Nelson: U stars skipping bowl game is exactly why D1 football needs a playoff bracket

[Some guy]

I am being serious with this question. I went to the bowl game in Tempe vs Kansas and the Citrus Bowl and both were awesome experiences. Did anyone go to the Detroit bowl game a few years ago? Can anyone say it was truly an awesome experience? I just have a hard time believing that Detroit on December 26 is a great experience.

Dec 26 is such a bad day for that bowl.

Detroit and Nashville are the two most drivable potential big ten bowls.
If the game were the 27th I could convince my dad to drive out on the 26th.

I’m not driving all day on the 25th.



The most drivable bowls shouldn’t be on dec 23-26



However, I suppose the 26th is perfect for every school in the big ten except:
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Maryland


If the big ten just said these teams never go to Detroit because they are too far away to drive on game day then maybe it would make sense.

 

[MNfootballfan]

Dec 26 is such a bad day for that bowl.

Detroit and Nashville are the two most drivable potential big ten bowls.
If the game were the 27th I could convince my dad to drive out on the 26th.

I’m not driving all day on the 25th.



The most drivable bowls shouldn’t be on dec 23-26



However, I suppose the 26th is perfect for every school in the big ten except:
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Maryland


If the big ten just said these teams never go to Detroit because they are too far away to drive on game day then maybe it would make sense.

That is what I meant by that question. I would have no problem taking a day off to drive to Detroit to watch the Gophers in a bowl game but I am not skipping out on my families Christmas celebration to do so.

I am thinking back to Orlando and my favorite memories weren't even of the game. I enjoyed the pepfest, the Gopher fans, drinking on a patio with my dad and uncle, etc.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Yeah, Spirit has really cheap non-stop flights from MSP to Detroit, but it's a late flight. Could easily do that, if the game was on the 27th. Just not going to work on the 26th. Would probably have to leave Mpls by 4-5am that morning and drive straight through to Detroit to get there more or less right on time for the game. And assuming no major traffic problems and/or weather. That sucks.

 

[LakerFan]

per Joe Nelson:


It's a massive problem that again spotlights the NCAA's greed and desire to fill its bottomless pockets with corporate sponsorship dollars rather than give America what it wants with a legitimate tournament.

Because, you know, it's more important to cash a check and create the Cheez-It Bowl than it is to encourage student-athletes to stick out the entire season with hopes of pulling an upset or two and making a deep run in a tournament.

https://bringmethenews.com/minnesot...actly-why-d1-football-needs-a-playoff-bracket

Go Gophers!!

Pretty sure if they ever expand the football playoff system the NCAA will be accused of doing it as a money grab to have a few more super high profile games. Not sure it's fair to say it's greed keeping them from going to a playoff system. More like apathy and inertia. The member teams that make up teams 10-60 probably want to keep the status quo because they know most years they would be shut out of an 8 or even 16 team playoff.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I am being serious with this question. I went to the bowl game in Tempe vs Kansas and the Citrus Bowl and both were awesome experiences. Did anyone go to the Detroit bowl game a few years ago? Can anyone say it was truly an awesome experience? I just have a hard time believing that Detroit on December 26 is a great experience.

Really depends what you're looking to get out of it. People have said here on GH that the downtown Detroit area where the stadium is, can be a good nightlife spot. And the game is indoors. So if you were looking to have a lot of fun, terms of "nightlife" type fun with some buddies ... it could be a fun time, I could see that.

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

We don't need a second season. Expanding to eight means four extra games in addition to the two we now have - that uses up six bowls. People would still scream they should be in the final eight - there would be just as much contention. Frankly, the BCS got it right - the top two each year of its operation, using polls. That would be fine with me. When you go to eight, the regular season is fading and you are in basketball territory.

 

[Iceland12]

We don't need a second season. Expanding to eight means four extra games in addition to the two we now have - that uses up six bowls. People would still scream they should be in the final eight - there would be just as much contention. Frankly, the BCS got it right - the top two each year of its operation, using polls. That would be fine with me. When you go to eight, the regular season is fading and you are in basketball territory.

Add in every conference plays at least 9 conference games and yep.

 

[MNfootballfan]

We don't need a second season. Expanding to eight means four extra games in addition to the two we now have - that uses up six bowls. People would still scream they should be in the final eight - there would be just as much contention. Frankly, the BCS got it right - the top two each year of its operation, using polls. That would be fine with me. When you go to eight, the regular season is fading and you are in basketball territory.

I disagree with the playoffs expanding to eight and the regular season is fading. Most I have seen would be 5 of the 8 spots would be the conference champion in the Big Ten, ACC, SEC, Big 12, and Pac 12 and then either three at larges. Furthermore if you added a first round home game now every game matters for every team. You imagine Alabama dropping a home game and having to travel to Columbus or Ann Arbor (had Michigan won out) in late November/early December?

Conventional wisdom was even Alabama lost a game in the second half of the season they would have still made the final four. How can you say every game mattered for them? I would argue it would have been better for them to stub their toe in the regular season and not have to play in their conference championship game. That is what happened last year and if it would have happened this year Tua would have been 100% healthy going into the 4 team playoff.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I want 16 teams. All power 5 division winners and the next 6 best teams. Then seed the 16 teams. Play first round as home games (or regional indoor stadiums) for higher seed and then neutral from there. If conferences want to just have one division and send top 2 teams, that is fine. I prefer a day where 6 conferences put their best two teams forward into a playoff and then the next 4 best teams get in.

This year with division winners. This would eliminate conference championship games.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan
8. UCF

9. Washington
10. Florida
11. LSU
12. Penn State
13. Texas
14. Utah
15. Northwestern
16. Pittsburgh

 

[WHB Brewer]

I want 16 teams. All power 5 division winners and the next 6 best teams. Then seed the 16 teams. Play first round as home games (or regional indoor stadiums) for higher seed and then neutral from there. If conferences want to just have one division and send top 2 teams, that is fine. I prefer a day where 6 conferences put their best two teams forward into a playoff and then the next 4 best teams get in.

This year with division winners. This would eliminate conference championship games.

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Ohio State
7. Michigan
8. UCF

9. Washington
10. Florida
11. LSU
12. Penn State
13. Texas
14. Utah
15. Northwestern
16. Pittsburgh

Aren't the conferences already putting the "best 2 teams" in their conference championship games? If not the "best" then let the conferences determine who should advance.
you really only need to have 8 teams in the tournament. The conference winners +3 at large.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[UpAndUnder43]

“Stars” might not be how I would describe most gophers

 

[SM_25]

I think you think that I am saying a meteor will hit the Earth. Instead I am saying what should happen IF a meteor hits the Earth. That is two completely different opinions - apples and oranges.

If a lot of people continue to watch lower tier bowl games, travel to watch them, etc. all this is beside the point. I'll still be watching the quick lane bowl this year. However, I can tell you my interest in it is lower than it was before I found out Cashman isn't going to play in it. When players started skipping bowl games, they were usually the guys that were projected in the high rounds of the draft. Now it is already down to guys that are looking for an invite to the combine. Perhaps in time it will be down to guys hoping to get a free agent contract or play in Canada. Meanwhile there are a LOT of bowls. There is the give and take for potential pro players of visibility vs injury and prep. If they were playing in a playoff the visibility would be off the charts. If this trend continues there could possibly be a lot of defunct bowls. There is the hook for a bigger playoff. If people are still spending on bowl games that become exhibitions or seem more like a spring game than a "real" game, I suspect they will still be around in the same numbers they are now. What are the chances? I have no idea.

Honestly, I think guys projected at the back end stand to lose more than the big name players. Being a draft pick in any round gives you a leg up when it comes to making a NFL roster. A serious injury to Cashman or Green probably takes any chance of them being drafted away. Compare that to a injury for LSU's CB Greedy Williams, which probably takes him from a top 10 pick down to mid/late 1st round pick. Which scenario does it seem to effect more?

It stinks that we don't get watch Cashman and Green finish out the season, but it doesn't hurt my interest level for the game. There's always a guy like Julian Huff waiting for his chance to come in and make a difference. If a freshman steps in and has himself a standout game, it then gives us fans something to be excited about going into next year.

 

[theTurning]

I disagree with the playoffs expanding to eight and the regular season is fading.

Ohio State's loss to Purdue this year kept them out of the playoffs. You expand the POs and that game no longer matters. That's what people are concerned about. I have zero interest in an NFL-style season for CFB.