Great article and discussion. I think 24 is a bit much. I think 16 is too but if it were capped at say no more than 4 teams per conference that could help the perception that the SEC only wants it so it could get 7 teams in, I'd be for it. Definite yes to eliminating conference champions. Have co-champs if they have identical records and didn't go head to head in regular season, If they did winner of that game is the champ.
I like Bill's idea of only scheduling a year or two out to avoid the Indiana situation. Although to completely make fair and balanced schedules, while preserving rivalry games, would probably be a nightmare.
In the end $$$ will probably win out and we'll all just continue to root for the Bucks.
This 24 team playoff is bad. Would I still watch, yes, because I love college football. Who cares who the "best" conference is by whatever you as an individual want to define. A 24 team playoff is just commissioners, presidents, AD's and suchlike filling their pockets and trying to increase their job security. 12 isn't perfect and they are never going backwards, so 8 (which I think would be right) isn't going to happen. Don't make it worse by adding more teams to try and "fix" what you created. I'd rather have fewer games with the most on the line rather than more games that are watered down.
I would rather see the Big Ten and SEC settle more on the field than through a bloated 24-team playoff. The 2 leagues could stage 3 head-to-head nonconference games to replace conference championship weekend games, Big Ten 4 vs. SEC 6 at the Big Ten home, SEC 4 vs. Big Ten 6 at the SEC home, and the 2 5th place teams at a neutral venue. That would add a premium television weekend, create a “play-in” effect, and keep the playoff field at 12 without officially expanding it.
What do you guys think of something like 1 or 2 non conf games at the beginning of the year (likely against G5 competition) then a 10-11 conf schedule. No championship games. Expanded playoff? Eliminates the OSU vs Alabama series but September would be full of good conference games so it wouldn't suck. More conference regular season games makes declaring a champ with no game a little easier. Then the expanded playoff provides all those cross conference match ups at the end of the year in a playoff setting. I would care a lot more about Iowa vs Vanderbilt as a first round playoff game then I did the same game as a bowl game. I'd root for big Ten teams over southern teams in that first round, assuming OSU has a bye.
I don’t think all of this whining and crying and pissing and moaning is the way to change the perception of the B1G. It might just confirm it. For two generations, at least my life and my sons, the B1G has been two good teams dragging along a whole spring of bad ones. Fortunately the last few years they has changed but, whatever the field of endeavor brands aren’t built in a year or two, they get built by consistency over time. If the B1G wants their flowers just keep winning. Consistently over time. They will get their flowers and they won’t have to beg for them.
per the discussion 10-2 Texas who plays Sam Houston instead of OSU not getting in...
I wholly disagree with this notion for one reason: Texas beat 10-2 Oklahoma head to head and OU got in the field. based on what we saw with ND and Miami, Oklahoma is out and Texas is in at 10-2 even with a terrible loss to UF and embarrassing wins over UK and Mississippi St St
The best part of this is it cuts the knees off of those mongrels south of the Mason-Dixon line. Alabama and Georgia run that conference and rest of those dick-riders and also-rans are merely windows dressing.
The B1G has at least four (and maybe even six) legit National Title contenders. Monsters from the North.
Kudos to Doug for making a remarkably solid argument for such an inherently bad idea. Fix the rankings instead of watering down the regular season more. And tell USC, Michigan and Iowa to lose fewer games so they can at least stay in the discussion for 12.
Not a big fan of 24 but glad the B1G is fighting for something and laid out some details. Living in the South for 20+ years now, I am tired of the SEC and their baseless arrogance and propaganda machine, ESPN.
Great article and discussion. I think 24 is a bit much. I think 16 is too but if it were capped at say no more than 4 teams per conference that could help the perception that the SEC only wants it so it could get 7 teams in, I'd be for it. Definite yes to eliminating conference champions. Have co-champs if they have identical records and didn't go head to head in regular season, If they did winner of that game is the champ.
I like Bill's idea of only scheduling a year or two out to avoid the Indiana situation. Although to completely make fair and balanced schedules, while preserving rivalry games, would probably be a nightmare.
In the end $$$ will probably win out and we'll all just continue to root for the Bucks.
This 24 team playoff is bad. Would I still watch, yes, because I love college football. Who cares who the "best" conference is by whatever you as an individual want to define. A 24 team playoff is just commissioners, presidents, AD's and suchlike filling their pockets and trying to increase their job security. 12 isn't perfect and they are never going backwards, so 8 (which I think would be right) isn't going to happen. Don't make it worse by adding more teams to try and "fix" what you created. I'd rather have fewer games with the most on the line rather than more games that are watered down.
I would rather see the Big Ten and SEC settle more on the field than through a bloated 24-team playoff. The 2 leagues could stage 3 head-to-head nonconference games to replace conference championship weekend games, Big Ten 4 vs. SEC 6 at the Big Ten home, SEC 4 vs. Big Ten 6 at the SEC home, and the 2 5th place teams at a neutral venue. That would add a premium television weekend, create a “play-in” effect, and keep the playoff field at 12 without officially expanding it.
What do you guys think of something like 1 or 2 non conf games at the beginning of the year (likely against G5 competition) then a 10-11 conf schedule. No championship games. Expanded playoff? Eliminates the OSU vs Alabama series but September would be full of good conference games so it wouldn't suck. More conference regular season games makes declaring a champ with no game a little easier. Then the expanded playoff provides all those cross conference match ups at the end of the year in a playoff setting. I would care a lot more about Iowa vs Vanderbilt as a first round playoff game then I did the same game as a bowl game. I'd root for big Ten teams over southern teams in that first round, assuming OSU has a bye.
No
Great article, Doug - the more you write, the better it is for the site.
I don’t think all of this whining and crying and pissing and moaning is the way to change the perception of the B1G. It might just confirm it. For two generations, at least my life and my sons, the B1G has been two good teams dragging along a whole spring of bad ones. Fortunately the last few years they has changed but, whatever the field of endeavor brands aren’t built in a year or two, they get built by consistency over time. If the B1G wants their flowers just keep winning. Consistently over time. They will get their flowers and they won’t have to beg for them.
per the discussion 10-2 Texas who plays Sam Houston instead of OSU not getting in...
I wholly disagree with this notion for one reason: Texas beat 10-2 Oklahoma head to head and OU got in the field. based on what we saw with ND and Miami, Oklahoma is out and Texas is in at 10-2 even with a terrible loss to UF and embarrassing wins over UK and Mississippi St St
The best part of this is it cuts the knees off of those mongrels south of the Mason-Dixon line. Alabama and Georgia run that conference and rest of those dick-riders and also-rans are merely windows dressing.
The B1G has at least four (and maybe even six) legit National Title contenders. Monsters from the North.
Kudos to Doug for making a remarkably solid argument for such an inherently bad idea. Fix the rankings instead of watering down the regular season more. And tell USC, Michigan and Iowa to lose fewer games so they can at least stay in the discussion for 12.
Not a big fan of 24 but glad the B1G is fighting for something and laid out some details. Living in the South for 20+ years now, I am tired of the SEC and their baseless arrogance and propaganda machine, ESPN.
I appreciate your perspective and breakdown on this,Doug. Thank you