set up of conferences being split into two divisions and the champ of each division playing for the championship, you could have a 4 game loser win and have no business being in the CFP. If we go with auto bids for power 5 champs, we need to do away with divisions. Then the championship game is matching up the 2 teams with the best record and the winner of that game would truly be deserving of the CFP. For example, imagine if something crazy happens in the Big 10 champ game (QB goes down, wild weather) and Ohio state/Michigan loses to an 8-4 Minnesota this year. No way on gods green earth does that crappy Minnesota team deserve to go to the playoffs cause they got lucky.

That is an excellent point. Makes the conference champs getting the top six seeds a bit more palatable.

 

[sami]

Which is exactly what ESPN and media corporations want. They have bought college football, bought the traditions, bought the pageantry, bought the fans, bought everything - but many people just haven't figured it out yet. They can't control regular season games arranged between colleges, but they can claim near total control of the playoffs they've placed at the end of the year.

This x 1000.

 

[sami]

Please explain what system you would come up with to improve the NFL regular and postseason.

The difference between the NFL and CFB is one word - parity. The NFL has it (which is one reason why it's such a bore) and CFB doesn't. An 8-seed can get to the Super Bowl because there aren't any great teams any more, and there's usually little difference between that 8-seed and whoever they're playing. The old Pete Rozelle "on any given Sunday" line has become reality to the point that literally anyone can beat anyone.

The 12-team CFP is going to be a lot of blowouts on sterile neutral sites (one thing CFB should borrow from the NFL is having every game at campus sites until the championship game) until we get the final four teams that would likely have been there with the 4-team CFP. Except that we lose all the final month regular season drama we are having now.

 

[MadMaxSC]

With only 4 slots to fill; the committee really has an impossible task. Every year they are left hoping to avoid a catastrophic scenario.

I honestly believe that CFB will be better when power 5 conference championships are valuable. In my opinion, if you win a power 5 conference title; you should be an automatic qualifier for the playoff.

After conference titles are settled; I would seed the champions 1-5 and set a play-in game between the two highest ranked non-automatic qualifiers for the week after the conference championship games.

Automatic Qualifiers
#1- SEC Champion- Georgia
#2- Big 10 Champion- Ohio State
#3- Big 12 Champion- TCU
#4- PAC 10 Champion- USC
#5- ACC Champion- Clemson

Play-In
Tennessee 11-1
Michigan 11-1

In this format, the selection committee’s role would be ranking the conference champions and setting the play-in matchup. I think back on years where a non-power 5 team went undefeated but still missed the playoffs. The play-in would be their opportunity.

Just my opinion but I think the format is clear and fair.

What you say makes sense, until you get to the Play-in Game. I like the Play-in but the selection process can become "tainted" because you base it on "rankings" by the same group we have questioned, over the years. Even if it was decided to have the top ranked FCS team become Team #6, there is still a ranking involved. Even when they go to 12 teams, there will be some theam that sees themselves as being hosed. A U-T/Michigan game would be a TV gold mine. It might have a better draw than the Conference Champ match-ups.