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

[Voltaire]

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.

Get those words out of your mouth!!!! 8 is the best ... 12 or 16 are much better than 4.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Get those words out of your mouth!!!! 8 is the best ... 12 or 16 are much better than 4.

I think the playoff shouldn't have existed to begin with, 4 is already too many IMO. But expanding beyond 4 means we can essentially shrug off losses to MSU or OSU because we can still make the playoff, which is silly.

 

[Wild Turkey]

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.

There is no way the 4 best teams aren't going to be ranked in the top 12 and there is no way anyone outside the top 6 has a prayer of winning so if people want to argue that the number 13, 15 or 18 team should have been in then let them waste their breath because that is all they are doing.

I'm fine with 4 teams as we haven't had one year where all 4 deserved to be there. If they want to expand to 12 then so be it but automatic bids are stupid and some of those spots will be participation rewards.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I'm an old cranky traditionalist but I've never bought into that line of thinking.

looking back at the rankings,
2021:
11-3 Utah makes the playoff
2019:
9-3 Auburn makes the playoff
2018:
9-3 LSU
9-3 Florida
9-3 Washington ALL make the playoff

This is dumb. Just my opinion. Pretty much every year we're guaranteeing at least one 3 loss team enters the playoff for a national title. There's no way to argue this doesn't diminish the regular season. Instead of saying you need to end the season top 2, or top 4, we're saying you just need to end the season top 12; which is no where near as hard as ending top 4, or top 2.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm an old cranky traditionalist but I've never bought into that line of thinking.

Yeah and folks keep bringing it up like there is evidence that it would hurt the regular season.

If anything, it keeps more interest in the regular season. There is a reason that professional sports leagues keep looking to expand their playoffs...and it ain't because it "ruins the regular season".

The way things are currently, a team can lose 1 game and have their playoff hopes ended. That hurts interest in their games. The longer a team can stay in contention, the longer there is interest in their games.

It's likely a big reason why the NFL regular season went to 17 games. There really isn't a way for them to expand their playoff...but that extra game means 1 more week of teams fighting for playoff spots/seeding.

 

[Top Cat]

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.

I think I fundamentally disagree. The current trajectory was even worse where outside of about 5-8 programs, you're totally irrelevant and realistically about 6 of those programs (feeling generous today) are in two conferences pending transitions. CFB has to do something to keep the bottom 90% of the sport interested. It's already the rich getting richer situation, but that has a way of killing the goose.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I think I fundamentally disagree. The current trajectory was even worse where outside of about 5-8 programs, you're totally irrelevant and realistically about 6 of those programs (feeling generous today) are in two conferences pending transitions. CFB has to do something to keep the bottom 90% of the sport interested. It's already the rich getting richer situation, but that has a way of killing the goose.

The BCS had the right model. Top 2 teams are playing for a title, the other top 10 or so were in "BCS Bowls". They ruined the BCS bowls with the 4 team playoff and now we have essentially 3 bowl games that matter, and a bunch that are meaningless where kids sit out.

What should happen is that G5 conferences should be relegated into it's own playoff.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Yeah and folks keep bringing it up like there is evidence that it would hurt the regular season.

If anything, it keeps more interest in the regular season. There is a reason that professional sports leagues keep looking to expand their playoffs...and it ain't because it "ruins the regular season".

The way things are currently, a team can lose 1 game and have their playoff hopes ended. That hurts interest in their games. The longer a team can stay in contention, the longer there is interest in their games.

It's likely a big reason why the NFL regular season went to 17 games. There really isn't a way for them to expand their playoff...but that extra game means 1 more week of teams fighting for playoff spots/seeding.

how is it interesting? "Michigan and Ohio State enter the final game of the season where.....almost nothing is on the line. Both are going to the playoff, there's absolutely no mathematical way either aren't in the final 12 ranking".

"Alabama and LSU face off for....oh wait, nope -- both are in the top 12...along with UGA".

The final games of the season, where the most drama currently exists, are relegated into mere pointless exhibition matches before the 12 team playoff.

I can see the headlines now!
"It's rivalry week, where nothing but bragging rights are on the line!"

 

[trojanfan12]

how is it interesting? "Michigan and Ohio State enter the final game of the season where.....almost nothing is on the line. Both are going to the playoff, there's absolutely no mathematical way either aren't in the final 12 ranking".

"Alabama and LSU face off for....oh wait, nope -- both are in the top 12...along with UGA".

I guess it would be the same as when they meet with "almost nothing on the line" when neither team has a chance at making the playoff.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I guess it would be the same as when they meet with "almost nothing on the line" when neither team has a chance at making the playoff.

And when nothing is on the line. No one cares. How many people watched USC vs any other California teams last year? Vs USC Stanford when Harbaugh was there and USC was good?

People said the playoff wooodnt ruin bowl games either. But now look at it. Who cares about what the rose bowl is now?

 

[trojanfan12]

And when nothing is on the line. No one cares. How many people watched USC vs any other California teams last year? Vs USC Stanford when Harbaugh was there and USC was good?

People said the playoff wooodnt ruin bowl games either. But now look at it. Who cares about what the rose bowl is now?

lol

Yeah...no one cares about rivalry games.

 

[Top Cat]

lol

Yeah...no one cares about rivalry games.

Hot take: Games like the Backyard Brawl are actually more important than the CFP for the success of CFB.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

lol

Yeah...no one cares about rivalry games.

I think LESS people care because it has no national relevance. Just like the "BCS bowls" now, I think people watch but they certainly don't have the impact or the importance that they used to carry.

Michigan Ohio State in 2016 was gut wrenching for Michigan because it not only kept us out of the B10 but it kept us out of the playoff. In this scenario, it wouldn't have mattered. Michigan makes it into the playoff after JT was short. Does it still matter because it's Michigan Ohio State? Sure. Does it matter less because there's less on the line, by specific design of the playoff, also yes.

Both Michigan/OSU and UGA/Bama last year become irrelevant games nationally, all teams are a lock for a playoff. At that point you're just playing for what position you're in, in the playoff. Even Cincy's last game that had a bunch of tension along with it against Houston....would mean nothing. Cincy was a lock to finish top 12 at that point. The regular season drama that sets CFB apart from, say, the pointless regular season in College Basketball, would be all but gone.

 

[Voltaire]

I think the playoff shouldn't have existed to begin with, 4 is already too many IMO. But expanding beyond 4 means we can essentially shrug off losses to MSU or osu because we can still make the playoff, which is silly.

Losses to Michigan State and ohio state is never in my brain ... But I do agree a three loss team should not be allowed and two losses is permissible but one of them must be an OOC Playoff Quality team. Example: ohio state last year with loses to Oregon and Michigan would be available.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think LESS people care because it has no national relevance. Just like the "BCS bowls" now, I think people watch but they certainly don't have the impact or the importance that they used to carry.

Michigan Ohio State in 2016 was gut wrenching for Michigan because it not only kept us out of the B10 but it kept us out of the playoff. In this scenario, it wouldn't have mattered. Michigan makes it into the playoff after JT was short. Does it still matter because it's Michigan Ohio State? Sure. Does it matter less because there's less on the line, by specific design of the playoff, also yes.

This doesn't refute anything I've said. There may be a little less interest if nothing is on the line, so it really doesn't matter why there is nothing on the line.

Whether it's because neither team can make it, or both have already made it...doesn't matter.

Also, if both Michigan and tOSU are guaranteed playoff spots going into that game, it seems likely that both a spot in the B1G championship game and playoff seeding would be on the line.

 

[Volbound1700]

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

Yeah people that say don't play the game because it will be a blowout is just lame. Blowouts are going to happen no matter who is in the game.

NFL, which is scaled to try to be equal in terms of playing talent, has blowouts all of the time as well including in Playoff games and even Super Bowls.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

This doesn't refute anything I've said. There may be a little less interest if nothing is on the line, so it really doesn't matter why there is nothing on the line.

Whether it's because neither team can make it, or both have already made it...doesn't matter.

Also, if both Michigan and tOSU are guaranteed playoff spots going into that game, it seems likely that both a spot in the B1G championship game and playoff seeding would be on the line.

Why would we want to turn rivalry games into the same significance as if both teams were bad? And that's a great way to make conference championships irrelevant. Anyone care that UGA doesn't have a conference title last year? You think many Alabama fans bought SEC championship gear?

 

[Volbound1700]

And that's a great way to make conference championships irrelevant. Anyone care that UGA doesn't have a conference title last year?

When was the last time a Conference Champion won the Super Bowl? (The team that won the AFC or NFC).

The Rams and Bengals were definitely not Conference Champions last year and Tampa Bay was a #5 seed in 2021.

You can also look at College Basketball or Baseball and often see teams winning the National Title that did not win their conference. It is actually pretty common in sports.

 

[Top Cat]

Yeah people that say don't play the game because it will be a blowout is just lame. Blowouts are going to happen no matter who is in the game.

NFL, which is scaled to try to be equal in terms of playing talent, has blowouts all of the time as well including in Playoff games and even Super Bowls.

Yep. Football lends itself to blowouts; better team usually wins compared to other sports, especially at home. It's not uncommon to see the best record in the NFL be 13-14 wins in a 16-17 game season.

If you translated that to baseball, that would be an earth-shattering record breaking occurrence. CFB is gonna have all of those things juiced to the nth power.

 

[Wild Turkey]

how is it interesting? "Michigan and Ohio State enter the final game of the season where.....almost nothing is on the line. Both are going to the playoff, there's absolutely no mathematical way either aren't in the final 12 ranking".

"Alabama and LSU face off for....oh wait, nope -- both are in the top 12...along with UGA".

The final games of the season, where the most drama currently exists, are relegated into mere pointless exhibition matches before the 12 team playoff.

I can see the headlines now!
"It's rivalry week, where nothing but bragging rights are on the line!"

They are playing for bracket position as that will matter. The top teams playing the lower teams will be like a bye. The middle is where the good games should be.