Why I hate the the idea of automatic power 5 conference champions in the new playoff system

[DAG 33,995]

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/college-football-playoff-bracket-12-team-final-rankings/lerlsbddp3jrannln53kzomm

 

Take a look at this article...

Based on the rules, you would have Clemson at #3 and Utah at #4 with byes. I am excited for the idea of a 12 team playoffs, but the format drives me crazy. Also, there was a very good ESPN premium article on the Auburn conundrum  with a 12 team playoffs.  Basically, it showed what the 12 team format would look like dating back to 2014. We only projected to get into the 12 team playoffs in 2017 and would potentially be a bubble team in 2019 (The first one out). The discussion being that ESPN recognizing we have an insane schedule and how that should factor into our place in a 12 team playoffs.

 

Anyway, just another discussion why we hate on our official coordinators.

[GreenTiger 1,006]

Could the realignment change that for us? 

Edited December 6, 2022 by GreenTiger

[jAUSon 2,836]

I don't care much for any of it. When there's 12 teams, the 13th and 14th teams will be controversy: that part will never go away. It devalues the regular season.  We'll see Saban on TV groveling for the 12th spot once Freeze gets done with his ass. My $.02.

[DAG 33,995]

12 minutes ago, GreenTiger said:

Could the realignment change that for us? 

I suppose it depends on what the realignment looks like. Not so sure it will be pods anymore 

[Taker 494]

What I don't understand is why they are making it seem like it is such a hard concept.... 

FCS has been doing an expanded playoff format for MANY years now and they operate smoothly... 

Generally speaking when you get to the end of the year the top 12 to 16 teams are generally the better teams in CFB so no matter what you so someone will be left out and someone will be upset.

[auskull 239]

I think the idea is to expand the universe to improve the probability of having the best team included. Remember in 2014, Fla St. was rated #1 and Bama was #2. In prior years they would have played for the National Championship. However in that year, Ohio State back into the #4 slot and won the Championship. Fla State lost to Oregon and Bama lost to Ohio State, all in the first round. 

[Hank2020 3,208]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/college-football-playoff-bracket-12-team-final-rankings/lerlsbddp3jrannln53kzomm

 

Take a look at this article...

Based on the rules, you would have Clemson at #3 and Utah at #4 with byes. I am excited for the idea of a 12 team playoffs, but the format drives me crazy. Also, there was a very good ESPN premium article on the Auburn conundrum  with a 12 team playoffs.  Basically, it showed what the 12 team format would look like dating back to 2014. We only projected to get into the 12 team playoffs in 2017 and would potentially be a bubble team in 2019 (The first one out). The discussion being that ESPN recognizing we have an insane schedule and how that should factor into our place in a 12 team playoffs.

 

Anyway, just another discussion why we hate on our official coordinators.

I assume the committee setting the 12 teans would have s process that would do that (as in 4 team playoff now). It’s a fallacy of looking back to try to show who would be in the 12 team playoff.

[CottonCitySlim 4]

Why? Winning you conference championship should matter. If you don't then you better one of the top teams to get an At-Large.

Also not sure why sporting news assumes they would be ranked this way. Conference champions get auto-bids NOT auto Top seeds.

 

[AU Is Gold 410]

1 hour ago, jAUSon said:

I don't care much for any of it. When there's 12 teams, the 13th and 14th teams will be controversy: that part will never go away. It devalues the regular season.  We'll see Saban on TV groveling for the 12th spot once Freeze gets done with his ass. My $.02.

I don't think it devalues the regular season. It makes the season more valuable for more teams. 

[AU Is Gold 410]

Winning conferences will make more sense when the divisions are done away with. 

[DAG 33,995]

14 minutes ago, CottonCitySlim said:

Why? Winning you conference championship should matter. If you don't then you better one of the top teams to get an At-Large.

Also not sure why sporting news assumes they would be ranked this way. Conference champions get auto-bids NOT auto Top seeds.

 

It does matter. You are the conference champion but it shouldn’t displace other teams pathway to playoff rankings and yes the highest rank conference championship does get the Top seeds. It’s not just Auto bids. 

"The four teams with first-round byes would be the highest-ranked conference champions"

So a 3 loss Clemson and a very weak ACC somehow gets a bye.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2022-09-02/college-football-playoff-will-expand-12-teams-2026-maybe-sooner?utm_campaign=inline-article

https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/ncaa-football-schedule/college-football-playoff-expansion-12-team-format

Edited December 6, 2022 by DAG

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I think the current format with four teams should only be conference champions. I think they screwed up years ago.

[arein0 967]

2 hours ago, DAG said:

It does matter. You are the conference champion but it shouldn’t displace other teams pathway to playoff rankings and yes the highest rank conference championship does get the Top seeds. It’s not just Auto bids. 

"The four teams with first-round byes would be the highest-ranked conference champions"

So a 3 loss Clemson and a very weak ACC somehow gets a bye.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2022-09-02/college-football-playoff-will-expand-12-teams-2026-maybe-sooner?utm_campaign=inline-article

https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/ncaa-football-schedule/college-football-playoff-expansion-12-team-format

Why not? You see it happen in College Basketball all the time. If you win your conference you should be in, otherwise why have a conference championship?

[woodford 3,659]

9 hours ago, AU Is Gold said:

I don't think it devalues the regular season. It makes the season more valuable for more teams. 

Does it? Conf championships don’t even matter that much anymore. It’s just an extra game. Last year’s SECCG was completely pointless. The entire discussion was both are in no matter what. 
 

I just want regular season games back down to 11 when they expand the playoff. It’s too much football and elite players will become selective of games they play in. 

[DAG 33,995]

6 hours ago, arein0 said:

Why not? You see it happen in College Basketball all the time. If you win your conference you should be in, otherwise why have a conference championship?

There are like 100 teams in college basketball with 30 something games. Much less variability and much less games in college football. For instance , TCU goes undefeated all year just to lose and they wouldn’t get a bye based on the rules. Then we look last year, UGA won the national championship and didn’t even win their conference championship. Have a conference championship but then also pick the best 12 teams and rank them accordingly: I am not sure UNC would be considered one of the 12 best teams if they would’ve won their conference championship. But if they would’ve won , then they get an Automatic bid and somehow someway Clemson would get in and that would knock off a bubble team in a deeper conference.

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

I like the emphasis on winning your conference.   

[Cardin Drake 1,834]

I think this format will lead to doing away with the conference championship game, and that's a good thing.  I've always hated that game. Without it, we are conference champs Nix's freshman year, and headed to the playoffs with momentum. Why hand one of your best teams a loss at the year end, especially in a rematch game? 

[arein0 967]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

There are like 100 teams in college basketball with 30 something games. Much less variability and much less games in college football. For instance , TCU goes undefeated all year just to lose and they wouldn’t get a bye based on the rules. Then we look last year, UGA won the national championship and didn’t even win their conference championship. Have a conference championship but then also pick the best 12 teams and rank them accordingly: I am not sure UNC would be considered one of the 12 best teams if they would’ve won their conference championship. But if they would’ve won , then they get an Automatic bid and somehow someway Clemson would get in and that would knock off a bubble team in a deeper conference.

I dont think they should be auto seeded, but I do think they should be guaranteed a spot. Winning your Conference should matter. Imo what's missing from the playoffs currently is that they dont use the Conference Championships as an unofficial quarterfinal to the playoffs.

[CoffeeTiger 5,133]

I don't hate the idea. Like someone said above, need to get rid of conference divisions and everyone needs to go to at least a 9 game conference schedule then conference champions getting top seeds isn't that bad. 

[DAG 33,995]

53 minutes ago, arein0 said:

I dont think they should be auto seeded, but I do think they should be guaranteed a spot. Winning your Conference should matter. Imo what's missing from the playoffs currently is that they dont use the Conference Championships as an unofficial quarterfinal to the playoffs.

I agree. I think I am going to pivot a little. Get rid of the auto seeds. That probably is a better argument!

[The Freak 2,528]

Needs to be a balance.  The season shouldn't outweigh the conference championship game and the CCG shouldn't be a free pass into the playoffs.  The season matters, so does the CCG.  They both need to be accounted for in the playoff team decision.

[DAG 33,995]

38 minutes ago, CoffeeTiger said:

I don't hate the idea. Like someone said above, need to get rid of conference divisions and everyone needs to go to at least a 9 game conference schedule then conference champions getting top seeds isn't that bad. 

Good point. If it is a fair and consistent that can work much better. Of course there is no perfect method!

[Bro Johnny Mac 1,395]

The best way to determine the champions is to start with this simple concept: the best team is determined by winning actual games... not

”eye ball tests” or “this team is now healthy” or “who would likely by favored to win in the playoffs” or “who had the best players” 

Get that straight first.. 

Thats why winning your conference should be honored first and all that junk that goes into consideration now should be done away with. Like every other sport on the planet..

Conference champions get an automatic bids. Seedings are buys are a different argument, but the same premise should be adhered to:

Winning games takes precedence over all the other stuff.. If the SEC thinks that’s not fair, pull out of the NCAA and start a new league with conferences that are comparable 
 

[CMRVHS 52]

2 hours ago, Cardin Drake said:

I think this format will lead to doing away with the conference championship game, and that's a good thing.  I've always hated that game. Without it, we are conference champs Nix's freshman year, and headed to the playoffs with momentum. Why hand one of your best teams a loss at the year end, especially in a rematch game? 

I concur; if you expand the conference season to 9 games (3 permanent opponents, 6 rotating) and do away with the "championship game", this all works itself out as the best team in the conference season is the champion. 

[DyeCampAlum 335]

I blame ESPN for a lot. When the national coverage dwarfs local coverage, all that matters is horse races: who'll make the playoff, and who'll win the Heisman. It diminishes everyone and everything else. Mississippi State had a pretty terrific year this year, but it's kind of a downer because of what didn't happen. Vandy made a ton of progress, but again nobody cares.

Also, get off my lawn.