College Football "Playoffs"

[GP1]

This lady saved me a lot of typing. 

Article

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think the one word that stood out to me in the whole article was "stale." That's what the playoff has become. 

[roopride]

Agree.  The playoffs are for the very few.  And we are in Ohio. 

[GP1]

12 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I think the one word that stood out to me in the whole article was "stale." That's what the playoff has become. 

It sure is. However, I have rediscovered this year how much I really like watching college football and it has nothing to do with some silly playoff the money grubbers who run college football designed. The BYU vs. CCU game was the best of the season and neither team is in the "playoffs". I can't remember the last time I watched at least 50% of a Clemson, Alabama or OSU game. They simply are not entertaining because they ultimately end up being blow outs. If I had to make a list of positives and negatives for buying Wake Forest tickets, a negative would be having to watch Clemson humiliate them every other year in Winston-Salem. The game is almost always terrible. 

 

If the Athletic Directors who run college football were National Park Rangers, their solution to a small and controllable forest fire would be to throw gasoline on it.  I am sure that at some point, they will come to the conclusion the only solution to the boring system they created is to expand it. It will do nothing to change the competitive advantage those 5-6 teams at the top have in terms of recruiting. The rich will get richer and the rest of us will become more indifferent and stop watching.

[LZIp]

23 minutes ago, GP1 said:

It sure is. However, I have rediscovered this year how much I really like watching college football and it has nothing to do with some silly playoff the money grubbers who run college football designed. The BYU vs. CCU game was the best of the season and neither team is in the "playoffs". I can't remember the last time I watched at least 50% of a Clemson, Alabama or OSU game. They simply are not entertaining because they ultimately end up being blow outs. If I had to make a list of positives and negatives for buying Wake Forest tickets, a negative would be having to watch Clemson humiliate them every other year in Winston-Salem. The game is almost always terrible. 

 

If the Athletic Directors who run college football were National Park Rangers, their solution to a small and controllable forest fire would be to throw gasoline on it.  I am sure that at some point, they will come to the conclusion the only solution to the boring system they created is to expand it. It will do nothing to change the competitive advantage those 5-6 teams at the top have in terms of recruiting. The rich will get richer and the rest of us will become more indifferent and stop watching.

Amen. I have very little interest in the CFP. Grew up an OSU fan but get zero enjoyment now out of watching them blowout teams 10/13 games a season. I much more enjoy following the Zips through ups and downs and hoping it will pay off one day, sort of the like the Browns are now but the NFL is different obviously. We need more parity in CFB. Cap coaching salaries, cap spending on facilities, recruiting budgets, whatever it may be. Many I'm sure are against that and it's likely well justified, but the current state of CFB is broken.

[Spin]

Same elite teams every year. And everyone else just follows along. It rEminds me of the NBA in elitism. OK, “dynastic “.
 

The NCAA College puts 19% of the basketball programs in the post season. It puts 3% of the football teams in. 
 

Why? Follow the money. In football the tv network wants those three team$ in, along with one other legacy school with zillions of fans. That 4th team can rotate, but nobody else gets in.
 

TCU? Cincinnati? Go find a mega- fanba$e and come back and see us. There will never be a level playing field in football with the NCAA in charge.

College basketball isn’t as centered around a handful of legacy programs. They have their favorites of course but in hoops there’s the bracketology, the upsets, the drama. They make their annual budget on the Tournament. All 63 games. 
 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Spin

[zippy5]

actually like 70% of CFB plays in the post season

[GP1]

11 minutes ago, Spin said:

College basketball isn’t as centered around a handful of legacy programs. They have their favorites of course but in hoops there’s the bracketology, the upsets, the drama. They make their annual budget on the Tournament. All 63 games. 

What is making college basketball more competitive is the one and done rule. Most schools cannot keep up if they get too many of these players. Kentucky seems to with the exception of this year.

 

I would also argue that if it wasn't for the volume of games on in the first two rounds of the ncaa tournament, those games would mostly be a complete bore. Most end up blowouts and the only thing that keeps me tuned in is I can turn to another game.  

[GP1]

1 hour ago, LZIp said:

 We need more parity in CFB. Cap coaching salaries, cap spending on facilities, recruiting budgets, whatever it may be.

Respectfully, none of this will do what you want it to do. Winning is creating the disparity.  We shouldn't punish teams for success, but we should make the next year's schedule very difficult for them.  For example, the first place team of the Big Ten should have to play the first place team of two-three of the other P5 conference the following season. Nine to ten conference games....no cupcakes for anyone. Go back to a computer deciding two teams that make the championship game, no "playoff".  Just football with a meaningful season start to finish.  

 

If Ohio State, next year, can beat Clemson, Oklahoma and Alabama in early season play then run the Big Ten, they deserve to be in the championship. If not, someone else gets in. Same for the other three.

[Spin]

12 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

actually like 70% of CFB plays in the post season

True, the other schools can make bank at the bowl games. But there are no Cinderella stories or Gonzaga’s in the football playoffs.
 

That’s not what the network$ want.

[clarkwgriswold]

I guess it is just the nature of college football.  Alabama, Clemson, OSU and P5 team of the year, wash, rinse, repeat...   It would sure be nice to have the occasional Cincinnati, CFU, etc., but with the lack of parity it would probably be an ugly result in any event.

[zippy5]

55 minutes ago, Spin said:

True, the other schools can make bank at the bowl games. But there are no Cinderella stories or Gonzaga’s in the football playoffs.
 

That’s not what the network$ want.

There's no Cinderella that could actually beat Bama or Clemson

[LZIp]

54 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

There's no Cinderella that could actually beat Bama or Clemson

No different than Notre Dame going to get cream pied by Alabama like they just did by Clemson with Lawrence. I remember UCF beating Auburn, Boise beating Oklahoma, and Houston beating Florida State in big bowl games. Houston beat Oklahoma a few years ago in regular season. Its what makes sports great. The G5 track record in their auto bid large bowl games isn't that bad in recent history. Very few blowouts. Even the MAC representatives haven't gotten blown out.

Edited December 22, 2020 by LZIp

[bigjim]

I think the solution is not that complicated.  Expand the playoffs to 8 teams and ensure that at least one of the underdog teams gets an invite.  You can cut down on some bowl games that the playoffs will replace, and give more teams a chance.  Do not look for excuses not to proceed, if I recall, the DIII playoffs start with 16 teams, so 8 should not be a problem with classes.

[Spin]

I e been saying that for awhile. Take the P5 conference champions (making those games more interesting). 1-2 “at large” and 1-2 G5 programs. 
 

If that made more money than the current system, they would be doing it...

[GP1]

54 minutes ago, bigjim said:

I think the solution is not that complicated.  Expand the playoffs to 8 teams and ensure that at least one of the underdog teams gets an invite.  You can cut down on some bowl games that the playoffs will replace, and give more teams a chance.  Do not look for excuses not to proceed, if I recall, the DIII playoffs start with 16 teams, so 8 should not be a problem with classes.

I respectfully disagree. Expanding the "playoffs" (it isn't a playoff) to 8 teams only ensures that at least one of the underdog teams gets an invite to get their rear ends kicked by Alabama/OSU/Clemson. These sort of blowouts are terrible for the sport.

 

The last thing the P5 schools should want to do is expand their season to the point their regular season are as meaningless as those in the lower divisions.  The P5 schools will never want a 10 game regular season line D3. Twelve games plus a championship game plus three more games would be 16 games. That is too taxing on a college player. 16 games is too taxing on most NFL rookies.

[gozips19]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30574300/behind-bracket-bracketology-perfect-beats-college-football-system-every

 

Great article from Joe Linardi 

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, gozips19 said:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30574300/behind-bracket-bracketology-perfect-beats-college-football-system-every

 

Great article from Joe Linardi 

Arent there a # of reasons basketball plays like 30 games and football only 12.  Risk of injury and level of life-changing injury is greater in football?  Loading up 100 players, a staff of trainers, a marching band, and 20 cheerleaders and flying them around the country for 4 or 5 more games would be quite an undertaking.

[gozips19]

2 hours ago, NWAkron said:

Arent there a # of reasons basketball plays like 30 games and football only 12.  Risk of injury and level of life-changing injury is greater in football?  Loading up 100 players, a staff of trainers, a marching band, and 20 cheerleaders and flying them around the country for 4 or 5 more games would be quite an undertaking.

I think you're missing the point of the article. He is mostly saying CFP is a invite only 2 bowl game system were NCAA tournament gives all DI members a chance to win a ship each year. 

[GP1]

4 hours ago, gozips19 said:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30574300/behind-bracket-bracketology-perfect-beats-college-football-system-every

 

Great article from Joe Linardi 

Makes some interesting points. Most of it is comparing apples to oranges. In reality, over half the teams in March Madness have almost zero shot at winning the tournament and are there as fundraising tools for the NCAA to operate itself. 

 

I would want the NCAA to make the college basketball regular season and tournaments more important. Start with decreasing the number of teams in March Madness to 32 or 16.  Place a premium on winning your conference tournament. Everyone else can play in the nit or try harder next year. 

[Lee Adams]

The P5 schools need to separate themselves from the rest of the D1 schools.  Even Cincy couldn't beat a half assed SEC team. Lets get the MAC's, AAC's , Sunbelts etc. into there own playoffs. Stop the delusion that it is necessary for those schools to get stomped on every year just for a pay check and to get kids beat up. The Akron's of the world need the cash. Thats another problema. Fans could give a flying U know what to watch Akron get beat by OSU by 4 TDS. 

[GP1]

13 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

Lets get the MAC's, AAC's , Sunbelts etc. into there own playoffs. 

Develop good football and fan experience first, then worry about playoffs.

 

The problem with the P5 schools now is the focus on the playoffs (it isn't a playoff and if anyone needs me to explain the difference I would be happy to do so). It is a distraction from the fact that the college football being played today is better than it ever has been across P5 conferences. Teams like Iowa State, Baylor and Indiana were bottom dwellers when I was growing up and now they compete well and provide a great fan experience. None of that seems to matter now and has been replaced with a focus on basically 3 teams with an extra. It's bad for college football...great for OSU, Alabama and Clemson, but bad for everyone else. Those who want to expand the current system think it will fix this problem and it will only make it worse. It's the same mentality that thinks watching Duke destroy a Howard in the first round of March Madness is entertaining, it isn't and people who like to watch this just like sitting in a bar on Thursday afternoon rather than working. So would I, but I don't need a bad basketball game as an excuse.  

[Spin]

On 12/22/2020 at 1:31 PM, bigjim said:

I think the solution is not that complicated.  Expand the playoffs to 8 teams and ensure that at least one of the underdog teams gets an invite.  You can cut down on some bowl games that the playoffs will replace, and give more teams a chance.  Do not look for excuses not to proceed, if I recall, the DIII playoffs start with 16 teams, so 8 should not be a problem with classes.

Apparently the powers-that-be agree…

[Zipmeister]

The same college football teams end up in the “playoffs” year after year because they have a monopoly on the better players. The best way to achieve parity between all D1 teams is to eliminate recruiting and substitute a draft. Most high school jocks aren’t smart enough to pick the best school for them anyway; so let’s let all D1 schools pick them. Anyone who isn’t drafted and still wants to play college football could play D2 or D3. To avoid negating the many advantages of a draft the transfer portal should also be eliminated, but players could switch schools if the schools involve agree on a trade. Most D1 players have visions of playing in the NFL, and this system would have the added benefit of showing them how the NFL works.

[Spin]

Sounds great in theory. It works so well in the pro leagues, "On any given Sunday..."

 

Problem is in college the networks makes most of their money off of the legacy schools. Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State in football. Throw in Oklahoma, Notre Dame, wash rinse repeat. Put any of those teams in a game, the house is packed and the ratings skyrocket. We can all name the college basketball programs that are the money makers.

 

The NCAA gets their payday from the basketball tournament and the football playoffs.