CFP Expansion ... it's back on and better than ever ... kind of ...

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It's time for college football ... playoff expansion. Say wut? I know we have a game in 3 days, but there is some interesting news on the CFP expansion front. I'll save you the time and provide the details.

- Backdrop - the CFP was close to expanding to 12, but The Alliance kyboshed that. Since then, of course, the B1G shanked the PAC and ACC in the most geniusly evil manner possible, so The Alliance is no longer allied, and no longer an impediment.

- Assuming for the sake of argument the three Alliance teams had a valid reason, they have been resolved. The B1G wanted to get their contract done - check. The ACC wanted some other BS issues resolved, so they put together some commission to spend money at meetings and have great food and drink, and they've done what committees do - check. The PAC wanted something or the other but was really the weak feckless group they have always been, declaring publicly they were for expansion the day after they voted against it. They are now so desperate to stay alive and relevant, that they will do anything just to keep their jobs and the conference alive - check.

- There have been some whispers of going to 16, but I predicted that was The Alliance just trying to make it look like there was a real reason they did what they did - "look, but for us, we would have gone to 12 teams, now 16 teams get in." Well, more and more it looks like 12 is still the number.

- The college presidents appear to be unhappy that the ADs have left about half a billion dollars on the table by not expanding, and are flexing their muscles here. Marching orders for this appear to be coming from the top, not the ADs.

- The most surprising thing is that there is now some talk that this could happen by 2024, not 2026. Remember that a 2024 CFP is actually the 2023-24 season, meaning next year. 2025 is more likely, meaning the 2024-25 season. But, the fact that they are even discussing this is great and it means that ESPN sees the writing on the wall and realizes they will be sharing the CFP in years to come, why not make a few extra hundred million in the 2 years they still control it?





 
Screw it, 32 or bust
 
yeah they ready to fast track this now lol... ACC/PAC are some of the biggest idiots ever
 
yeah they ready to fast track this now lol... ACC/PAC are some of the biggest idiots ever
More and more buzz about you guys getting your ass whipped by the SEC sooner rather than later. Has to do with the expansion and the fact that ESPN has open discussions with the B12. They could sweeten the deal to make it worth letting your sorry asses go.
 
I saw where the most popular model is 12 teams with 6 automated bids from the top ranked conference champs and 6 at large.

There aren’t 4 conference champs that should sniff the playoffs let alone 6. If this passes it will only result in some bad blowouts.
 
It's time for college football ... playoff expansion. Say wut? I know we have a game in 3 days, but there is some interesting news on the CFP expansion front. I'll save you the time and provide the details.

- Backdrop - the CFP was close to expanding to 12, but The Alliance kyboshed that. Since then, of course, the B1G shanked the PAC and ACC in the most geniusly evil manner possible, so The Alliance is no longer allied, and no longer an impediment.

- Assuming for the sake of argument the three Alliance teams had a valid reason, they have been resolved. The B1G wanted to get their contract done - check. The ACC wanted some other BS issues resolved, so they put together some commission to spend money at meetings and have great food and drink, and they've done what committees do - check. The PAC wanted something or the other but was really the weak feckless group they have always been, declaring publicly they were for expansion the day after they voted against it. They are now so desperate to stay alive and relevant, that they will do anything just to keep their jobs and the conference alive - check.

- There have been some whispers of going to 16, but I predicted that was The Alliance just trying to make it look like there was a real reason they did what they did - "look, but for us, we would have gone to 12 teams, now 16 teams get in." Well, more and more it looks like 12 is still the number.

- The college presidents appear to be unhappy that the ADs have left about half a billion dollars on the table by not expanding, and are flexing their muscles here. Marching orders for this appear to be coming from the top, not the ADs.

- The most surprising thing is that there is now some talk that this could happen by 2024, not 2026. Remember that a 2024 CFP is actually the 2023-24 season, meaning next year. 2025 is more likely, meaning the 2024-25 season. But, the fact that they are even discussing this is great and it means that ESPN sees the writing on the wall and realizes they will be sharing the CFP in years to come, why not make a few extra hundred million in the 2 years they still control it?






Hate. But it seems unavoidable that this is where it is going (this was always the plan when they went to 4). It’s not about making the sport better it’s about getting more money out of the sport.

i hate the idea that 2, maybe even 3, loss teams will get into the playoff. Games in the regular season become instantly less important. Michigan loses to Ohio state and Michigan state? Who cares! Top 12 baby! Just stupid IMO.
 
Don't worry, the Alliance will stop it.


Season 2 Reaction GIF by Insecure on HBO
 
More and more buzz about you guys getting your ass whipped by the SEC sooner rather than later. Has to do with the expansion and the fact that ESPN has open discussions with the B12. They could sweeten the deal to make it worth letting your sorry asses go.
So, you are saying ESPN would be willing to up the ante for the orphaned 8 to the level the conference would get if OU and Texas stayed for the duration of the contract? Oh the irony. Didn't they fork over some money years ago to keep Texas and OU in the Big 12 when they were sniffing around other conferences?
 
Each change of the game promises improvements. Instead college football gets worse.
I'd say the playoff system is miles better than the BCS, which was better than the old system where you had multiple National Champions because of how the bowl games were scheduled.

Football is too demanding to go to something like 64, but if we went to 16, with the winners of the PAC, SEC, BIG 12, BIG 10, ACC getting automatic bids, and then the others being at-large, is something that I think would be the best for everyone.

Right now though, they need to reel in the NIL. Right now it's like professional sports where the richest teams pay the most, whereas their should be limits to this.
 
I saw where the most popular model is 12 teams with 6 automated bids from the top ranked conference champs and 6 at large.

There aren’t 4 conference champs that should sniff the playoffs let alone 6. If this passes it will only result in some bad blowouts.
Worse than all these 3 score + games?

2015
Oregon 59 Florida State 20
Ohio State 42 Oregon 20
2016
Clemson 37 Oklahoma 17
Alabama 38 Michigan State 0
2017
Clemson 31 Ohio State 0
2018
Alabama 24 Clemson 6
2019
Clemson 30 Notre Dame 3
Clemson 44 Alabama 16
2020
LSU 63 Oklahoma 28
2021
Ohio State 49 Clemson 28
Alabama 52 Ohio State 24
2022
Alabama 27 Cincinnati 6
Georgia 34 Michigan 11
 
Hate. But it seems unavoidable that this is where it is going (this was always the plan when they went to 4). It’s not about making the sport better it’s about getting more money out of the sport.

i hate the idea that 2, maybe even 3, loss teams will get into the playoff. Games in the regular season become instantly less important. Michigan loses to Ohio state and Michigan state? Who cares! Top 12 baby! Just stupid IMO.
That motive isn't reserved just for the CFP. Do you think the motive behind conference realignment was about "making the sport better or getting more money out of the sport"?
 
That motive isn't reserved just for the CFP. Do you think the motive behind conference realignment was about "making the sport better or getting more money out of the sport"?
Except IMO that doesn't harm the fundamental enjoyment I get out of the sport - if anything - that actually improves it. Michigan playing USC more regularly is good for my viewing entertainment level. Texas vs UGA/Alabama? Yes please. But weakening the importance of the regular season will ruin things for everyone; all in the name of giving the MAC a potential path to getting blown out by Alabama in the first playoff game.
 
Worse than all these 3 score + games?

2015
Oregon 59 Florida State 20
Ohio State 42 Oregon 20
2016
Clemson 37 Oklahoma 17
Alabama 38 Michigan State 0
2017
Clemson 31 Ohio State 0
2018
Alabama 24 Clemson 6
2019
Clemson 30 Notre Dame 3
Clemson 44 Alabama 16
2020
LSU 63 Oklahoma 28
2021
Ohio State 49 Clemson 28
Alabama 52 Ohio State 24
2022
Alabama 27 Cincinnati 6
Georgia 34 Michigan 11
The point is 12 is too many but 6 automatic bids is ridiculous. Just take the top ranked 12 teams and giddy up.
 
The point is 12 is too many but 6 automatic bids is ridiculous. Just take the top ranked 12 teams and giddy up.
That little four letter word right there is the issue. If we want to rely on rankings, let's go back to the old bowl system and let the national champion be decided by rankings.
 
Except IMO that doesn't harm the fundamental enjoyment I get out of the sport - if anything - that actually improves it. Michigan playing USC more regularly is good for my viewing entertainment level. Texas vs UGA/Alabama? Yes please. But weakening the importance of the regular season will ruin things for everyone; all in the name of giving the MAC a potential path to getting blown out by Alabama in the first playoff game.
I'm an old cranky traditionalist but I've never bought into that line of thinking.
 
I'm an old cranky traditionalist but I've never bought into that line of thinking.
There's no way around it, it will. Harbaugh would have 3 playoff appearances under his belt if there were a 12 team playoff. We had no fewer than 2 regular season losses in 2/3 of those cases and 0 wins over Ohio State. And one of those seasons we lost to both Ohio State and Michigan state.

I'm sorry, a Michigan team who loses to both MSU and OSU should have absolutely no shot at a national title. Teams who have 2-3 losses on the year shouldn't qualify for a playoff.
 
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