Let's have a little fun with this, how'd you run a playoff??

[BG SBall Fan]

Since football season is still pretty far away, I thought maybe we'd have a little fun with a playoff system. How would you run it? There's still plenty of time before opening kick off and who knows, somehow this could get to the NCAA and because of this topic college football could be changed forever! (sarcasm) Anyways, here's what I propose...

-32 team bracket, the same as basketball just one round shorter.
-11 guaranteed bids, with 11 conferences, new rule every conference must have a championship game....and nothing guaranteed to Notre Dame. They'll have to earn an open bid if they don't want to be in a conference.
-21 open bids to be selected by a committee simular to basketball. Each team will be ranked 1-8. Easy enough concept.
-5 weeks, the same amount of time we sit around and twiddle our thumbs waiting for the BCS games anyways. It could easily be worked out that the championship game could be on or around new year's. Have the opening round be split on a Friday/Saturday schedule with the rest of the games being played on Saturdays. Have the title game on a Tuesday or Wednesday so the teams have a little break before the game and the media can blow up every little story possible (the running back's Grandma plays bingo with the opposing cornerbacks Grandma...gimme a break!).... (Hawk/Quinn if you didn't get the joke)

Now of course I don't see any sort of playoff like this anytime soon, however this is the most exciting time of the year for college basketball. I called off work Thursday and Friday so I could do nothing but watch CBS all day. I love it! How excited would you be to sit down and watch December Madness? (We'll work on the name later) I know I'd be a very happy man. Any other suggestions?

[Schadenfreude]

I'd go 16 teams, with 11 automatic conference bids and five at-larges.

I don't see the point of a rule requiring a conference title game. Is anyone suggesting the Pac 10 or Big East needs one?

[Old Man of the FMB]

-
32 team bracket, the same as basketball just one round shorter.
-11 guaranteed bids, with 11 conferences, new rule every conference must have a championship game....and nothing guaranteed to Notre Dame. They'll have to earn an open bid if they don't want to be in a conference.
-21 open bids to be selected by a committee simular to basketball. Each team will be ranked 1-8. Easy enough concept.
-5 weeks, the same amount of time we sit around and twiddle our thumbs waiting for the BCS games anyways. It could easily be worked out that the championship game could be on or around new year's. Have the opening round be split on a Friday/Saturday schedule with the rest of the games being played on Saturdays. Have the title game on a Tuesday or Wednesday so the teams have a little break before the game and the media can blow up every little story possible (the running back's Grandma plays bingo with the opposing cornerbacks Grandma...gimme a break!).... (Hawk/Quinn if you didn't get the joke)

Wow, you have given this some thought!! Bring on the playoffs!! I agree with your 32 game system- 16 will leave down time and you know the media and conferences willl throw a fit when some of the top 25 don't have a shot. Letting the current non-BCS leagues into the mix can majorly let conferences like the MAC show that we can perform and compete. I believe, though, that each conference can be responsible for selecting who their champion is, whether by championship game or record. Nonetheless, lets get rid of this flawed BCS system while people are still interested in college football!!![/quote]

[hammb]

I like 16 teams. I think that's plenty, and still makes the regular season worthwhile. With only 5 at large bids to compete for it keeps the regular season exciting. 32 would make it like basketball where all the top BCS schools know they're in the tournament no matter what, and the regular season loses some luster.

With only 16 teams I think you can also keep a lot of the bowls around to play during weekdays, between tourney games. That would work similar to how the NIT is played alongside the NCAA to earn some cash.

It really makes too much sense to actually work, so don't be holding your breath. The biggest reason why this will not come to fruition any time soon is money. If the NCAA sanctioned a tournament all the conferences that participate would split the television revenue, similarly to the basketball tourney. As it is the big conferences get to keep 95+% of the bowl revenues, so they'd be taking a paycut to let the non power conferences get their cut. I think overall college football would make a lot more money than the current bowl structure, but it would be divided way too evenly to make the big boys happy...and of course the big boys are the ones that have all the people in the high places.

[orangeandbrown]

And four MAC teams would never make the post-season, as we are being told could happen this bowl season. We'd never even get three....or two.

[hammb]

And four MAC teams would never make the post-season, as we are being told could happen this bowl season. We'd never even get three....or two.

As I've said many, many times. I'd much rather have one team get into a postseason that means something than have 2-3 teams get into worthless bowl games that are the butt of jokes to most of the college football world.

[doughash]

I think an 8-team playoff might be best. Conference champs from ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, and Pac 10 along with 3 at-large bids, a minimum of one being from a conference not previously mentioned. From a fairness standpoint I like a 16-team format but I really see an issue with fans of the 2 final being willing and able to travel for games 4 consecutive weekends, especially around the holiday season. Perhaps in a 16-team format the higher seeded team could host a 1st round game but that might be a tough sell.

[SaxyIrishTenor]

but I really see an issue with fans of the 2 final being willing and able to travel for games 4 consecutive weekends, especially around the holiday season.

Dedicated fans will travel for playoff games. I went to Indiana last weekend and would go to Cleveland this weekend if I had to. I wouldn't worry about the fans at all...

[doughash]

but I really see an issue with fans of the 2 final being willing and able to travel for games 4 consecutive weekends, especially around the holiday season.

Dedicated fans will travel for playoff games. I went to Indiana last weekend and would go to Cleveland this weekend if I had to. I wouldn't worry about the fans at all...

I understand where you're coming from but there is a big difference between going to West Lafayette and Cleveland on consecutive weekends and potentially having to travel to somewhere like Nashville, Orlando, Houston, and Pasadena on consecutive weekends. As much fun as it sounds, financially and logistically i couldn't see myself being able to make more than 2 of those weekends.

[Warthog]

Twelve teams, eleven conference champs and one at-large (Notre Dame or other worthy 'BCS' team).

Top four teams get byes in the first round, so they would only have to play three games at most.

First round games could be the week before Christmas (after exams), held at traditional bowl game sites (Liberty, Peach, Sun, etc)

Second round games held the week after Christmas, again at traditional Bowl sites, Holiday, Cotton, Gator, etc.

Semifinals are the first weekend of the New Year at Rose/Sugar/Fiesta/Orange Bowls

Championship game is held the second weekend of the New Year (generally still before spring classes start at a lot of schools). This game is awarded like the Super bowl since it would be bigger than the Super Bowl. New Orleans, Miami, San Diego, Pasadena, Phoenix, whoever all bid on hosting this game.

In all likelihood, no team would play more than three playoff games which is only two more then they play currently with the bowl system. And all games would be completed while classes are not in session. Teams would be placed at 'bowl' sites based on geography to ensure attendance figures could be maintained. For example, a matchup between Ohio State and Tennessee in round 2 could be played as the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Or USC and West Virginia could be the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix.

[Warthog]

but I really see an issue with fans of the 2 final being willing and able to travel for games 4 consecutive weekends, especially around the holiday season.

Dedicated fans will travel for playoff games. I went to Indiana last weekend and would go to Cleveland this weekend if I had to. I wouldn't worry about the fans at all...

I understand where you're coming from but there is a big difference between going to West Lafayette and Cleveland on consecutive weekends and potentially having to travel to somewhere like Nashville, Orlando, Houston, and Pasadena on consecutive weekends. As much fun as it sounds, financially and logistically i couldn't see myself being able to make more than 2 of those weekends.

I understand the issue of fans traveling to multiple games. But schools like OSU, Michigan, Texas, etc would not have any problems getting a huge contingent of fans to show up at any playoff football game. And if a mid-major team happened to advance, they would draw in the local fans to come root for the underdog. If it happened to be BG, I would scrape all the money I have together to go to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity such as this.

[BGorDeath]

I just want the Blue Bonnet Bowl back.

[NY-BG-FAN]

I've thought about this quite a bit, and even put a few mock brackets together. My system is an 18 team playoff, 11 automatic bids, 7 at large. Each conference has freedom to determine its champion, meaning it can come from either the reg. season or a championship game. So the winner of the MAC, SEC, ACC, C-USA and Big 12 title games would advance automatically, along with the other conference champions. Essientially the same system for securing a BCS bid now, except all 11 conference winners are guaranteed to be in the tournament. Nothing is guaranteed to Notre Dame, either they join a conference or only have a shot at an at-large bid. The top 14 seeds get a bye, while 4 of the bottom teams have to play a preliminary first round game to play the #1 and #2 seeds in the bracket, similar to the NCAA B-ball play-in game. After that, the 16 remaining teams are split into groups of 4 with 4 separate regional sites, also like basketball, but first round games are played at the site of the higher seed. The regional sites would be predetermined, but adjusted to keep potenital winners as close to home as possible. These four regional sites rotate with the championship game site, very much like the BCS rotates the championship game. The regional site represents where the 2nd round game would be played (regional championship), with the "Final Four" site being the same as the championship game. College football's final four would be New Year's day, with the championship game coming a week later. The BCS rankings do stay intact in this system, but only as a barometer to seed teams and select at-large bids, much like the RPI. The field would be determined by a selection committee. Here is what my playoff system would potentially look like if it was used this past season:

TEMPE Sun Devil Stadium
16 Winner of Tulsa (C-USA) vs. Akron (MAC), Tulsa, OK
1 USC (PAC-10)
-Los Angeles, CA

8 Miami (AL)
9 Auburn (AL)
-Miami, FL

NEW ORLEANS Louisiana Superdome
5 Oregon (AL)
12 LSU (AL)
-Eugene, OR

4 Ohio State (AL)
13 TCU (Mt. West)
-Columbus, OH

MIAMI Dolphins Stadium
6 Notre Dame (AL)
11 West Virginia (Big East)
-South Bend, IN

3 Penn State (Big 10)
14 Florida State (ACC)
-State College, PA

DALLAS Cotton Bowl
7 Georgia (SEC)
10 Virginia Tech (AL)
-Athens, GA

15 Winner of Boise State (WAC) vs. Arkansas State (Sun Belt), Boise ID
2 Texas (Big 12)
-Austin, TX

National Semifinals- Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
National Final- Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

[BG SBall Fan]

I love it! So many good ideas.

The only problem in my book with have teams like Ohio State and Penn State hosting a first round game, it's December. No way would I want to play in that. Maybe for teams in the north a Ford Field site or the dome where Syracuse plays, the name has escaped me at the moment. If anything like this ever does get put into play though, there better be nothing guaranteed to $!&@*$# Notre Dame.

[Warthog]

The pros play outside in Green Bay in January. Why couldn't a northern college team host a playoff game outdoors in Decemeber? That's the advantage of getting a higher seed and having a southern team come up and play in the snow.