CFP Expansion

[14Red]

Yes 100%. Conference Championships matter. If you are one of the two best teams, being seeded 6th still gives you a path to the Championship. The love-fest with the SEC is what is killing the sport. There's a reason the NFL is king and it's not because the same 5 teams dominate year after year.

Can't compare the NFL to college, and BTW, I prefer the NFL. The SEC is king because they get the best players, best players = best teams. Ohio State is comparable to an SEC team, except they get to play an incredibly advantaged schedule annually, Clemson enjoyed this as well a few years back. SEC is a grinder year after year. I really don't know why so many have a difficult time with this. Cincinnati had a monumental great season this year, got matched up with good but young and not dominant Alabama team and got destroyed. Giving non power 5 schools a spot in the playoffs is a joke. Cinderella doesn't play football, it can happen in basketball because of the lesser number of players.

BTW, the NFL is built for parity. This is the best of the best with a salary cap, free agency and the draft. There is no such thing in college.

 

[14Red]

But you think the Finalists playing one extra game is extreme? Wow.

Yes, wow, remember when teams played 13 games, then it's oh just play one more, then one more, then one more. When's it end? 30 years from now will college football just go from September to March, play 30-35 games? I mean we all know they'd make money??? When is enough??? We complain because many sports seasons are too long??

 

[adselder09]

Can't compare the NFL to college, and BTW, I prefer the NFL.

But you can compare the CFP and the college football season too March Madness?

The SEC is king because they get the best players, best players = best teams.

Not the argument being made and I don't think anyone can disagree with this assertion, however that is opening up another angle to this discussion, which is the dominance of the SEC killing the sport.

Ohio State is comparable to an SEC team, except they get to play an incredibly advantaged schedule annually, Clemson enjoyed this as well a few years back. SEC is a grinder year after year. I really don't know why so many have a difficult time with this.

Again, relevancy to the expansion discussion? We know your stance on the SEC, no need to keep fawning over them. We get it.

Cincinnati had a monumental great season this year, got matched up with good but young and not dominant Alabama team and got destroyed. Giving non power 5 schools a spot in the playoffs is a joke. Cinderella doesn't play football

Well Cincinnati is the only data point in the CFP era from the G5. Going back to the BCS, they're the only team outside of a Power Conference that's been given a shot to compete for a title on the field. So while the G5 doesn't have the talent or depth of the P5, specifically the best of the SEC, let's not act as if they've been given a fair shake to prove they do or don't belong, as they would in a larger Playoff field.

I'd also argue that when Boise State, TCU (pre Big12), Utah (pre Pac12) and UCF had their string of great teams that played with and beat P5 Champions, it was better for the game of college football than what's been happening in the Playoff era.

BTW, the NFL is built for parity. This is the best of the best with a salary cap, free agency and the draft. There is no such thing in college.

That's my entire point. More parity would be better for college football. A bigger field would equal more opportunities for new teams to get in.

 

[adselder09]

Yes, wow, remember when teams played 13 games, then it's oh just play one more, then one more, then one more. When's it end? 30 years from now will college football just go from September to March, play 30-35 games? I mean we all know they'd make money??? When is enough??? We complain because many sports seasons are too long??

Another straw man argument. Stop being so obtuse. No one has suggested anything like 30-35 games. You claimed one more game is going to be a big deal. There wasn't enough pushback to stop them when going from 13 to 14-15 when the CFP was established about 8 years ago. And the NFL just went up to 17 games, so there is precedent in playing that many games.

 

[eastisbest]

For starters, most teams with an 8-4 record aren't 3rd in their league. And I don't see anyone advocating for teams that are 8-4 making the Playoff. Typical straw man argument. I also cannot believe you just compared the college football invitational to March Madness. Apart from being different sports, one embraces inclusion and Cinderella stories, while the other only invites 2 of the same 4 teams every single year.

If a wider player-off, which eventual winners of the play-off era would have had a serious challenge to have won in your opinion? Adding diminiuatives like "wow" and "strawman" (which isn't just arguing against your side as you seem to think) really doesn't strengthem your argument. It's childish.

Exactly why is there a play-off? Find the best team or entertainment? Until they shrink the number of scholarships or some coaches croak, is there really much chance a wider play-off will make diddly difference in the winner of the CFP? And 8-4 isn't far off what would get 3rd place in a conference/division. Do the Math or just look at the results from the last few years. that's generally two losses in conference play. Finding another in confernece and OOC isn't a long odds situation. It's normal.

 

[14Red]

Another straw man argument. Stop being so obtuse. No one has suggested anything like 30-35 games. You claimed one more game is going to be a big deal. There wasn't enough pushback to stop them when going from 13 to 14-15 when the CFP was established about 8 years ago. And the NFL just went up to 17 games, so there is precedent in playing that many games.

 

[14Red]

Another straw man argument. Stop being so obtuse. No one has suggested anything like 30-35 games. You claimed one more game is going to be a big deal. There wasn't enough pushback to stop them when going from 13 to 14-15 when the CFP was established about 8 years ago. And the NFL just went up to 17 games, so there is precedent in playing that many games.

The NFL has no bearing on college sports!!! They are paid professional grown a%% men!!!! They can play as many games as they need to to make money. There is no need to continue to add college football games. It's college!!!!

 

[14Red]

And to just put a bow on this, until 2026 it ain't going to matter anyway. The current TV contract expires 4 years from now. Alot can happen between now and then. And really, until we get consistently two GOOD semifinal games and good championship game, 4 teams seems to be plenty to me.

 

[Auggie]

Cannot go back through all the pages to see if this was mentioned but the AAC Commish has been all over the media lobbing grenades at the Alliance group for blowing up expansion. Heard him on ESPN this afternoon and talk about a bitter dude, he even said that ESPN earned the right to exclusive negotiations and to continue as sole broadcasting partner for the CFP and they should have made a deal with them. Also said that the committees suggestion will probably be the case in 4 years as the Group of 6 will never approve anything that gives auto bids to Power 5 conferences. Everyone is leaving $s on the table which is really all he was worried about because his conference has a lousy TV deal and really needed the CFP $s to keep up.

 

[adselder09]

If a wider player-off, which eventual winners of the play-off era would have had a serious challenge to have won in your opinion?

2021 - maybe Ohio State
2020 - Florida - played Alabama the closest
2019 - no one was touching LSU, would have interesting to see a rematch with Alabama
2018 - Ohio State, Georgia
2017 - Ohio State, Georgia, Auburn

I don't think any of the teams listed would have won, but they definitely could have.

Adding diminiuatives like "wow" and "strawman" (which isn't just arguing against your side as you seem to think) really doesn't strengthem your argument. It's childish.

Wow. Thanks.

 

[adselder09]

Exactly why is there a play-off? Find the best team or entertainment? Until they shrink the number of scholarships or some coaches croak, is there really much chance a wider play-off will make diddly difference in the winner of the CFP?

I would say the Playoff exists both to find the best team and for entertainment/to make money. I agree with you on the scholarship limits and some coaches leaving would definitely open some things up in terms of who actually wins the CFP. And maybe expansion doesn't change the overall winner, but with more teams involved, more games involved, there are more chances to get new blood in there and potentially new champions.

 

[cjb5656]

Cut the number of scholarships per team by ten and roll back the early signing period. Less schollies per team spreads out the talent more, which increases overall competitiveness and fan interest. Getting rid of the early signing period eliminates the current terrible situation of coaches taking new jobs before their current season is over. Move to an eight team playoff and watch the excitement grow nationally as many teams will think they have enough talent and a real chance at the playoffs.

 

[Gh0st]

Scrapping pre-season ranking would help. First rankings of the year should be the CFB playoff committee rankings.

 

[Orin Swift]

Scrapping pre-season ranking would help. First rankings of the year should be the CFB playoff committee rankings.

College football can’t really control what the AP does.

 

[Gh0st]

College football can’t really control what the AP does.

They can't, but it's a silly exercise that only serves to introduce bias.

 

[irish_buffalo]

They can't, but it's a silly exercise that only serves to introduce bias.

100% but you will never stop it. College football is such a moneymaker and someone will always put out a "poll." Especially with legalized gambling.

And it really does not even matter anymore. You can usually guess the top 5-6 teams any year now based on high end talent being so heavily concentrated at a handful of schools.

 

[Crusaders]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1565084141577715713

The college football season is officially in full swing

 

[cjb5656]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1565084141577715713

The college football season is officially in full swing

Hate the 12 team model. Either eight or 16. No byes.

 

[Auggie]

Hate the 12 team model. Either eight or 16. No byes.

Agree. My guess is with the B1G's recent expansion the ACC & PAC 12 are now OK with any expansion, not sure why the B1G is now on board other than they think they will be fine with their media power behind them...

The quickness and the way it appears it is going to look smells like ESPN pushing through the plan to capitalize on their final years as exclusive rights holder for the CFP. With the B1G's new media partners the next contract will have to include others, specifically FOX, for not only playoff games but a new Bowl structure. In some other bits I have read they mention that they still have to figure out the Rose Bowl, they are likely going to have to change and those curmudgeons that run that thing will not be happy but then again a Rose Bowl of Oregon v USC just doesn't seem right.

 

[AEW Champion]

The new bowl structure should be that there are no bowls. Just play the playoff games, please. No one cares about other bowl games.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

 

[Auggie]

The new bowl structure should be that there are no bowls. Just play the playoff games, please. No one cares about other bowl games.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

There are three entities that care about lesser bowls: the cities that host, ESPN, and most impotantly>

 

[Auggie]

Some new news as the CFP expansion is starting to move into the making the sausage phase.

CFP expansion: Leaders frustrated at NFL as scheduling talks continue - Sports Illustrated

With the NFL encroaching onto Black Friday, the scheduling problem of expanding the playoff is becoming increasingly complex for college football’s leaders.

www.si.com

Not sure who was saying screw the NFL calendar and take them head on with the playoff dates but it appears the NFL will be adding game(s) to a sacred day for some rivalries, Black Friday. NCAA folks are not happy about this development. It might be best to move the schedule up a week. If not it looks like they will have no choice but to go head to head with the NFL and it could lead to diminished ratings and therefore lower media rights.

Commissioners have established tentative dates for the expanded CFP’s four rounds, but nothing is concrete. And there are NFL conflicts abound:

• The first round will be played the third week of December, the same weekend that the NFL begins playing regular-season games on Saturday. As many as three NFL games will be played on that third Saturday in December. Couple that with the NFL’s Amazon-streamed Thursday night game and college football will have to go head-to-head against the NFL giant at some point. Commissioners realized there is no choice. They’ve toyed with the idea of holding playoff games as early in the week as Wednesday, but that is a long shot. College football’s four first-round games will likely kick off on Friday and Saturday, the latter being pit against the big dogs.
• The CFP quarterfinals are scheduled around New Year’s Day. They won’t be impacted by NFL games in 2024 and ’25. There is talk now of holding three quarterfinal games on New Year’s Day and one quarterfinal on either New Year’s Eve or the day after New Year’s Day.
• The semifinals are scheduled for about a week later, depending on the year. In 2024, that’d be the weekend of Jan. 10-12. And wouldn’t you know it, that’s NFL Wild Card weekend, where a slew of playoff games are scattered across Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Will college football have to play a midweek semifinal? Maybe. Thursday and Friday nights might be the best options. (The championship game is expected to be pushed a week or two from its original schedule and remain on Monday.)

For now, though, until it moves up the regular season, college football is stuck. It’s up against the biggest beast in American sport, a goliath who refuses to assist its farm league, the big dog who is biting the hand that feeds it.

“They don’t care,” says one CFP official. “We’ve got to decide when to play our games. If we go head-to-head, they’ll be hurt too.”

 

[Auggie]

Another issue I heard that is bubbling under the surface is the lesser bowls are in desperation mode, I can see why as this kills them if they take playoff games to campus locations. They are throwing every excuse at the CFP committee as to why they should host. Stay tuned...

 

[utsherman]

I could give a rip about competing against the NFL. The thing I'm most concerned about ensuring is the integrity of higher seeds hosting those first-round games on campus. Kevin Warren could eff this up. If you listened closely, the said the following: "There's been some discussion about having, potentially, these first-round games on campus. For us, from a weather standpoint, we'd probably have to play [at] a neutral-site location." No you wouldn't, Kevin. Nobody wants to see OSU vs. [insert playoff opponent] in Indy. Well, local Indy businesses would. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a dude who was born in Phoenix, and spent a good portion of his life in the Southwest, thinks his team/fans can't tolerate a few hours in the 'Shoe in December. Lol.

 

[Auggie]

I could give a rip about competing against the NFL. The thing I'm most concerned about ensuring is the integrity of higher seeds hosting those first-round games on campus. Kevin Warren could eff this up. If you listened closely, the said the following: "There's been some discussion about having, potentially, these first-round games on campus. For us, from a weather standpoint, we'd probably have to play [at] a neutral-site location." No you wouldn't, Kevin. Nobody wants to see OSU vs. [insert playoff opponent] in Indy. Well, local Indy businesses would. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a dude who was born in Phoenix, and spent a good portion of his life in the Southwest, thinks his team/fans can't tolerate a few hours in the 'Shoe in December. Lol.

The school Presidents put an end to that, the B1G is now good to go with campus locations.

 

[Auggie]

Official:

College Football Playoff makes official 12-team expansion beginning in 2024-25 season

Playoff expansion will bring access to more programs and plenty of profits to key parties

www.cbssports.com

 

[Crusaders]

Now we just need a few big market bowls to start complaining and lobbying for inclusion. 7-8 years before we’re at 16-24

 

[Stirred not Shaken]

The reason for a bye is so the conference championship game has meaning, win CC game and a team gets a bye. Personally wish college football would go to 8 team CFP with 1st rd. at higher seeded teams' campus. That is not going to happen though.

 

[Auggie]

The reason for a bye is so the conference championship game has meaning, win CC game and a team gets a bye. Personally wish college football would go to 8 team CFP with 1st rd. at higher seeded teams' campus. That is not going to happen though.

Another reason for 12 was to get in a group of 5 team to keep those conferences in the fold for easy OOC games.

 

[cjb5656]

An interesting thing to watch would be a scenario where an unbeaten MAC/Sun Belt/CUSA team might qualify as one of the six highest conference champs, and let’s say lower ranked teams pull off upsets in say the ACC and Big 12 championship games…we could see a MAC/Sun Belt/CUSA champ getting a first round bye. The Power Five would be livid having to share “their” loot.