You know it will never happen, but SEC should probably cease Championship game at end of season.

[HiltonHeadVol]

Forgive me if already discussed (I haven't seen it) but what if you are a two loss team that qualifies for SEC title game in Atlanta and lose to a 1 loss Ga or Bama or whomever.....You stand a real chance of being left out of playoffs because you played an extra game and lost against a top 5 opponent most likely. IF that happens, and I believe it absolutely could, that 3 loss team will feel cheated out of a spot. And that 3 loss team will be left out simply because the now 3 loss team lost a game that they didn't need to be playing - some might suggest such a "SEC title game" was just for money. I don't believe any playoff committee will allow a 3 loss SEC team in under that scenario, especially with the anti-SEC jealousy across the land.

 

[hillsborovol]

It's all about $$$

 

[Firebirdparts]

Very true- the conference championship games are now just total nonsense with 25 teams. I would agree, that will not be happening.

 

[Vfl2407]

A 16 team playoff MIGHT end the conference championship games if the additional money would make up for the loss of revenue to the conferences.

 

[KoachKrab127]

Forgive me if already discussed (I haven't seen it) but what if you are a two loss team that qualifies for SEC title game in Atlanta and lose to a 1 loss Ga or Bama or whomever.....You stand a real chance of being left out of playoffs because you played an extra game and lost against a top 5 opponent most likely. IF that happens, and I believe it absolutely could, that 3 loss team will feel cheated out of a spot. And that 3 loss team will be left out simply because the now 3 loss team lost a game that they didn't need to be playing - some might suggest such a "SEC title game" was just for money. I don't believe any playoff committee will allow a 3 loss SEC team in under that scenario, especially with the anti-SEC jealousy across the land.

There’s always been lots of problems with the SEC championship game. In the past, the loser would usually go to the Capital One Bowl, or the Citrus Bowl, and another 1-loss SEC team that didn’t make the SEC championship game would go to the BCS bowl. This happened to UT/UF in 1999 and 2001. It favored UT in ‘99 when UF lost the SEC championship game, and it favored UF when UT lost the SEC championship game in 2001. So this isn’t a new problem.

If there is no SEC championship game, how do you determine who the SEC champion is if there are 2 undefeated SEC teams? That’s another problem expanded teams in the conference causes.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

The SEC title game matters. Let’s say we don’t win the SEC this year and make the playoffs. We lose in the playoffs. Have we really won anything? No. Whereas if you win the SEC, make it to the playoffs and lose, you have still won something. Just making the playoffs isn’t winning anything of significance. There is no trophy for making the playoffs.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

A 16 team playoff MIGHT end the conference championship games if the additional money would make up for the loss of revenue to the conferences.

16 teams is inevitable and what I wanted from the beginning. It's the perfect number for the playoffs. For one, it eliminates the bye week, which I was never in favor of. And as you said, it eliminates the now meaningless conference championship game. Go to 16 playoff teams, go to a 9 game conference schedule, eliminate the conference championship game, and that will be the best scenario. Have top 8 host bottom 8 at home for round one, then all other rounds are played in the major bowls.

 

[chuck0303]

16 teams is inevitable and what I wanted from the beginning. It's the perfect number for the playoffs. For one, it eliminates the bye week, which I was never in favor of. And as you said, it eliminates the now meaningless conference championship game. Go to 16 playoff teams, go to a 9 game conference schedule, eliminate the conference championship game, and that will be the best scenario. Have top 8 host bottom 8 at home for round one, then all other rounds are played in the major bowls.

The bye week is there for a possible make-up game. Let's say there's the hurricane that comes in like Helene & affects the cancellation of a game for that date, then there is space to reschedule a game if necessary; potentially a week after the regular season. There's many reasons why a game might have to be rescheduled, but it's there if needed. It also doesn't hurt for teams to heal up during the bye week. It also gives us a chance to rejoice knowing that Bama or UGA is going to lose (LOL--at least this week).

 

[wmcovol]

It really hinders a team that plays in it and loses. Imagine a 10-2 team losing in the last moments then having to play a rested opponent the next week, maybe on the road.

 

[utchs81]

But if they did away with it no one would be able to go 17-0.

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Forgive me if already discussed (I haven't seen it) but what if you are a two loss team that qualifies for SEC title game in Atlanta and lose to a 1 loss Ga or Bama or whomever.....You stand a real chance of being left out of playoffs because you played an extra game and lost against a top 5 opponent most likely. IF that happens, and I believe it absolutely could, that 3 loss team will feel cheated out of a spot. And that 3 loss team will be left out simply because the now 3 loss team lost a game that they didn't need to be playing - some might suggest such a "SEC title game" was just for money. I don't believe any playoff committee will allow a 3 loss SEC team in under that scenario, especially with the anti-SEC jealousy across the land.

It should have never existed in the first place.

My college football utopia is:

6 Power conferences made up of 10 teams
9 conference games per year
3 non conference- choose cupcakes or quality opponents as your AD thinks best
National Champions tournament made up of the 6 conference champions.


No computers or reporters or whomever deciding who gets in. Just have the best record in your conference and win the tournament and you are awarded the NC trophy. The only input that would impact the tournament would be allowing the Number 1 and 2 ( as ranked by the AP) teams a bye.

I will always and forever say, If you're second in your conference, how the hell are you the best in the nation?

 

[74charger]

It's all about $$$

Bullseye

 

[74charger]

But if they did away with it no one would be able to go 17-0.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I like having conference championships to play for. I like winning them. I like having more than one strategic goal each year.

Forget all that whining about how a conference championship game interferes with playing for a national championship. IT DON'T IF YOU WIN!

Stop being pansies and worrying about losing. Just win, and it all works out great.

Just win! Stop being wimps!

Go Vols!

 

[LWSVOL]

There’s always been lots of problems with the SEC championship game. In the past, the loser would usually go to the Capital One Bowl, or the Citrus Bowl, and another 1-loss SEC team that didn’t make the SEC championship game would go to the BCS bowl. This happened to UT/UF in 1999 and 2001. It favored UT in ‘99 when UF lost the SEC championship game, and it favored UF when UT lost the SEC championship game in 2001. So this isn’t a new problem.

If there is no SEC championship game, how do you determine who the SEC champion is if there are 2 undefeated SEC teams? That’s another problem expanded teams in the conference causes.

Without a championship game, you would the tie problem frequently and looking at tiebreaker to determine champ. Best to play it off

 

[LWSVOL]

It should have never existed in the first place.

My college football utopia is:

6 Power conferences made up of 10 teams
9 conference games per year
3 non conference- choose cupcakes or quality opponents as your AD thinks best
National Champions tournament made up of the 6 conference champions.


No computers or reporters or whomever deciding who gets in. Just have the best record in your conference and win the tournament and you are awarded the NC trophy. The only input that would impact the tournament would be allowing the Number 1 and 2 ( as ranked by the AP) teams a bye.

I will always and forever say, If you're second in your conference, how the hell are you the best in the nation?

# 2 in the SEC would most of the time be better than other conf champs. #3 probably would also..

 

[fefe]

Every team in the playoffs get a BYE except the loser of a conference championship. The champions get a playoff BYE and the other top teams sit at home during championship week. The loser of the championship has to play 17 games while everyone else plays 16.

If the loser of the championship was guaranteed to get a home playoff game, that could make up for it. But that's not guaranteed and might even be less of a chance since they have an extra loss.

 

[kell7517]

It should have never existed in the first place.

My college football utopia is:

6 Power conferences made up of 10 teams
9 conference games per year
3 non conference- choose cupcakes or quality opponents as your AD thinks best
National Champions tournament made up of the 6 conference champions.


No computers or reporters or whomever deciding who gets in. Just have the best record in your conference and win the tournament and you are awarded the NC trophy. The only input that would impact the tournament would be allowing the Number 1 and 2 ( as ranked by the AP) teams a bye.

I will always and forever say, If you're second in your conference, how the hell are you the best in the nation?

What happens to the other 70+ teams? Who decides which 10 teams belongs into each conference? I see where you are going but a lot to consider before getting there. Plus it’s not gonna happen, but good fodder to talk about.

 

[Voltopia]

Forgive me if already discussed (I haven't seen it) but what if you are a two loss team that qualifies for SEC title game in Atlanta and lose to a 1 loss Ga or Bama or whomever.....You stand a real chance of being left out of playoffs because you played an extra game and lost against a top 5 opponent most likely. IF that happens, and I believe it absolutely could, that 3 loss team will feel cheated out of a spot. And that 3 loss team will be left out simply because the now 3 loss team lost a game that they didn't need to be playing - some might suggest such a "SEC title game" was just for money. I don't believe any playoff committee will allow a 3 loss SEC team in under that scenario, especially with the anti-SEC jealousy across the land.

The championship game is used to strengthen the SEC's value as a product for advertising and sales purposes. It's no accident that CBS signed that 100 million dollar deal with the SEC a few years after the SEC Championship Game was established (in 1992, which I know because of ... well, Spurrier, sigh). And to the extent that championship game matters to the SEC's sales negotiations, it will remain. I imagine that having the SECCG as a product is written into the contract with ESPN, and there's no way ESPN wouldn't want to have that game to sell to advertisers. It won't be going anywhere for the next 10 years at a minimum, and even then I doubt it will go away. Too big a bargaining chip to just give up.

That said, in terms of importance, I agree with those that say the SECCG's value is declining. Winning it doesn't mean nearly as much as it did before the College Football Playoff - to say nothing of the expanded CFP they're pushing now. When it was bowl games that had no one single clear winner, having a great year and a conference title meant as much as anything could. But now? No one cares who wins what conference title. They just care about winning the CFP. That's all there is now. The Playoffs devalue the conference titles, just like they devalue everything else.

 

[HiltonHeadVol]

Ok, so what no one seems to get here concerning the SEC CG is this: Sankey is getting ready to add a ninth conference game to SEC schedules. With the SEC CG included, you now have TEN conference games for the best two SEC teams every single year. What we were fooled into was this......now the panel or committee gets to have one more item of exclusion to eliminate a 5th SEC playoff participant. Of course, words will be used such as sched. strength, missing players due to injury, timing of losses, head coach took another job, etc... But it can and will be used as just another way to, if at all possible, eliminate the loser of SEC title game in my opinion. It just so happens that a tenth game for a conference that consistently has the very best players each year (SEC) will almost always produce a very difficult opponent and an environment where injury will absolutely be a factor. To me, we were foolish as a conference to add the 9th conference game. I couldn't care less what any national pundit or fan thinks or says. It is INSANE to beat each other up with the excuse of "money needed to fund the sport" - I see another motive. Other AD's and conferences will do all in their power to avoid a 5th SEC playoff team. One cannot say with certainty how it plays out, but lets just keep track of how often over the next 5-6 years the title game loser is uninvited to the 12 team playoff with a 3rd loss or gets FSU'd out of a spot due to big name injury. I suspect we got fooled into accepting this setup. We should have stipulated that BOTH teams that make the SEC title game get auto invites, NOT to be re-evaluated after the SEC title game loss. Of course re-seeding the two teams is justified.....but not inclusion. Just my two cents.

 

[Oldblood]

The downside for the losing team may be missing the playoffs but the upside is a bye in said playoffs (even if they are ranked lower).

That being said, as the playoff expands and the SEC and BIG 10 seize more power, you may see some significant shifts, including ones that affect conference championships.

 

[sonofUT62]

Do some research on the economic impact on the city of Atlanta. Especially in years when Bama/ Auburn and UGA haven’t played in it. The multiplier is in the billions.

 

[ntxVOL]

Go back to a 4 team playoff, let the SEC and B1G have a 4 team tournament to determine their conference champions. Those two get automatic 1 and 2 seeds in the playoffs.

Other conferences can get together to figure out how the other two playoff teams get selected.

 

[08Vol]

But if they did away with it no one would be able to go 17-0.

Only teams that can go 17-0 are G5 teams due to the 1st round bye for the top 4 conference champions. Unless a G5 champion has beaten multiple top 10 P4 teams in a season, they won’t jump any undefeated P4 conference champions for the bye.

 

[08Vol]

Forgive me if already discussed (I haven't seen it) but what if you are a two loss team that qualifies for SEC title game in Atlanta and lose to a 1 loss Ga or Bama or whomever.....You stand a real chance of being left out of playoffs because you played an extra game and lost against a top 5 opponent most likely. IF that happens, and I believe it absolutely could, that 3 loss team will feel cheated out of a spot. And that 3 loss team will be left out simply because the now 3 loss team lost a game that they didn't need to be playing - some might suggest such a "SEC title game" was just for money. I don't believe any playoff committee will allow a 3 loss SEC team in under that scenario, especially with the anti-SEC jealousy across the land.

There is a legitimate shot that both UT’s end the regular season undefeated. In this scenario, without a conference championship game who would win the SEC and get the playoff bye?