Pros and Cons with the new playoff system

Con: Tulane ranked 17 with an 9-2 record after beating a bunch of nobody’s and losing to the only two power teams they played. I’d argue not only the gophers but nearly every other team ranked behind them beat better teams.
 

Easy.
Get the bowls out of the payoffs entirely.
They don’t belong.
 

So this year is revealing a potential big flaw in the system. As it stands right now, the #5 seed will have an easier game in the second round than the #1 seed (assuming the #5 seed wins the first game). Right now, Ohio St would play Arizona St and then Boise St. Oregon would have to face the winner of ND and TN. I still think the bye is an advantage but not by a lot in a scenario like this.

An easy change would be to reseed 1-8 after the first round games.
There’s no reason Boise should get bumped to #4. There doesn’t need to be any special exemptions for conference champions. That’s a relic of the Power-5 era.
 


Another report/insight to what might come in 2026.

SEC and B1G get 4 spots each.

Gets muddy after that. I'd go to 14 spots and give B12 and ACC each 2. Then it's Notre Dame and top G5. If ND is bad, 2 G5 programs.

Top 2 in B1G/SEC advance to bracket, ACC and B12 have 1v4 and 2v3 for their two spots in the bracket.

Conference Championship weekend becomes all play in games.
B1G and SEC would have their 3v6 and 4v5 teams play for their 3rd and 4th spots.
B12 and ACC would have their 1v4 and 2v3 for their two spots. (They could automatically qualify the #1 and have 2v3 for the 2nd spot)

 


Another report/insight to what might come in 2026.

SEC and B1G get 4 spots each.

Gets muddy after that. I'd go to 14 spots and give B12 and ACC each 2. Then it's Notre Dame and top G5. If ND is bad, 2 G5 programs.

Top 2 in B1G/SEC advance to bracket, ACC and B12 have 1v4 and 2v3 for their two spots in the bracket.

Conference Championship weekend becomes all play in games.
B1G and SEC would have their 3v6 and 4v5 teams play for their 3rd and 4th spots.
B12 and ACC would have their 1v4 and 2v3 for their two spots. (They could automatically qualify the #1 and have 2v3 for the 2nd spot)

Are the other conferences who have votes in how the CFP is formatted really going to go for both the B1G and SEC getting 4 spots each? I get that the B1G and SEC hold a lot of power, and could always threaten to mutually break off and do their own thing, but is that really enough to get something like this approved?
 

Are the other conferences who have votes in how the CFP is formatted really going to go for both the B1G and SEC getting 4 spots each? I get that the B1G and SEC hold a lot of power, and could always threaten to mutually break off and do their own thing, but is that really enough to get something like this approved?
I heard this morning that the B1G/SEC really hold all the power and would likely automatically get the 1 and 2 seed every year in any format.

The selling point is the Top team from the B1G and SEC get the bye and the Top B12 and ACC would get a home game.
 
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Are the other conferences who have votes in how the CFP is formatted really going to go for both the B1G and SEC getting 4 spots each? I get that the B1G and SEC hold a lot of power, and could always threaten to mutually break off and do their own thing, but is that really enough to get something like this approved?
Yes.
 

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I love the current 12 team set up with 4 first round byes for the 4 highest rated conference champs. I don't care that they aren't the 4 highest rated teams. Win your conference or transfer to a weaker one if you don't like it!

I think the SEC & B1G want to change things because the other conferences are getting too much exposure and that might help those conferences future TV contracts and make them more powerful. When is the last time there was so much interest in the ACC, Big 12 and G5 championship games? Those conferences were basically forgotten in the 4 team playoff. Non-P2 conferences got five teams into the CFP! I think it's so fun seeing the new blood, but I'm sure the P2 will do everything in their power to ruin it. They don't want a truly national sport with real parity. It's a shame.

Watching Arizona State, SMU and Boise State compete in the CFP is probably the closest we'll get most years to seeing how a team like the Gophers might fair.
 



Maybe I'm in the minority, but I love the current 12 team set up with 4 first round byes for the 4 highest rated conference champs. I don't care that they aren't the 4 highest rated teams. Win your conference or transfer to a weaker one if you don't like it!

I think the SEC & B1G want to change things because the other conferences are getting toomuch exposure and that might help those conferences future TV contracts and make them more powerful. When is the last time there was so much interest in the ACC, Big 12 and G5 championship games? Those conferences were basically forgotten in the 4 team playoff. Non-P2 conferences got five teams into the CFP! I think it's so fun seeing the new blood, but I'm sure the P2 will do everything in their power to ruin it. They don't want a truly national sport with real parity. It's a shame.

Watching Arizona State, SMU and Boise State compete in the CFP is probably the closest we'll get most years to seeing how a team like the Gophers might fair.
Could not agree more. The argument goes both ways. Join a weaker conference if you want a better path to winning a 'Conference Champion Auto Bid'.

4 guaranteed bids for both the B1G and SEC is pathetic and embarrassing. I'm fine with any conference getting as many at large bids as they are deemed worthy of getting in any particular season. However, being guaranteed multiple bids is a joke and will chase me from the playoffs already.

The only teams I plan on watching in this years playoffs are Arizona St, Boise St, Indiana, and SMU.

Expand the tourney one final time to 20 teams with ALL of the conference champions getting auto bids and the remaining 11 teams being at large teams. Seed the teams 1-20 with four First Round games (13 versus 20, 14 versus 19, 15 versus 18, and 16 versus 17). Would think it would satisfy almost everyone for these reasons:

1. The B1G and SEC will get their 4+ bids virtually every year, though it won't be guaranteed.
2. Notre Dame will be in almost every year along with the other Blue Bloods.
3. ALL the conference champions get a bid.
4. First round matchups will often be G5 Conference Champions versus 'Last at large' P5 teams. Thus, will probably get some competitive games along with having the 'little guy' versus the 'big guy' narrative.

A 20 team tourney this year would look something like this:

1 Oregon
16 South Carolina/ 17 Army

8 Tennessee
9 Boise St

5 Notre Dame
12 Arizona St

4 Penn St
13 Ole Miss/ 20 Jacksonville St

3 Texas
14 Clemson/ 19 Ohio

6 Ohio St
11 Alabama

7 Indiana
10 SMU

2 Georgia
15 Miami (FL)/ 18 Marshall

I adjusted the seeding a little bit on a few teams so teams from the same conference could not meet until the Quarterfinals.
 
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Are top picks really going to gamble by playing multiple playoff games and risking injury?
 

Could not agree more. The argument goes both ways. Join a weaker conference if you want a better path to winning a 'Conference Champion Auto Bid'.

4 guaranteed bids for both the B1G and SEC is pathetic and embarrassing. I'm fine with any conference getting as many at large bids as they are deemed worthy of getting in any particular season. However, being guaranteed multiple bids is a joke and will chase me from the playoffs already.

The only teams I plan on watching in this years playoffs are Arizona St, Boise St, Indiana, and SMU.

Expand the tourney one final time to 20 teams with ALL of the conference champions getting auto bids and the remaining 11 teams being at large teams. Seed the teams 1-20 with four First Round games (13 versus 20, 14 versus 19, 15 versus 18, and 16 versus 17). Would think it would satisfy almost everyone for these reasons:

1. The B1G and SEC will get their 4+ bids virtually every year, though it won't be guaranteed.
2. Notre Dame will be in almost every year along with the other Blue Bloods.
3. ALL the conference champions get a bid.
4. First round matchups will often be G5 Conference Champions versus 'Last at large' P5 teams. Thus, will probably get some competitive games along with having the 'little guy' versus the 'big guy' narrative.

A 20 team tourney this year would look something like this:

1 Oregon
16 South Carolina/ 17 Army

8 Tennessee
9 Boise St

5 Notre Dame
12 Arizona St

4 Penn St
13 Ole Miss/ 20 Jacksonville St

3 Texas
14 Clemson/ 19 Ohio

6 Ohio St
11 Alabama

7 Indiana
10 SMU

2 Georgia
15 Miami (FL)/ 18 Marshall

I adjusted the seeding a little bit on a few teams so teams from the same conference could not meet until the Quarterfinals.
I agree 3-4 auto bids would be a joke. I’m concerned about expanding it more because these are young men and most of them still aren’t getting paid that much to beat up their bodies. The longer the season the more likely injuries become some of which will last a lifetime. Plus, many of them are actually pursuing degrees. I love the entertainment, but there has to be a limit.

I actually think your idea would work if they eliminated conference championship games. Why have one if both teams will get in anyway especially in the P4. I know they don’t want to eliminate them because they earn a lot of money, but your idea would probably generate even more because you’d get intriguing, unique matchups and a lot more underdog scenarios. Again, I think this is exactly why the B1G and SEC and wider P4 won’t go for it. It is not in their best interest to increase the visibility of lessor leagues.
 





Maybe I'm in the minority, but I love the current 12 team set up with 4 first round byes for the 4 highest rated conference champs. I don't care that they aren't the 4 highest rated teams. Win your conference or transfer to a weaker one if you don't like it!

I think the SEC & B1G want to change things because the other conferences are getting too much exposure and that might help those conferences future TV contracts and make them more powerful. When is the last time there was so much interest in the ACC, Big 12 and G5 championship games? Those conferences were basically forgotten in the 4 team playoff. Non-P2 conferences got five teams into the CFP! I think it's so fun seeing the new blood, but I'm sure the P2 will do everything in their power to ruin it. They don't want a truly national sport with real parity. It's a shame.

Watching Arizona State, SMU and Boise State compete in the CFP is probably the closest we'll get most years to seeing how a team like the Gophers might fair.
Ours in Indiana.

We need an up year and an easy schedule (see Indiana).
 

2 games in, CON is pretty uninteresting football.

Can the Ohio State University make it 3 for 3 for the Big 10* tonight?





*Universities with Big 10 Men's Hockey.
 

Looks like they can make it an eight team playoff. The talent looks pretty weak once you get out of the top eight. Atleat so far unless Clemson turns this around.
 

Looks like they can make it an eight team playoff. The talent looks pretty weak once you get out of the top eight. Atleat so far unless Clemson turns this around.

Indiana (Boise State) - Oregon
Tennessee - Georgia
Ohio State - Texas
Notre Dame - Penn State

Get rid of Indiana and that would be legit with home games. I know they have to appease the non power 4 so throw Boise in there. Perfect.

Obviously it's moving to 16 so irrelevant.
 

2 games in, CON is pretty uninteresting football.

Can the Ohio State University make it 3 for 3 for the Big 10* tonight?





*Universities with Big 10 Men's Hockey.

The Big 10 Hockey Schools are now a perfect 5-0 with Notre Dame vs Georgia still pending.
 

I’m just bumping this so we can have all three of the top threads discussing the same thing: how to structure and manage the playoff. At least this one is actually on topic.
 

The Big 10 Hockey Schools are now a perfect 5-0 with Notre Dame vs Georgia still pending.
The Big 10 Hockey Schools have now run up a 6-0 perfect record in the CFP.

Also covered all 6.
 

I'm not going to pile on the "they got the seeding wrong" bandwagon. this is the 1st year for an expanded playoff - and we don't know if this is a trend or an anomaly.

but, I have a suspicion that in the era of NIL and unlimited transfers, we are going to see fewer undefeated 'super teams.' instead, like this year, I think we are going to see a lot of 1-loss and 2-loss teams in the field with associated questions/debates over seeding.

and that's fine. if the #1 and #2 seeds romped through the playoffs, it wouldn't be as interesting.
 

Watching teams win the Sugar Bowl/Rose Bowl/etc. and having a big celebration with confetti and a big ceremony, only to have to play in the Cotton Bowl or Orange Bowl and have the same thing happen a week later is really dumb IMO. Maybe this is a minor thing that I'm overreacting to, but the fact that these are presented as traditional bowls seems really ridiculous. Just make them CFP games.

And I know attendance doesn't matter a lick as it's all about TV ratings, but I could definitely see fan fatigue setting in once year 2/3 come along. Expecting fans to travel all around the country on one weeks notice seems like wishful thinking.

Final rant- 12 is more than enough teams. Could have probably just been 8. Any more than 12 and this gets really ridiculous and blowouts will be even more extreme.
 

Watching teams win the Sugar Bowl/Rose Bowl/etc. and having a big celebration with confetti and a big ceremony, only to have to play in the Cotton Bowl or Orange Bowl and have the same thing happen a week later is really dumb IMO. Maybe this is a minor thing that I'm overreacting to, but the fact that these are presented as traditional bowls seems really ridiculous. Just make them CFP games.

And I know attendance doesn't matter a lick as it's all about TV ratings, but I could definitely see fan fatigue setting in once year 2/3 come along. Expecting fans to travel all around the country on one weeks notice seems like wishful thinking.

Final rant- 12 is more than enough teams. Could have probably just been 8. Any more than 12 and this gets really ridiculous and blowouts will be even more extreme.
The bowls being baked into the CFP setup is kind of strange. First round and last round are labeled as CFP games but then in the middle you have two traditional bowl games so Ohio State for example could end up winning the Rose and Cotton bowls in the same year.

That said, it is a good way to avoid needing to find even more bowl teams to fill all the spots if you were to completely take the 12 CFP teams out of the bowl mix.

The CFP process is a tough ask for fans but the diehards will do it. Say a 1st round road team like Tennessee had won and advanced that would mean games in Ohio, California, Texas and then Georgia. That is a lot of travel for hometown fans and nearly impossible for students.

All that said, as a college football fan without a true rooting interest in the field I have enjoyed watching the games and will tune in for the rest of them. Has not been the same for other bowl games, those I might just have on in the background or whatever but haven't specifically set out to watch those games.
 

The bowls being baked into the CFP setup is kind of strange. First round and last round are labeled as CFP games but then in the middle you have two traditional bowl games so Ohio State for example could end up winning the Rose and Cotton bowls in the same year.

That said, it is a good way to avoid needing to find even more bowl teams to fill all the spots if you were to completely take the 12 CFP teams out of the bowl mix.

The CFP process is a tough ask for fans but the diehards will do it. Say a 1st round road team like Tennessee had won and advanced that would mean games in Ohio, California, Texas and then Georgia. That is a lot of travel for hometown fans and nearly impossible for students.

All that said, as a college football fan without a true rooting interest in the field I have enjoyed watching the games and will tune in for the rest of them. Has not been the same for other bowl games, those I might just have on in the background or whatever but haven't specifically set out to watch those games.

I think having the 6 Bowls helps with footing the Bill for all this.

6 Bowls = 6 Individual Title Sponsors
 

This is why I’d like to see more games on campus. Even the NFL understands you should only have your championship at a neutral site. College can maybe stretch that to two with Bowl week, but rounds 1 and 2 should be on campus.

Either keep the playoff at 12 or even move it to 16. Ditch the conf championship games and replace them with on campus first round. Keep the quarter finals on campus as well. Then rotate the semi finals between the NY6 bowls and play the championship wherever you want, keeping neutral site games down to 2 rounds.
 

Watching teams win the Sugar Bowl/Rose Bowl/etc. and having a big celebration with confetti and a big ceremony, only to have to play in the Cotton Bowl or Orange Bowl and have the same thing happen a week later is really dumb IMO. Maybe this is a minor thing that I'm overreacting to, but the fact that these are presented as traditional bowls seems really ridiculous. Just make them CFP games.

And I know attendance doesn't matter a lick as it's all about TV ratings, but I could definitely see fan fatigue setting in once year 2/3 come along. Expecting fans to travel all around the country on one weeks notice seems like wishful thinking.

Final rant- 12 is more than enough teams. Could have probably just been 8. Any more than 12 and this gets really ridiculous and blowouts will be even more extreme.
It'll definitely be an issue. Look at Texas and Penn St.

Between Nov 7 and Dec 9/10, they each will have played 3 neutral games along with a home playoff game. It's possible in the future for a team to play 4 neutral and 1 away game in a month and a half.
 




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