The BCS and a Playoff

[Elhanan]

After the rough season UT had this year I'm ready to start talking about something other than our record, the coach, and the Apocalypse.

So how about College Football Playoffs!

For me a playoff system shuts up the "We deserve a shot." teams (though some will still complain) and extends the college football season for the top teams in each of the major conferences.

I'm even ok with having "non-bracketed bowls" for the lesser teams to give them something to look forward to, but for the National Championship a playoff is where its at for me.

Here is a basic system I through together real fast.

PS: The Conferences and bowls are in no particular order. Just place holders really.

 

[Big Slick]

It'll eventually evolve into something like this, but probably at a slow pace. I'd bet a decent chunk of money that we have a plus-1 format by the end of the decade. Then when we get sick of debating who should be #4 and #5 (instead of #2 and #3), it'll expand to 8, and then maybe 16. Plus, once the BCS and conferences see how much more money ESPN/Fox/CBS, etc. are williing to pony up for some sort of playoff format, it almost has to happen at some point.

There's a billion different ways to structure it, but I salivate at the thought of having 4 (or 8?) opening round bowl games on New Years Day. It'll finally bring back some siginficance to that date. And if they time it right, they can play the national title game the weekend the NFL takes off before the Super Bowl and have it all to themselves. They could also spread the lesser bowl games out over December so the sport doesn't have such a long layoff.

 

[VolBadger]

i don't see why everyone wants a playoff.

college football has the most exciting regular season for a reason: because every game matters. i'm all for a +1, but just about every year there's no more than four teams that deserve a legitimate shot. in too many sports the regular season has lost value. if you want to make the title game, then be one of the top teams in the nation by having a good record.

as for the non-AQs. if teams in weak conferences play 2-4 good out of conference games and run the table then they should be able to get in the top 4. that's a much easier route than going through the SEC.

 

[GreveHaller]

After the rough season UT had this year I'm ready to start talking about something other than our record, the coach, and the Apocalypse.

So how about College Football Playoffs!

For me a playoff system shuts up the "We deserve a shot." teams (though some will still complain) and extends the college football season for the top teams in each of the major conferences.

I'm even ok with having "non-bracketed bowls" for the lesser teams to give them something to look forward to, but for the National Championship a playoff is where its at for me.

Here is a basic system I through together real fast.

PS: The Conferences and bowls are in no particular order. Just place holders really.

So with all your thoughts and hard work, just which bowl has said they'd be willing to participate if a playoff was implemented? If the bowls dont want to do this, your little dream of a plan is ka-put. In fact, just 1 bowl says no then your house of cards falls.

For the record, the Rose Bowl has previously said they want no part of a playoff system. Timber.

 

[Elhanan]

i don't see why everyone wants a playoff.

college football has the most exciting regular season for a reason: because every game matters. i'm all for a +1, but just about every year there's no more than four teams that deserve a legitimate shot. in too many sports the regular season has lost value. if you want to make the title game, then be one of the top teams in the nation by having a good record.

as for the non-AQs. if teams in weak conferences play 2-4 good out of conference games and run the table then they should be able to get in the top 4. that's a much easier route than going through the SEC.

How will it take away from the regular season? We would still have to fight every week to be the top 2 in conference, rivalry games, and upsets. How much excitement is lost after your team loses 1 game? Being a Badgers fan you should understand this very well this season. At least if you lose a game in the regular season a playoff gives you another shot.

Bama has that shot this year but what about every other team? A playoff keeps the regular season important for more teams and makes the post season even more exciting. Not to mention fairness.

In the end I'm sure the SEC will still be on top. This is what a theoretical playoff would have looked like this season.

 

[dreVol]

i don't see why everyone wants a playoff.

college football has the most exciting regular season for a reason: because every game matters. i'm all for a +1, but just about every year there's no more than four teams that deserve a legitimate shot. in too many sports the regular season has lost value. if you want to make the title game, then be one of the top teams in the nation by having a good record.

as for the non-AQs. if teams in weak conferences play 2-4 good out of conference games and run the table then they should be able to get in the top 4. that's a much easier route than going through the SEC.

Agreed. A plus-1 is the best compromise. I think the hardest part about the playoffs is the revenue difference between the bowls and a playoff. A playoff has to generate more revenue for all parties before it will be considered. I think the major revenue question marks is how many fan bases are willing to travel to follow their team in the playoffs and for how many rounds? A plus-1 modifies the playoff for the best teams in the country while still keeping the bowl system in place. Win-win.

 

[Elhanan]

So with all your thoughts and hard work, just which bowl has said they'd be willing to participate if a playoff was implemented? If the bowls dont want to do this, your little dream of a plan is ka-put. In fact, just 1 bowl says no then your house of cards falls.

For the record, the Rose Bowl has previously said they want no part of a playoff system. Timber.

Who cares if they say no? Take them out and put someone else in. What does college football lose? Nothing.

What does the bowl lose? Everything b/c they no longer exist.

 

[VolBadger]

How will it take away from the regular season? We would still have to fight every week to be the top 2 in conference, rivalry games, and upsets. How much excitement is lost after your team loses 1 game? Being a Badgers fan you should understand this very well this season. At least if you lose a game in the regular season a playoff gives you another shot.

Bama has that shot this year but what about every other team? A playoff keeps the regular season important for more teams and makes the post season even more exciting. Not to mention fairness.

In the end I'm sure the SEC will still be on top. This is what a theoretical playoff would have looked like this season.

so many of those teams don't deserve a shot at the title...

ya, i know it sucks as badger fan and id like a shot, however we played an atrocious ooc schedule this year and lost to an unranked OSU team...we don't deserve a shot at all

 

[Big Slick]

i don't see why everyone wants a playoff.

college football has the most exciting regular season for a reason: because every game matters. i'm all for a +1, but just about every year there's no more than four teams that deserve a legitimate shot. in too many sports the regular season has lost value. if you want to make the title game, then be one of the top teams in the nation by having a good record.

as for the non-AQs. if teams in weak conferences play 2-4 good out of conference games and run the table then they should be able to get in the top 4. that's a much easier route than going through the SEC.

The biggest game of the season didn't even matter this year. Alabama actually "won" by losing that game to LSU. Here's a better summary of it:

LSU-Alabama rematch makes mockery of BCS system - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

 

[UGADawg4Life]

After the rough season UT had this year I'm ready to start talking about something other than our record, the coach, and the Apocalypse.

So how about College Football Playoffs!

For me a playoff system shuts up the "We deserve a shot." teams (though some will still complain) and extends the college football season for the top teams in each of the major conferences.

I'm even ok with having "non-bracketed bowls" for the lesser teams to give them something to look forward to, but for the National Championship a playoff is where its at for me.

Here is a basic system I through together real fast.

PS: The Conferences and bowls are in no particular order. Just place holders really.

I like your thinking but there's a problem. The top teams in any given conference aren't the top teams in the country. I don't think winning a weak conference should qualify you to get in the tourney. So use the same formula, but just put the top teams in according to BCS standings.

 

[Elhanan]

I like your thinking but there's a problem. The top teams in any given conference aren't the top teams in the country. I don't think winning a weak conference should qualify you to get in the tourney. So use the same formula, but just put the top teams in according to BCS standings.

I like that. :good!:

It would def. give the SEC an edge in the playoffs too.

 

[VolBadger]

The biggest game of the season didn't even matter this year. Alabama actually "won" by losing that game to LSU. Here's a better summary of it:

LSU-Alabama rematch makes mockery of BCS system - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

i see no problem with that, they're the one loss team with the best loss. computers or not, i don't think many would argue they are the second best team in the country.

this would be a great year for the +1 :good!:

 

[n_huffhines]

i don't see why everyone wants a playoff.

college football has the most exciting regular season for a reason: because every game matters. i'm all for a +1, but just about every year there's no more than four teams that deserve a legitimate shot. in too many sports the regular season has lost value. if you want to make the title game, then be one of the top teams in the nation by having a good record.

as for the non-AQs. if teams in weak conferences play 2-4 good out of conference games and run the table then they should be able to get in the top 4. that's a much easier route than going through the SEC.

I don't understand this argument at all.

In the NFL they vie for 1 of 12 playoff spots. In college they vie for 1 of 2 playoff spots. I don't think that the NFL would make their regular season more exciting by switching to a 2 team playoff. Currently half the fans are excited because their teams have a shot at the playoffs. If you switch to a 2 team playoff, then there are only about 5 teams in the postseason conversation. I don't think that makes it more exciting for most fans. It may make the 49ers' games more exciting, but what about the Falcons' games? Their season would already be over.

Pretend Oregon and USC are playing for the PAC 12 title game this weekend (rather than UCLA). If that game gets the winner into an 8-team playoff, and eliminates the loser then it makes it that much more exciting. As it stands, all the game would mean nationally is bragging rights.

 

[milohimself]

I'm also for seeing the plus one and capping it at that.

It's the same reason I'd like to see MLB playoffs reduced to just the world series and the NFL playoffs reduced as well, so you don't always have those teams play mediocre through much of the season then get on a hot streak, sneak into a wildcard spot and win the whole thing. Besides, with baseball, isn't 162 games enough damn time to determine the best two teams?

As for college, it seems like most seasons we see three, maybe four teams who have at least some sort of semi-legitimate claim to playing for a national championship. I can't remember any season where a fifth place team was shafted. A four team, entirely at-large playoff system with poll-based seeding would demand regular season excellence while being a fairer way to determine a national champ. No system is perfect, but I think it's the best option, and above all, it allows enough wiggle room for the occasional undefeated Boise/mid-major to get their shot on the field.

 

[GreveHaller]

Who cares if they say no? Take them out and put someone else in. What does college football lose? Nothing.

What does the bowl lose? Everything b/c they no longer exist.

Thus the reason you will never see a playoff. Until you learn the entire business structure of the bowl system you will never understand how it works. This isnt about teams - its about money. As a poster said, until they make is work on the money side a playoff will not happen. If it was to make more money it would have already happened.

 

[milohimself]

It's not necessarily the money, but who it goes to. There's a certain group of people for whom the bowls are a gravy train of money, and that would go away if there were to be a playoff. So they're going to fight tooth and nail to keep the bowls going.

 

[Elhanan]

Thus the reason you will never see a playoff. Until you learn the entire business structure of the bowl system you will never understand how it works. This isnt about teams - its about money. As a poster said, until they make is work on the money side a playoff will not happen. If it was to make more money it would have already happened.

Care to explain the entire business structure of the bowl system to me?

:ermm:


... days later. Didn't think so.

 

[n_huffhines]

I'm also for seeing the plus one and capping it at that.

It's the same reason I'd like to see MLB playoffs reduced to just the world series and the NFL playoffs reduced as well, so you don't always have those teams play mediocre through much of the season then get on a hot streak, sneak into a wildcard spot and win the whole thing. Besides, with baseball, isn't 162 games enough damn time to determine the best two teams?

Completely with you in baseball. But I might add they should make the world series at least a best of 11.