🏈 Do you really want an 8 team playoff?

[alabama mike]

Sure do but right now, I do not have time to lay out my criteria for the selection of 8.

 

[ColAngus]

Sure do but right now, I do not have time to lay out my criteria for the selection of 8.

I doubt you have a case that hasn't been made many times before. Personally, I like it the way it is. I would vote no to expansion primarily for the myriad of reasons already mentioned in this thread.

 

[TerryP]

If by "rewarding" you mean let the lesser teams go off into bowl oblivion, yes, just go. These bowls are irrelevant, beyond sending fans and players on a nice vacation and getting some extra practice in. I simply put a greater value on an 8 team playoff than five power 5 CCGs, against very average teams, who aren't going anywhere, win or lose, a lot of the time.

So you've got a problem with "lesser teams" getting into a bowl game but want to include lesser teams in the playoffs? I'm reading a suggestion that seems to imply a player, his teammates, and coaches having a win to end their season(s) is irrelevant? (You've suggested losses are irrelevant, so I suppose this makes sense is some way...) The notion you'd include irrelevant and practice together in the same sentence is as baffling.

12 games in a regular season. There are peaks and valleys to everyone's season. Why would you fail to mention the kind of football that Ohio State played in their last 2 games? Against their hated rival and Michigan comes into the horseshoe with the #1 defense in the nation and they get eviscerated to the tune of 62 points. That's woodshed justice right there. They should not be in the 4 team playoff because of body of work. But to suggest they wouldn't be dangerous for anyone to play in an 8 team playoff, I'm not buying that.

I've not suggested they wouldn't be dangerous in the playoffs. I'm not implied anything of the sort.

I'm not failing to acknowledge how Ohio State played in their last two games. I'm pointing out how they played throughout the entire season while specifically pointing to a very bad loss to Purdue. On the other hand, you're taking their lack luster play throughout the '18 season and dismissing it due to their play the last two games.

That is a prime example of what the playoffs have brought to this sport. You've just "diminished the regular season" by focusing on two games versus 13. You're dismissing their bad loss, and lack-luster wins.

In this same post you've said "loss those irrelevant bowl games." And yet again, a prime example of what the playoffs have brought to this sport.

These are two points that have affected the sport--and not in a good way. Yet, you want to expand the core issue?

I wonder if if is a coincidence I find myself back to the same question--again.

Why on earth would any SEC fan want to change a system that's been so good to the conference? Why on earth would any Bama fan want to change something that's been so good to the program?

If it's the "it creates a smaller risk for failure in down years" ... it's a zero sum game.

 

[RTB X Bot]

CLEMSON

There has been talk this week that the College Football Playoff could expand from four teams to eight teams sooner rather than later.

The Athletic reported Wednesday that “there is a groundswell of support to expedite expansion”before the end of the current contract with ESPN, which runs out in 2026. And the article quoted Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez as stating that expansion taking place soon at least needs to start being discussed.

But Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who has led his team to the College Football Playoff each of the past four years, made it clear Friday afternoon that he is against playoff expansion.

“I’d be more back to two, to be honest with you. I’m not a ‘More is better’ guy,” Swinney said. “I know there’s a huge crowd out there for that, but I think college football is unique, and now all of a sudden it just becomes like everything else when you do that.”

There are 39 bowl games being held this season, and Swinney likes the fact that there will be 39 teams celebrating a win at the end of the year. He added that expanding the playoff makes the bowl games less meaningful.

“I love that about college football. I love all the funky matchups. I love the Funky Cold Medina Poulan Weed Eater Bowl. I love all of that. I like the crazy games,” Swinney said. “There’s obviously a market for it because them TVs love to put it on there. I love the trips that I’ve experienced as a player and a coach.”

Some college players who are entering the NFL draft are choosing to sit out their bowl games in 2018, a recent trend that Swinney disagrees with.

He blames the creation of the College Football Playoff for some players choosing to skip their bowls to begin preparing for the draft. Swinney believes that expanding the playoff will lead to even more players skipping bowl games.

“I hate the fact that all of a sudden now it’s not cool to go to the Gator Bowl. Are you kidding me? I don’t like that mindset,” Swinney said. “I think the more you expand the more that becomes (the norm). I know that falls on a lot of deaf ears. It doesn’t mean I’m right. That’s just my opinion. I’m not telling anybody else they’re wrong. They can have the opinion whatever they want to have. But I love the passion of college football, and I think the more you expand the less the season matters.”

Swinney would like to see playoff spots reserved for the truly elite teams in the sport.

“Now all of a sudden, ‘Oh, well we’re in the playoff. And it doesn’t matter if you’re 9-3 or 8-4. You’re in the playoffs so who cares?’ Games don’t matter anymore,” Swinney said. “Some of the games you don’t even play them, you just sit everybody. I think that would creep in more and more and more. I don’t get a vote, but that’s my opinion.”

While Swinney does not like the idea of College Football Playoff expansion, he says that the Tigers will be ready when and if it comes.

“If we expand I’ll embrace that and we’ll rock and roll,” Swinney said. “I love my job. I love what I do. And I’ll embrace whatever people who make those decisions say. I don’t make those decisions. I just abide by the rules and go do it. But I’ve always believed in that.”

 

[TUSKtimes]

Funky is right. Dabo strikes me as the non-visionary type. The meat and potatoes guy that fails to see a step ahead of the crowd. Maybe it's a lack of creativity in his soul.

Coach Saban, in contrast, has this unique ability to see the future before it happens. His creativity to his craft never seems to allow him to suffer from what's next. He's gonna be a hard man to replace.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

8 games will be ok but not if they're going to hand them out to conference winners. The 8 best teams is the only way to go. This year Bama and UGA would both make the 8 and no team from the Pac12 while OSU would be the team from the Big 10. 6 teams is best with 8 making the most money so that is what they will do in the end. The players go from March to April in spring drills...start again in July thru Jan and then off season (very little of that anymore) starts in February and leads up to startup of spring drills. If they keep the dates of current 4 team playoff startup then I guess you could say only two teams will play one week later than the last two teams will play this year and a truckload of Mo Money will be made in he process.

 

[TUSKtimes]

So you've got a problem with "lesser teams" getting into a bowl game but want to include lesser teams in the playoffs?

No, I'm suggesting lesser teams in the context of these bowl games are nothing more than the NCAA's version of the NIT. Doesn't really matter. Nice vacation for everyone going, and these days a lot of the best players ain't going. What are they saying about bowl games? It's the NIT.

(You've suggested losses are irrelevant, so I suppose this makes sense is some way...) The notion you'd include irrelevant and practice together in the same sentence is as baffling.

Your logic on this subject is what's baffling. Now, back to my visionary plan. If the top 8 are chosen, it's hard to keep 2 loss teams out, from time to time. If the 2 loss barners last year beat Jawjaw, they get in on a 4 team playoff, so what? Georgia this year, without the CCG would have only one loss and Bama would have been declared the CC due to being undefeated. The teams hosting the first game on their field will continue to fight hard for the huge advantage. No team will coast into the playoff. If you are truly worried about watered down products, look no further than all these mismatches in the CCG.

I'm not failing to acknowledge how Ohio State played in their last two games. I'm pointing out how they played throughout the entire season while specifically pointing to a very bad loss to Purdue. On the other hand, you're taking their lack luster play throughout the '18 season and dismissing it due to their play the last two games.

In an 8 game playoff, the Buckeyes are dangerous and you know it. The talent level is second to none and how hard are these guys going to play to send Meyers off in grand style with his farewell tour? I suggest it will resemble the Michigan game. I would pick them over Notre Dame right now.

Why on earth would any SEC fan want to change a system that's been so good to the conference? Why on earth would any Bama fan want to change something that's been so good to the program?

If it's the "it creates a smaller risk for failure in down years" ... it's a zero sum game.

Your obsession with the now and status quo doesn't allow you to anticipate what's next. Coach Saban is a visionary. Doesn't make him clairvoyant, just means he has this uncanny ability to read the room and properly anticipate the next move. It's why all these in-depth articles about recent expansion are following on the heels of coach Saban's comments about the same subject. He's always anticipating what's next, first.

The SEC is changing, fast. They are reloading at a tremendous pace and based on the top 10 recruiting rankings we are about to see the most competitive SEC that has ever been. 2 factors to look at: Elite recruits and caliber of head coaching and their staffs. For example, the Aggies are coming and they will look like Jawjaw and Bama in no time. We are going to see 3 or 4 super teams in the SEC soon. Why not have an expanded playoff now? It ensures what happened to Alabama in 2013, doesn't happen again. If we are the 9th best team in the nation, how many Bama fans would be complaining? That would take a 2010 season to accomplish that. 8 teams are the greatest protection against the field we can have. Eliminating the CCG eliminates attrition to a game that only hurts the SEC, by eliminating perhaps even super teams from joining the party.

This is what coach Saban has been trying to tell you is coming and fast. Pay attention.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Hell no!! Leave it at 4. The expansion talk is purely based on money and nothing else! UCF couldn’t beat any of the teams in the CFP this year.

People will always find something to bitch about. They didn’t like the BCS, so they started screaming for a playoff, get a playoff and it’s not good enough. Go to a 8 team and people will bitch then pretty soon the damn CFP will be best of 4 series or some stupid damn thing.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

The BCS was about getting the best two teams and if you look at it from that point as the Key then adding two more sure as hell gets the best two for sure. 4 is enough but down the road money will win and they will make the major conference winners get a slot and that is BS. Best 4 or best 8 and conference winners would be just a plus and not the main deal when selecting those 4 or 8.

 

[BamaSon25]

The rosters should be upped to 200 men and they play 162 games like baseball and culminate with a best of 7 series. Only way to determine a real champ. Heheh...plus I get Bama football almost year round. Js.

 

[alabama mike]

Sure do but right now, I do not have time to lay out my criteria for the selection of 8.

I doubt you have a case that hasn't been made many times before. Personally, I like it the way it is. I would vote no to expansion primarily for the myriad of reasons already mentioned in this thread.

Hopefully, will be able to get my mandates on this evening or tomorrow.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

On the Pawwwll show yesterday a caller suggested the following plan for the 8 teams. Finebaum didn't give him the time of day but his idea is pretty dayum simple and good.

Rose Bowl Big vs Pac 12
Cotton Bowl Big 12 vs At Large
Sugar bowl SEC vs At Large
Orange Bowl ACC vs At Large

This kind of returns those bowls to where they used to be paired years ago in addition to having 3 good teams (thus Bama should be in the hunt every year).

What am I missing. Working the seeding would be a hoot I guess but at least you all the major conferences a spot and still 3 more top ranked teams. I like Bama's chances.

 

[TerryP]

Finebaum didn't give him the time of day but his idea is pretty dayum simple and good.

Rose Bowl Big vs Pac 12

The word you were looking for is simplistic.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Rose Bowl Big vs Pac 12
Cotton Bowl Big 12 vs At Large
Sugar bowl SEC vs At Large
Orange Bowl ACC vs At Large

This kind of returns those bowls to where they used to be paired years ago in addition to having 3 good teams (thus Bama should be in the hunt every year).

What am I missing. Working the seeding would be a hoot I guess but at least you all the major conferences a spot and still 3 more top ranked teams. I like Bama's chances.

You still are trying to pigeonhole conferences with certain bowls. I personally think we need to have the higher seeds host the first game of the playoff and have the playoff committee select the BEST 8 teams to play in them.

If the bowls are used for the first round, fine, but your conference champions can include upsets of teams with no other way of making the playoff. How does that reward the regular season when that happens?

Where I agree is pretty much any formula that lets 8 teams in is going to benefit Alabama immensely. And that's a good thing.

 

[planomateo]

need to have the higher seeds host the first game of the playoff and have the playoff committee select the BEST 8 teams to play in them.

In full agreement with this ^^.

Why should the Bowl cities/committees get all the $$$.

 

[ColAngus]

Hell no!! Leave it at 4. The expansion talk is purely based on money and nothing else! UCF couldn’t beat any of the teams in the CFP this year.

People will always find something to bitch about. They didn’t like the BCS, so they started screaming for a playoff, get a playoff and it’s not good enough. Go to a 8 team and people will bitch then pretty soon the damn CFP will be best of 4 series or some stupid damn thing.

While I agree, the fact that UCF beat an Auburn team that beat Alabama and Georgia last year is pretty damn hard to argue against.

LSU better settle this debate this year.

 

[94 Grad]

Hell no!! Leave it at 4. The expansion talk is purely based on money and nothing else! UCF couldn’t beat any of the teams in the CFP this year.

People will always find something to bitch about. They didn’t like the BCS, so they started screaming for a playoff, get a playoff and it’s not good enough. Go to a 8 team and people will bitch then pretty soon the damn CFP will be best of 4 series or some stupid damn thing.

While I agree, the fact that UCF beat an Auburn team that beat Alabama and Georgia last year is pretty damn hard to argue against.

LSU better settle this debate this year.

aU was an over rated, injured and non-inspired team that played against a UCF team that was not only decently good... but highly motivated. It won't be much different this year with LSU, except UCF will have to deal with not having their star QB.

 

[ColAngus]

Hell no!! Leave it at 4. The expansion talk is purely based on money and nothing else! UCF couldn’t beat any of the teams in the CFP this year.

People will always find something to bitch about. They didn’t like the BCS, so they started screaming for a playoff, get a playoff and it’s not good enough. Go to a 8 team and people will bitch then pretty soon the damn CFP will be best of 4 series or some stupid damn thing.

While I agree, the fact that UCF beat an Auburn team that beat Alabama and Georgia last year is pretty damn hard to argue against.

LSU better settle this debate this year.

aU was an over rated, injured and non-inspired team that played against a UCF team that was not only decently good... but highly motivated. It won't be much different this year with LSU, except UCF will have to deal with not having their star QB.

That argument doesn’t fly. We screwed up letting AU beat us, and AU screwed up letting UCF beat them. But the fact is, they beat Auburn and Auburn beat us.

I don’t like it either and I’m opposed to expansion. But we really need LSU to kick some ass. If they don’t, it’ll just add fuel to the fire.

 

[94 Grad]

Hell no!! Leave it at 4. The expansion talk is purely based on money and nothing else! UCF couldn’t beat any of the teams in the CFP this year.

People will always find something to bitch about. They didn’t like the BCS, so they started screaming for a playoff, get a playoff and it’s not good enough. Go to a 8 team and people will bitch then pretty soon the damn CFP will be best of 4 series or some stupid damn thing.

While I agree, the fact that UCF beat an Auburn team that beat Alabama and Georgia last year is pretty damn hard to argue against.

LSU better settle this debate this year.

aU was an over rated, injured and non-inspired team that played against a UCF team that was not only decently good... but highly motivated. It won't be much different this year with LSU, except UCF will have to deal with not having their star QB.

That argument doesn’t fly. We screwed up letting AU beat us, and AU screwed up letting UCF beat them. But the fact is, they beat Auburn and Auburn beat us.

I don’t like it either and I’m opposed to expansion. But we really need LSU to kick some ass. If they don’t, it’ll just add fuel to the fire.

I’m just telling you how UCF won... aU wasn’t that good a team last year.

UCF will give LSU all they want. LSU stars are not playing and sitting for draft from what I’ve read... and in all honesty they are not that good a team... won’t be surprised is UCF wins.

 

[planomateo]

won’t be surprised is UCF wins.

Agree. Much like I won't be surprised if Texas beats Georgia.