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In my opinion, there needs to be a playoff in the top division of college football. Pretty much every other team sport in the U.S. uses a playoff to determine its champion, heck even the lower college football divisions do use one.
So here is my plan:
First you would re-align the current conferences into 10 conferences of 12 teams and two divisions, meaning a total of 120 teams in the top division. There would not need to be major alignment changes. Any changes that were to break up traditional rivalries would mean those two team would still play every year, just as non-conference foes. There are plenty of non-conference rivalries, example Miami and FSU.
The regular season would run 12 weeks, with each team playing 11 games and having a bye week. Each team would play 7 conference games and 4 non-conference games.
At the end of week 12, the winners of each division within the conferences would be determined. The next week would be championship week where all 12 conference title games would take place. The games would be played on Friday Night and all day Saturday.
At the end of championship week, the 10 conference winners would get automatic bids into the playoffs. There would then be 6 at large bids given. A BCS style ranking system, except all the formulas would be made public, would be used to rank the 16 teams, the conference winners would make up the top 10 automatically.
The first 2 rounds would take place at the higher seed's home stadium.
The national title game would rotate as it normally does amongst the current BCS sites. The final four games would be played at 2 other current BCS sites and would rotate per usual.
Now, the normal bowl games would still happen. A playoff will not change that. The 12 teams that get eliminated in the first 2 rounds would then be allowed to play in bowl games.
The normal polls would still be in use as they would be used in ranking the 16 playoff teams and also determining at large bids.
Having a playoff would be a great change for the FBS. The notion that it makes the regular season meaningless, or that every week is a playoff is a joke. Is the NFL regular season a waste since they have a playoff? It would allow teams to not have to go undefeated to win the title. It would also quiet those from smaller conferences that claim they don't get a fair shot as if they win their division, they would get into the playoffs.
So using this upcoming season here is how the dates would work out.
The regular season would start on Saturday, August 25 and end on Saturday, November 10. Championship week would be Friday and Saturday, November 16 and 17. The first round would be played on Saturday November 24. The second on Saturday December 1. You would then have 3 week break for finals and rest and also so the normal bowl games could begin. The third and championship game would be played on Saturday December 29 and Saturday January 5. The 12 teams eliminated in the first 2 rounds would have a few weeks of rest and play their games after Christmas.
At most, teams would play 15 games, which is not too much. Some teams now play 13 and 14 game season including bowl games and conference title games.
- It's really not just your opinion that FBS college football should have playoffs. In fact, you are in the vast MAJORITY that wants it
- There will be more than 120 FBS schools next year with the inclusion of Texas State, UTSA, UMass, and South Alabama.
- I DEFINATELY agree with you about the regular season being meaningless... which is b.s.
Alright, I did not mean for it to come off as the amazing and original idea.
What do you all think about the recent talks about a small playoff, 4 teams? I hope something happens. There was a nice article on Yahoo Sports about the financials behind the bowls and how a lot of schools either lose money, barely break even.
Alright, I did not mean for it to come off as the amazing and original idea.
What do you all think about the recent talks about a small playoff, 4 teams? I hope something happens. There was a nice article on Yahoo Sports about the financials behind the bowls and how a lot of schools either lose money, barely break even.
It's a step in the right direction for sure. But I believe it should be 8.
- Top 8 teams in the nation. Playoffs start right after Championship Week and those teams will NOT be in bowls, since the playoffs will be their bowl game. I think there should be an 8 year rotation instead of 4 for the national title game with these places:
- Rose Bowl in Pasadena
- Superdome in New Orleans
- Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens
- UofPhoenix Stadium in Glendale
- Cowboys Stadium in Arlington
- Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
- Reliant Stadium in Houston
- either San Diego, L.A., Tampa, or San Antonio can have that last spot.
Personally, the Rose Bowl should be the host every year. It's the only bowl game I can think of that always sells out (aside from the title game), sans 2005 Oklahoma-Washington State. It's a fantastic venue, with a ton of history.
It also has the largest capacity of any of the stadiums you mentioned.
I agree too that 8 is a much better option than 4 teams. The problem will be the bowl games themselves. They are lobbying very hard to keep things the same.
Personally, the Rose Bowl should be the host every year. It's the only bowl game I can think of that always sells out (aside from the title game), sans 2005 Oklahoma-Washington State. It's a fantastic venue, with a ton of history.
It also has the largest capacity of any of the stadiums you mentioned.
I agree too that 8 is a much better option than 4 teams. The problem will be the bowl games themselves. They are lobbying very hard to keep things the same.
From a money and marketing standpoint, that would be a horrible idea. Just like having the Super Bowl in ONE city.
And you can keep the bowl games. Just treat them like Basketball does the NIT.... although I do think there should be a subtraction of about 8-10 Bowls right now.
From a money and marketing standpoint, that would be a horrible idea. Just like having the Super Bowl in ONE city.
And you can keep the bowl games. Just treat them like Basketball does the NIT.... although I do think there should be a subtraction of about 8-10 Bowls right now.
The fact that you only have win 7 games and you are bowl eligible is a joke. 70 teams make bowl games right now I believe.
I just like the Rose the best out of any bowl game. Having it in multiple sites would be better in the end.
I just have to laugh listening to the lobbying and people saying that a playoff will render the regular season useless and diminish its importance. Alabama did not even win its division, let alone conference, and got to play for the title.
1 rule - "Any participants of the FBS National Championship Tournament must first win a Conference Championship Game at the end of the regular season" - would fix almost all issues in re-alignment, postseason, and poll rankings.
After a year or two to let it sort out we would eventually have this (if certain commissioners make obvious and smart decisions)....
Georgia Southern would through off the symmetry with this but the SAC-East division could include them as the 10th team and it would still work.
The conference of Commissioners already decided that there will not be AQ status any more, and make actually make a Conference Champion requirement for the 4-team playoff (though not via a championship game), so we could be on the path to this anyway.
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