Playoff: why not 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4? And why use traditional bowls up?

[Great Plains Gopher]

With four teams, doesn't it make sense to have closer pairings, 1 vs. 3, 2 vs. 4 - there could be quite a gap between 1 and 4 in many years. Also, why use up the bowls, breaking conference ties? The playoff games could be just before the bowl season in December, at any stadiums, and with names of their own. That would also give the finalists a lot more time to prepare for the championship game.

 

[GophersInIowa]

That would hurt the #1 team. They earned the best ranking, so they should play the worse team of the four.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

No advantage to the best team if you do it that way.

1-4 and 2-3 is the way to go IMO

 

[GreasyGopher]

The theory is that the #1 team has earned the right to play the lowest seed.

 

[Spoofin]

Also, why use up the bowls, breaking conference ties?

If they didn't we would have MORE bowl games. Please no.

 

[5$BitsOfBrokenChair]

The traditional big bowls need to have the best games to maintain their importance. If the playoff skipped them they would have inferior teams playing in the rose bowl and nobody would care about it.

 

[Some guy]

I wish they didn't release rankings.

Just release first four, next four, and others in the top 25 in alphabetical order.

When you release the pairings, give matchups in bowl games. Not rankings.



Really 1-4 doesn't matter. That you're in the top 4 matters

 

[GoldenShower]

For the same reason that 1 plays 16 in the NCAA basketball tourney.