🏈 A Modest Playoff Suggestion

[psychojoe]

To take some of the politics out of it.

As you know, D-1 basketball has 68 teams in the bug dance. This isn't necessarily the 68 best teams. 31 teams are selected by being found to be a conference champion by whatever means the 31 leagues use to determine the champ. So the committee selects the best 37 who have not otherwise qualified, and they do a pretty good job of it, in that they have never left anyone out who was good enough to win the tournament.

Suppose we add one round to the playoffs, and select 8 teams. The champions of the power five conferences would get automatic bids, and the committee would select the three best at large teams to fill out the field, and then seed it appropriately. I know there would be the usual complaints about lengthening the season, but other divisions already have a four round tournament. It would do away with that tough political decision about which conference champion stays home.

 

[TerryP]

The divisions with a four round playoff...how long is their regular season? Last year, DII started their playoff before Thanksgiving.

 

[psychojoe]

Looks like they play a ten game regular season with one bye week, then start the playoffs immediately after the end of the regular season and play every weekend until they have a champ. I used Carson-Newman as the example. They started their season on 9/04 and their last regular season game is 11/15.

D-2 playoff was actually five rounds, so 32 teams.

 

[UAgrad93]

I know that the ADs would never go for it, but go back to an 11 game regular season with 1 bye week. Like @psychojoe said, take champs of power 5 and then have committee select 3 at large teams.

On a side note, do you guys think that the SEC would ever scrap the Championship Game in an attempt to save our Champ from the pounding of an extra game that the Big 12 doesn't get exposed too? Or do you think Playoff committee gets with the NCAA and "strongly" recommend that the Big 12 add a championship game to level the playing field with the other Power 5?

 

[Bamabww]

Or separate our conference into 2 conferences. OurWest Champion and our East champion could both be in the playoff until the big12 has a Championship game.

 

[alabama mike]

PJ I like the idea. D II and D III have had playoffs for years and the season does not have to be extended.

 

[psychojoe]

PJ I like the idea. D II and D III have had playoffs for years and the season does not have to be extended.

Mike, D 1-AA (aka FCS) has had playoffs for a while as well. They recently expanded theirs from 16 to 24 teams.

 

[alabama mike]

@psychojoe I have wanted a true playoff for years along the lines of the smaller divisions, it's just a great idea and it works. Not sure the AD's will give up the tradition of bowls, yes I am, they would not dream of it.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

On a side note, do you guys think that the SEC would ever scrap the Championship Game in an attempt to save our Champ from the pounding of an extra game that the Big 12 doesn't get exposed too?

No way. The SEC game has catapulted several SEC teams to the NC game. If the Big 12 loses out due to the no Championship Game, they have only themselves to blame. Couldn't happen to a better group considering what happened w/ Oklahoma in 2003, despite them losing that game... bad.

 

[UAgrad93]

No way. The SEC game has catapulted several SEC teams to the NC game. If the Big 12 loses out due to the no Championship Game, they have only themselves to blame. Couldn't happen to a better group considering what happened w/ Oklahoma in 2003, despite them losing that game... bad.

What I was suggesting was IF the committee puts more weight on winning your conference, it wouldn't do the SEC or any other conference any good to play that 13th game before the playoffs IF an undefeated or one loss Big 12 champ gets greater consideration. Also keeps your Champ healthier going into the playoffs!

 

[psychojoe]

What I was suggesting was IF the committee puts more weight on winning your conference, it wouldn't do the SEC or any other conference any good to play that 13th game before the playoffs IF an undefeated or one loss Big 12 champ gets greater consideration. Also keeps your Champ healthier going into the playoffs!

That was one of the concerns that much of the SEC had when the league split into two divisions and they started the championship game. I have thought more than once that if Florida had won than game in '92 and kept us out of the championship game, the league might have decided to drop it.

It is more of an issue now, since the time between the SEC CG and the start of the playoffs will be shortened, and if it was decided that D-1 played straight through in a three round tournament, I am sure it would be dropped.

Let's use this year as a starting point. Obviously much could change, but for the sake of argument let's say Oregon wins the PAC 12, Michigan State wins the B1g, FSU wins the ACC, Baylor wins the Big 12, and an undefeated Ole Miss wins the SEC. It would be hard to keep Notre Dame out, and their could be another one loss SEC team (Alabama, Auburn or Mississippi State) but then it gets dicey. Possibly TCIU would get the last spot if they get through the rest of the way, but failing that you would get into two loss teams, and the SEC would present obvious and dangerous candidates in whichever two teams from the West who had two losses from the three that I mentioned, plus possibly a two loss Georgia. Ohio State with two losses, possibly Arizona from the PAC 12. The basketball selection committee has said that its toughest work is in picking the last one or two teams who get in, and I suspect that would be the case hear as well.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I've always viewed the Conference Championship game as a start to a playoff and it would be more practical for the Big 12 to get their act together to have it. Otherwise they may very well get left out as much as possible.