🏈 Does an 8 team playoff make sense?

[OldPlayer]

Seriously, so you think Penn State is a better team than OSU? OSU would beat them 9 times outta 10. That's why they play the game tho, and they lost on that night. Doesn't change the fact that they got DESTROYED by Michigan and lost another game.

I wonder if you felt this way about "the best didnt even win their division" in 2011... lets be consistent people...

The BCS rules were different than the CFB "rules." The BCS used a number of inputs to pick the top two, even if they were from the same conference. Let's use last year as a possibility. Alabama lost to Ole Miss early in the season. If Ole Miss had continued to win and won the West and proceeded to the SECCG, should Alabama have been allowed to be in the playoffs? At the least you would expect the conference champion AND another team to get in.

The level of competition varies by conference. Is the Big10 better than the Pac12? Regardless, you expect the best team in each conference to win it or at least play for the conference championship. If they aren't playing for the conference championship, how can they be ranked high in the conference much less in the country?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Seriously, so you think Penn State is a better team than OSU? OSU would beat them 9 times outta 10. That's why they play the game tho, and they lost on that night. Doesn't change the fact that they got DESTROYED by Michigan and lost another game.

I wonder if you felt this way about "the best didnt even win their division" in 2011... lets be consistent people...

Do you really believe most people would have said that Michigan State was really better than Ohio State last year? Last year's buckeye team was far more talented than this year's model but they didn't get in. The 123 buckeye players taken in the NFL draft was evidence of that and everyone knew that. So why didn't they put the buckeyes in over Sparty?

 

[OldPlayer]

Do you really believe most people would have said that Michigan State was really better than Ohio State last year? Last year's buckeye team was far more talented than this year's model but they didn't get in. The 123 buckeye players taken in the NFL draft was evidence of that and everyone knew that. So why didn't they put the buckeyes in over Sparty?

123 Buckeye players were drafted? Who were the two that didn't get drafted?

 

[JoshB]

Do you really believe most people would have said that Michigan State was really better than Ohio State last year? Last year's buckeye team was far more talented than this year's model but they didn't get in. The 123 buckeye players taken in the NFL draft was evidence of that and everyone knew that. So why didn't they put the buckeyes in over Sparty?

No I wouldnt have and they got fucking destroyed in the Semifinals so I would have been right. Maybe this is them trying to get it right. Oh and the fact that MSU was #4 going into the final week while Penn State was #8 helped matters...

 

[JoshB]

The BCS rules were different than the CFB "rules." The BCS used a number of inputs to pick the top two, even if they were from the same conference. Let's use last year as a possibility. Alabama lost to Ole Miss early in the season. If Ole Miss had continued to win and won the West and proceeded to the SECCG, should Alabama have been allowed to be in the playoffs? At the least you would expect the conference champion AND another team to get in.

The level of competition varies by conference. Is the Big10 better than the Pac12? Regardless, you expect the best team in each conference to win it or at least play for the conference championship. If they aren't playing for the conference championship, how can they be ranked high in the conference much less in the country?

Is Penn State better than Ohio State?

 

[bamatommy]

No matter what happens there will be teams that get screwed, and coaches and fans that whine.

For the record, I think Penn State got screwed big time. Having said that, they did have two losses and OSU had one (to Penn State). Any way you slice it, there will be (perceived) injustices.

 

[252BAMA]

I think they go 16. First four seeds get a bye.

24 teams with the Top 8 getting byes. 16 teams in the first round with the 8 winners going against the Top 8 in the second round.

2016 FCS Championship Bracket

 

[bama alum]

No matter what happens there will be teams that get screwed, and coaches and fans that whine.

For the record, I think Penn State got screwed big time. Having said that, they did have two losses and OSU had one (to Penn State). Any way you slice it, there will be (perceived) injustices.

There will be perceived injustices until the CFP goes to an eight-team playoff...Then a sixteen-team...Someone is going to whine no matter what.

 

[252BAMA]

I hate the playoffs but if they are going to have them (and they are) I would prefer a 6 team playoff. Adds but two additional games which would be played at the home field of the #3 and #4 teams. With the #1 and #2 teams getting byes.

 

[We All Bleed Crimson]

Eight teams makes more sense (than 4) when there are five P5 conferences, but it sure would be expensive for the fans. SEC championship, first round game, second round,and finally the national championship game. This would be brutal on the players, unless the regular season was shortened.

 

[TerryP]

It will also push teams to schedule less cream puffs and more Power 4 games.

We've seen "criteria" change each year with the committee and here's another example of it working both ways (like the conference championships in a sense.) Washington is in despite a weak OOC schedule. Ohio State is in because of their win over OU—a strong OOC schedule. It's my opinion if OSU hadn't traveled to Norman, they wouldn't be in this season.

 

[TUSKtimes]

We've seen "criteria" change each year with the committee and here's another example of it working both ways (like the conference championships in a sense.) Washington is in despite a weak OOC schedule. Ohio State is in because of their win over OU—a strong OOC schedule. It's my opinion if OSU hadn't traveled to Norman, they wouldn't be in this season.

On the other hand, If Penn St hadn't played and lost to Pitt and instead played and beat Army, they would be in and the buckeyes would be watching for the second year in a row.

Moral of the story: You can lose your division, you can lose your conference championship, you can't lose your second game when all other things are equal. And OOC SOS is not going to overcome those 2 losses.

 

[TerryP]

On the other hand, If Penn St hadn't played and lost to Pitt and instead played and beat Army, they would be in and the buckeyes would be watching for the second year in a row.

There's always going to be a "ying and yang" aspect.

No one like polls and and NC's so they brought computers in to eliminate human influence....only to get rid of computers and go right back to human bias.

Bittom line in my eyes...supposed to be the best four, right?

 

[TUSKtimes]

There's always going to be a "ying and yang" aspect.

No one like polls and and NC's so they brought computers in to eliminate human influence....only to get rid of computers and go right back to human bias.

Bittom line in my eyes...supposed to be the best four, right?

Doesn't really matter, the committee is telling us what they prioritize, this time. The first year they were sending a different message to TCU and the big 12 about CCG and OOC SOS. I think it will always be that dance between best and most deserving and that 5th place will never be satisfied.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Difference between 20122 and now is that back then the other teams lost at the end of the season. In this case the losses were much earlier for Penn State and they obviously improved afterward. I am not convinced Ohio State would beat Penn State 9 out of 10 times. Maybe 5 out of 10.

 

[OldPlayer]

Is Penn State better than Ohio State?

Head to head? Yes. Within their conference? Yes.

Either Penn State gets rewarded for winning the conference or Ohio State gets punished for not winning the conference or division.

 

[UAgrad93]

I think if their was an expansion to 6 or even an 8 team playoff, you would see a cutback in the number of regular season games. Presidents weren't really crazy on the idea of extra games but $$$$$$$$$$ took over. But like so many have already said, if you expand to 6, then teams 7 and 8 will bitch and moan and expanding to 8 would have 9 and 10 bitching.
I think the committee should come out and state EXACTLY what are the parameters and criteria for being considered for the playoff.
1. Win all of your games.
2. Conference championship.
3. Strong OOC schedule.
4. Strength of Schedule.
5. Head to head.

These things are assumed, BUT we see Ohio State get rewarded for not being a conference champion. Penn State penalized for losing 2 games, but winning the head to head with Ohio State. Would they beat them again if they played 9 more times? Probably not, but they did it when it was scheduled. Washington rewarded for having a shitty OOC schedule.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I am curious how opinions would change (or not) if it were Bama in Penn State's situation, and Auburn or LSU or Ole Miss in OSU's position.

 

[PhillyGirl]

I am curious how opinions would change (or not) if it were Bama in Penn State's situation, and Auburn or LSU or Ole Miss in OSU's position.

 

[rick4bama]

16...

32,64... when will this stop. We did the voting and people didn't like this, remember 1966,1977 ? Then it was the BCS, it went well till 2011 remember it was the rematch both school in the same Conf. ? Playoff ,wasn't it to make sure that what happen in 2011 wasn't going to happen? I think Bama right now has more MNC ring than any other schools. We have them in the voting years, the BCS years, and now the Playoff years.

 

[musso]

No its too much. 4-team is perfect. Going to an 8-team playoff isnt going to stop the whining. #9 and 10 will whine just as much as #5 and 6 do now. The way it is now the regular season still matters, every game matters, it will greatly be devalued by an 8-team extension.

:agree:
It's important for us to remember why there was a demand for a play-off in the first place. There was a growing desire, yes, of more transparency in determining a national champion. HOWEVER, no one was arguing during the BCS era that teams ranked 5, 6, 7, and 8 were better than the top two teams playing for the title. At most you had in some seasons teams finishing 3 or 4 who were arguably just as good as the top two. Simply put, people debate about things which are debatable, hence all the discussion about who is most deserving of the #4 spot this season. The overwhelming consensus is that there are only 3 elite and deserving teams: Bama, Clemson, and Ohio St. They could have selected anyone from the second tier - Washington, Penn St, Michigan, etc. - and the four team play-off would have served just as effectively.

There just aren't more than 4 truly elite teams in a given season, and football is too physical of a sport to add frivolous games to a season. Just ask Shaun Hamilton.