College presidents approve new four team playoff format

[jojo]

I'm surprised this isn't getting more discussion:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...beginning-2014

I'm especially surprised since the two main topics that need further discussion are doosies...

Two main topics that need further discussion are how teams will be selected and how revenue will be distributed. The commissioners have agreed in principle as to how the revenue will be divided, according to Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, but that has not been made public yet.

[Redsfaithful]

I don't want to complain, because it's such an obvious improvement, but it's a shame the semifinal games won't be on college campuses (of the higher seeds). The environment of the games would be much better with more involved crowds, and I really don't have an attachment to the bowls, for the most part.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

I really don't have an attachment to the bowls, for the most part.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Which is the same reason we are getting this joke of a playoff system and not the superior playoff system used in every other division of college football.

[Sea Ray]

The reason it's not getting more attention is because so little has happened. Basically all they've done is implement a +1 playoff game. They're saying that instead of picking two teams, we're going to pick 4 and two winners from New Years Day will get to play one more game. I suppose it's a start but it's not exactly getting adventurous or anything. This sort of system will make it very difficult for a Boise St or even a UC to ever make it.

The unanswered questions such as revenue distribution are huge. For instance does Notre Dame get paid if they're not one of the four teams? I hope not but my guess is they'll continue to make special exceptions for the Irish. Will the Big East get as much as the SEC?

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

The reason it's not getting more attention is because so little has happened. Basically all they've done is implement a +1 playoff game. They're saying that instead of picking two teams, we're going to pick 4 and two winners from New Years Day will get to play one more game. I suppose it's a start but it's not exactly getting adventurous or anything. This sort of system will make it very difficult for a Boise St or even a UC to ever make it.

The unanswered questions such as revenue distribution are huge. For instance does Notre Dame get paid if they're not one of the four teams? I hope not but my guess is they'll continue to make special exceptions for the Irish. Will the Big East get as much as the SEC?

I think it's also not getting much attention because it's not football season.

[cumberlandreds]

It's a huge step in the right direction. Most likely after the schools see how much money they can make from a playoff system the tournament will increase. It will eventually go to 8 teams then most likely to 16. It took years for the basketball tournament to expand. But when they started making money from it, it expanded by leaps and bounds. From about 24 teams in 1974 to 32 to 40 to 48 to 64 and now 68 with a recent push to get to 96. Don't worry more teams will be involved in the very near future.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

The unanswered questions such as revenue distribution are huge. For instance does Notre Dame get paid if they're not one of the four teams? I hope not but my guess is they'll continue to make special exceptions for the Irish. Will the Big East get as much as the SEC?

I don't think it's "unanswered" so much as "unannounced." As jojo's link said ("agreement in principle") they have the framework. And no, the Big East isn't going to get what the SEC gets. From everything I've read, the SEC, Big 12, B1G, Pac-12 and ACC are getting the lion's share. Not equal, necessarily, they're working on a formula to use, but it won't leave any of those conferences in a bind if they don't happen to get a team into the four-team playoff in a given year. As for the Big East, they'll probably end up better than the other non-big-five leagues but there is clearly not a big six anymore.

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

It's a huge step in the right direction. Most likely after the schools see how much money they can make from a playoff system the tournament will increase. (snip) ... more teams will be involved in the very near future.

They set up a 12-year contract specifically to not have to deal with calls to expand for awhile. Of course, things can change.

Another interesting question -- does this spur more conference realignment or settle things down? There was a lot of smoke earlier in the summer, but nothing was going to happen until the playoff stuff was settled. Now that people know the deal, we'll see what happens.

[bucksfan2]

Two flaws in the current playoff format.
1) No home field advantage for the higher seed.
2) Its only 4 teams.

Being an OSU grad I think one of the unfair things about the bowl system is the northern teams are at a disadvantage due to the locations of the bowl games. When you build a team to compete in northen climate in November your at a disadvantage playing a game in 75 degree weather.

I think 8 teams is about the max I would want for a playoff but think it should go there. It gets to the point where if you aren't in the top 8 you really have no argument. If you aren't in the top 4 there could be a debate. The more teams that you add the less quality teams you are adding. It also stands to devalue the regular season, one that is pretty special if you ask me. The last think I would want to see is at an OSU UM game, Conference title game, etc. a team rest its starters like teams do in the NFL.

If it were up to me I would attempt to standardize the playing field amongst all power conferences. No oversigning and each is required to play a certain number of BCS conference teams in a certain year. I would make an 8 ream playoff with the first two games played at the higher seeds home field. Then the title game would rotate like the Super Bowl does. I would pick the 8 teams by a computer and human vote with the human vote being something similar to what the AP does. The last thing I want is the coaches voting on who makes it when its obvious that they don't care to vote at all. I could live with a NCAA Basketball type process but think in football there may not be enough to go upon to make the picks without the help of computers.

They have 2 years to get this done, I hope it expands mroe than a +1.

[Redsfaithful]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Being an OSU grad I think one of the unfair things about the bowl system is the northern teams are at a disadvantage due to the locations of the bowl games. When you build a team to compete in northen climate in November your at a disadvantage playing a game in 75 degree weather.

I complain about this all the time. It blows my mind that Ohio State can play LSU at a "neutral site" in a title game in freaking New Orleans and the media barely mentions it. Or all the teams that get to play USC at the Rose Bowl.

[improbus]

I've always thought that the cold weather thing is a little overrated. The Big Ten season finishes around Thanksgiving, so only a handful of game encounter terrible weather. Go to Floridas first home game and tell me that playing in that kind of heat isnt a disadvantage.

[Redsfaithful]

Florida and Ohio in August really aren't that different.

[improbus]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

Florida and Ohio in August really aren't that different.

Except for about 7 degrees. The average temp in Gainesville in August is 91 and is 84 in Columbus. It isn't massive, but anyone who goes to Florida in August is flat out nuts.

Also, when was the last time OSU played in snow? I went through game lists back to 2008, but they stopped listing the weather. Any OSU fan remember the last game in snow? I even saw a Penn State game that was 75 degrees in mid November.

[Assembly Hall]

I, too, think it is step towards a full blown play-off system. I am also curious as to how Notre Dame is going to approach this.

[improbus]

Originally Posted by Assembly Hall

I, too, think it is step towards a full blown play-off system. I am also curious as to how Notre Dame is going to approach this.

If there is a selection committee that will benefit ND, because they won't need the automatic qualifier to get in. Also, their strength of schedule is usually very good, especially with MSU improving. But ND needs to worry more about winning games than getting access.

[Newport Red]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Being an OSU grad I think one of the unfair things about the bowl system is the northern teams are at a disadvantage due to the locations of the bowl games. When you build a team to compete in northen climate in November your at a disadvantage playing a game in 75 degree weather.

I used to think this way, but when is the last time OSU has played in the snow?