Playoff Format Proposals

[CloniesForLife]

The current 12 team playoff is a jumbled mess. How would you format the playoffs to improve it?

My proposal:

Conf championship games for the P4 are defacto 1st round. Since these conferences are so large and there are random tie breakers I think each conference should then get 1 more team to be in the playoffs and there should be 4 at large bids (1 guaranteed G5). Those 4 3rd place teams and 4 at large teams then play each other the same week as the conf championship games and go on to play championship game winners.

All rankings are based off a multitude of computer rankings for transparency.

This allows some guarantees for each conf along with the ability for the strongest conf (yes I do think the SEC should probably have more teams) to get additional schools in. This also makes the conf championship game mean something and doesn't punish some teams that make them by playing additional games. Also if you lose your championship game you should be done. This also gets more top teams from each conference to play each other.

Ideally we'd go back to smaller conferences. Crown an actual champion from each conference and then they would all play each other.

 

[Clonehomer]

Two round conference championships. CFP are just the top 8 conference champions.

 

[Cyclonepride]

My suggestion is to copy the 24 team FCS playoffs exactly, except 3 automatic qualifiers from each of the P4, champions from the next four major conferences, and 8 wild cards

 

[CloniesForLife]

My suggestion is to copy the 24 team FCS playoffs exactly, except 3 automatic qualifiers from each of the P4, champions from the next four major conferences, and 8 wild cards

Do you do away with conf championship games at that point?

 

[ZorkClone]

In my ideal world, I would make it functionally the same as the FCS playoffs. Cut the season down to 11 games, so most teams would just cut their FCS opponent. Get rid of the committee and have the NCAA have oversite rather than an unaccountable group.

In the world we live in, get rid of the committee by increasing AQ. 3 for SEC, 3 for Big 10, 2 for ACC, 2 for Big 12, 2 for the G5/ND (to be determined by BCS computers).

 

[ZorkClone]

Do you do away with conf championship games at that point?

No who you replied to, but I would get rid of them and just have the conferences themselves determine how they want to distribute the participants.

 

[CoachHines3]

Do you do away with conf championship games at that point?

You'd have to. They shouldn't have a huge impact on a playoff like that outside of potential seeding

 

[Cyhig]

Bigger picture

-72 team league
-8 divisions with 9 teams in a division
-Each team will play all teams in their division (8 games)
-4 games will be vs a cross division. Teams that finished 1st the prior year face each other, 2nd the prior year face each other, and so on.

Divisions will be based on geographic regions. Historical rivalries will try to be incorporated into divisions as best as possible

Winner of each division moves on to the 8 team playoff. Seeding based on overall records

This of course would mean the B1G and $EC would have to agree to a completely different revenue platform, so this proposal is dead the moment I click "Post Reply"

 

[CydeofFries]

All conference champions have to be in otherwise it shouldn't be considered. I think by just doing that, it will drive up interest across the board and ensure that even if the SEC and B1G dominate the games every one will still watch in case of an upset.

From there I think you can get funky. Guarantee 3 spots to the Big10 and SEC and they can decide those however they want, and 2 to the Big12 ACC each. You can have each conference have their own playoff and third place games and sell those individually so those conferences can keep their bigger pieces of the pie, but still distribute the CFP payout to all conferences.

For example: The big 12 could have a 1 v 4 and 2 v 3, and the winners go to the playoffs (and still have a championship game for a bye maybe?) or give the regular season champion a place and a one off game for the other spot.

Idk there's a lot of ways you could skin that cat, that I don't think dilutes the value or dollars of the CFP playoff itself, but also adds value to every other conference championship game

 

[CySmurf]

Do you do away with conf championship games at that point?

Good Luck with that...those games make the conferences a fortune!

 

[Cyclonepride]

Do you do away with conf championship games at that point?

Yes. I'd also compromise 4/4/2/2 for B1G/SEC/Big12/ACC (or 5/5/3/3 with 4 less wild cards)

 

[1TwistedCyclone]

The one thing I'd like to see moving forward, regardless of any changes to the playoff format, is that the remaining bowl games loosen up a little bit with the conference tie ins. The bowls don't need to go away, and that extra practice time is valuable. But definitely change how invites are passed out to better optimize the match ups for non playoff teams.

 

[hoosman]

Why give more guaranteed slots to BIG and SEC? They have the same number of teams as B12 and ACC. Because they are paid more by ESPN? Should be 2 from ANY conference and then 2 at large to give 12. This year 1st round would be ISU v ASU, ND v BSU, Ga v Tx, Clemson v SMU, PSU v Or, OSU v Tenn. second round would give byes to the top 2 remaining teams. Third round is semifinals. 4th round is Championship.

 

[cycloneworld]

Want to make the end of year games more exciting: At large teams must have at least 10 wins to be eligible. If you are really a top 12 team in college football, you shouldn't be allowed to lose 25% of your games.

Will never be allowed by the SEC/Big 10 because they can't get their 3-loss teams in. But would be more inclusive to everyone else.

 

[Cyclone06]

Unless you are a Big 10 or SEC conference member, thinking you will make a proposal that will shape the CFP format is a fun game, but a laughable joke. Don't waste your time.

Probably best to think how to structure a new division that carves out those two conferences and let those to conferences sail away.

 

[Cyclone06]

Bigger picture

-72 team league
-8 divisions with 9 teams in a division
-Each team will play all teams in their division (8 games)
-4 games will be vs a cross division. Teams that finished 1st the prior year face each other, 2nd the prior year face each other, and so on.

Divisions will be based on geographic regions. Historical rivalries will try to be incorporated into divisions as best as possible

Winner of each division moves on to the 8 team playoff. Seeding based on overall records

This of course would mean the B1G and $EC would have to agree to a completely different revenue platform, so this proposal is dead the moment I click "Post Reply"

This makes the most sense for the fans. Its brilliant.

But LSU and Alabama in the same division means one is guaranteed out each year so...

 

[AllInForISU]

Posted this in another thread:

In my mind, it’s simple, but I will preface this with I know it will never happen.

You take the top 2 teams from each P4 conference (Champ game winner and loser) and have 4 additional spots open for 4 non-P4 champs, that will obviously need to get figured out how those gets selected later.

4 P4 champs get byes, other 8 teams play each other on a random draw with the non-P4 champs getting home field advantage.

Second and third rounds are also a random draw after the first games are played.

Eliminate at large. If you can’t make your CCG you shouldn’t have a shot. Make the games on the field matter.

And make ND join a conference.

—Would like to add, eliminate all polls. They would be irrelevant.

 

[Clonehomer]

Posted this in another thread:

In my mind, it’s simple, but I will preface this with I know it will never happen.

You take the top 2 teams from each P4 conference (Champ game winner and loser) and have 4 additional spots open for 4 non-P4 champs, that will obviously need to get figured out how those gets selected later.

4 P4 champs get byes, other 8 teams play each other on a random draw with the non-P4 champs getting home field advantage.

Second and third rounds are also a random draw after the first games are played.

Eliminate at large. If you can’t make your CCG you shouldn’t have a shot. Make the games on the field matter.

And make ND join a conference.

—Would like to add, eliminate all polls. They would be irrelevant.

What’s the point of CCG’s then if you’re taking both?

Again, make the conference championships a defacto first round. CFP is only for conference champions. The Big10 and SEC would be able to sell their CCG’s for more money if they are a 4 team playoff. You then also solve the issues around these expanded conferences and the crazy tiebreaker scenarios by having 4 teams in the conference championship playoffs.

Oh, and for those wondering about Notre Dame, **** them.

 

[AllInForISU]

What’s the point of CCG’s then if you’re taking both?

Again, make the conference championships a defacto first round. CFP is only for conference champions. The Big10 and SEC would be able to sell their CCG’s for more money if they are a 4 team playoff. You then also solve the issues around these expanded conferences and the crazy tiebreaker scenarios by having 4 teams in the conference championship playoffs.

Oh, and for those wondering about Notre Dame, **** them.

The winners would get a first round bye, losers would have to go to the non-p4 home field for their first round game.

 

[cydsho]

It was naive to ever think this thing would be implemented with any partiality. I don't think B10, SEC, ESPN will agree to anything that doesn't give those conferences a chance at stacking the deck.
I have no idea how to solve unless you break away from B10 and SEC and create some type of NFL like playoff.