Playoffs are a bad thing

Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:27 am

I was thinking about this more and I think the CFB playoffs are the beginning of the end for our participation in the highest level of CFB. The P5 conferences are already discussing resolutions to the problems stemming from judging SOS as a factor to get into the playoff. Most if not all that I've read over this year have been to eliminate FCS games and most if not all have mentioned eliminating non-P5 games.

Barry A. has proposed conference challenges. IMO, the writing is on the wall. The desire among the P5 to "level the playing field" in regard to access to the playoff will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. The split will come under the name of "scheduling equality".

Why this matters? The conference distributed close to $50 million. That would drop to near 0 if the split occurred. The impact on our operating budget would probably be a loss of about $4 or $5 million.

The impact on prestige, recruiting, football viability, etc. would be unknown. Would we be Montana-like or Northern Colorado-like?

Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:09 am

We can only hope that the playoff expands and includes one automatic G5 qualifier. It's a long shot, but might be the only thing that saves college football in its current form.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:52 am

I think another split is inevitable and I'm ok with that. I think comparing schools like Wyoming to schools like Texas and Alabama is crazy.

We may be in the same division but light years away from the same league.

I think we should embrace a best of the rest mantra. Kind of like divisions in high school athletics.

Are we higher then fcs yes we are but not truly competing with the "big boys" either.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:59 am

Like we'd ever qualify for a National Title chance, Boise St proved that and the sportswriters don't like when the littles threaten the big boys spotlight, but yes the big keep on getting bigger, i wish like i've always said, give us a bowl game or playoff system in our "lesser" division to give us something to play for for a change

Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 am

pokefanchaz7 wrote:I think another split is inevitable and I'm ok with that. I think comparing schools like Wyoming to schools like Texas and Alabama is crazy.

We may be in the same division but light years away from the same league.

I think we should embrace a best of the rest mantra. Kind of like divisions in high school athletics.

Are we higher then fcs yes we are but not truly competing with the "big boys" either.

I don't disagree that it is inevitable, but I do disagree with the notion that it will be better. Granted there is no way to know, but we would lose much. First and foremost, TV. Gone. Next would be a clear and obvious distinction between us and FCS which means recruiting becomes harder. We never or rarely beat P5 programs, but we generally beat FCS programs. That will not continue once the split happens. Without TV and the prestige of playing at the highest level, there isn't much to sell to recruits. Fan support? I don't know. No impact? Decrease? My prediction is that there would be a significant decline in fan interest but who knows.

Personally, I think it will happen and be accelerated by the playoff. I also dread the day it does happen.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:04 am

stymeman wrote:Like we'd ever qualify for a National Title chance, Boise St proved that and the sportswriters don't like when the littles threaten the big boys spotlight, but yes the big keep on getting bigger, i wish like i've always said, give us a bowl game or playoff system in our "lesser" division to give us something to play for for a change

BSU received 9 million from conference payout + Fiesta Bowl payout. That slot is guaranteed to a G5 member so not out of reach at all.

A lesser division playoff would mean we pay to participate. The lesser division would be devastating.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:56 am

something's going to happen, it's truly inevitable, and it's sad that TV $ drives the bus, even in College Football, afterall the NCAA is spozed to be an amateur level of competition...

Thu Nov 19, 2015 11:08 am

stymeman wrote:something's going to happen, it's truly inevitable, and it's sad that TV $ drives the bus, even in College Football, afterall the NCAA is spozed to be an amateur level of competition...

This chaps my ass to no end. It simply amazes me that we (in the US) willingly and knowingly accept a system that could easily be changed but is currently based on popularity and wealth as the main determinants of competition.

The college football system is in direct contrast to everything the US is supposed to stand for. If you aren't popular enough or if you aren't wealthy enough or if you don't come from a wealthy family, then you are not allowed to compete.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:13 pm

I realize this is pie in the sky. I realize it won't happen. I realize the order is debatable. This is simply an example of what I would like to see.

Basically, rank the order of the conferences and expand the playoff. This would be like NCAA basketball and allow teams from smaller conferences a chance to knock off a P5. Instead of giving us "1 game" in NY6 Bowl.

Notre Dame is tied to the ACC. Other Ind teams are S.O.L.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:16 pm

Equal access to the playoff is the only way this will end up being good. Your 10 team model is ok but I have always preferred a 16 team model. Take your 10 conference champs and 6 at large teams. That makes the most sense.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:30 pm

Wicks wrote:Equal access to the playoff is the only way this will end up being good. Your 10 team model is ok but I have always preferred a 16 team model. Take your 10 conference champs and 6 at large teams. That makes the most sense.

That was my other graph I was making...but we get the point. Take all conf champs and throw in 6 at large. Agreed. I won't build the bracket now.

Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:39 pm

I'm a fan of a similar bracket to that, but you could make it a 12-team bracket. Top 4 teams get a first round bye, this gives some "incentive" to the big schools, but it still lets the little schools have a shot, 10 AQ's and 2 at-large.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 8:25 am

Arkansas State? Toledo? SDSU? Houston?

Why in the world would anyone want a playoff without the best teams in it?

Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:11 am

SnowyRange wrote:Arkansas State? Toledo? SDSU? Houston?

Why in the world would anyone want a playoff without the best teams in it?

Because every sport and every other level of football has the conference champs of each conference participate in them.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:23 am

The only real option that has a shot when they expand the playoff(which I don't think will happen for a while) is an 8 team playoff with all P5 conference champs and the highest ranked G5 champ and 2 wild cards. it is more likely we end up with the P5 champs and 3 wildcards but there is a shot of maybe getting one G5 team in there. We need to prove we deserve it by winning the NY6 games we get in and we can't let the AAC get all the NY6 spots or they might just make them the 6th power conference. So we need to start placing teams(not just BOise) in the NY6 games and win them then we may get a small chance to be involved in an expanded playoff.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:24 am

SnowyRange wrote:Arkansas State? Toledo? SDSU? Houston?

Why in the world would anyone want a playoff without the best teams in it?

Kind of like how Belmont, Eastern Washington, Davidson and WYOMING, made it to the big tourney last spring. Wouldn't have otherwise.

Could you imagine starting a season where a team from the MWC was guaranteed a spot to play in a playoff and had an outside chance of making a run? Awesome.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 10:34 am

fromolwyoming wrote:
SnowyRange wrote:Arkansas State? Toledo? SDSU? Houston?

Why in the world would anyone want a playoff without the best teams in it?
Because every sport and every other level of football has the conference champs of each conference participate in them.

I don't disagree philosophically, but, practically, this line of thinking is exactly what will drive the split.

We (G5) will play in our own division before we see conference champs included in the formula.

I see a P5 auto and 3 at-large for an 8 team playoff. The question will be, does the split happen at that point or will the G5 be afforded access to one of the at-large spots. I predict split.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:12 am

Because every sport and every other level of football has the conference champs of each conference participate in them.

But this is the sport of football, and it is not every other level of football.

If you want to find the best team in FBS college football, put the best teams on the field and let them play it off.

If we want something else -- an equivalent of a participation trophy for, say, Arkansas State, to make them feel good about themselves -- we should just say so. Though it might be more humane just to give them an awards ceremony, instead of making them get squished by one of the 70 teams in the country better than them.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:13 am

SnowyRange wrote:
Because every sport and every other level of football has the conference champs of each conference participate in them.
But this is the sport of football, and it is not every other level of football.

If you want to find the best team in FBS college football, put the best teams on the field and let them play it off.

If we want something else -- an equivalent of a participation trophy for, say, Arkansas State, to make them feel good about themselves -- we should just say so. Though it might be more humane just to give them an awards ceremony, instead of making them get squished by one of the 70 teams in the country better than them.

FCS, Div 2, NFL, JUCO, High School... FBS is the ONLY level that doesn't do a play offs system with conference champs of all conferences.

Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:24 am

FCS, Div 2, NFL, JUCO, High School... FBS is the ONLY level that doesn't do a play offs system with conference champs of all conferences.

Well, this for sure isn't the NFL....yet.

But the point is: if you want to find the best team college football team in the nation, you pick the best teams and put them on the field.

If you want to do something else, sure, run Arkansas St. out there instead of Notre Dame.