IT IS TIME FOR A PLAYOFF - Chapter 5 - Case Against 8 or 16 teams

The Blog "Jumping Offsides - sports talk with Verb and The GM." In 3 articles, GM presents the following:

• Article 1: GM dispells the objections to a playoff.
• Article 2: GM presents his arguments AGAINST both the 8 and 16 team playoff scenarios
• Article 3: Presents GM's arguments for a 12 team playoff and how it would work.

You might want to read the articles in full. But, here are the main points:

Link>> Article 1 - Discussion of the objections to a playoff.

1. Tradition: In recent years [the] tradition has faded as more and more games are played on day's before or after New Year's Day. There is no way to crown a TRUE national champion if the teams are decided by votes instead of on the field results. Make the playoff part of the bowl games.

2. Money: The BCS conferences claim that the money they make from the bowl games is so great that they can't afford to change. If they think the BCS brings in big money from TV contracts and advertising just wait until they have a playoff over the Christmas and New Year's seasons. They will have so much money they won't know what to do with it all.

3. Interfering with Players Studies: Unbelievably the University Presidents make this argument to the public. GIVE ME A BREAK! I understand they are students but what about the basketball players and hockey players that play a longer season and during finals? What about the FCS, division 2, and division 3 football players (that are ALL TRUE student athletes) who play in tournaments? There is NO reason why the football season can't be expanded to accommodate a playoff for 8-16 teams [through the Christmas break]..

4. Regular Season Importance: The theory goes that the regular season will not be as important because each game doesn't mean as much. Really? You don't think Boston College vs Va Tech wouldn't have been huge since only 1 of those teams is going to get a playoff bid? Try telling Texas that every game matters. They BEAT Oklahoma on a neutral field and now have to watch the Sooners play for the title. Penn State lost by 1 POINT ON THE ROAD and they didn't even get MENTIONED for the title. USC lost ON THE ROAD and they only got mentioned in passing for the title game. Florida loses at HOME to a lower ranked team than Texas or USC and they are AUTOMATICALLY the BEST TEAM?? I am just saying that the regular season right now is bull... If you [lose] early you are better off than losing late....why? The regular season is messed up right now. The only way to FIX the regular season is with a playoff.

Link>> Article 2 - Arguments AGAINST both the 8 and 16 team playoff scenarios

The benefits to the 8 team playoff is it doesn't extend the season by much and it is still a very elite group of teams involved. And it is still better than what we have now. But it does have some serious flaws. The main flaw is how do you select the teams? If you take the conference champs plus 2 based on BCS standings you would have this: 1. Oklahoma 2. Florida 3. USC 4. Penn State 5. Cincinnati 6. Virginia Tech 7. Texas 8. Alabama.

But the big thing missing here is a non-BCS school. It would be almost impossible for a non-BCS school to get into the playoff because they would have to finish in AT LEAST the top 8 in the final standings. And in this years case the top 4.So if you wanted to add a non-BCS school than you would eliminate Alabama and put in Utah. Does that solve anything? You just took out a top 4 team to accommodate a non-BCS school. But you have to or the non-BCS schools with sue and everything will change again.

Okay so instead of using the conference champions lets just choose our teams based on the BCS Standings. This years tournament would be this: 1. Oklahoma 2. Florida 3. Texas 4. Alabama 5. USC 6. Utah 7. Texas Tech 8. Penn State. But now you have left out 2 BCS conferences. And in most years you would still be leaving out a non-BCS school. If you win your BCS conference (no matter how weak) than you should be included in the playoff.

A 16 team playoff based on BCS rankings and conference champions (6 champs plus 10 at large) would be including 3 teams that have 3 losses! I don't think the regular season would be diminished much with an 8 or 12 (more on that later) team playoff but multiple 3 loss teams would be making the regular season MUCH less important.

Link>> Article 3 - A 12 team playoff

12 teams....conference champions and the next 6 highest ranked BCS teams,

REGARDLESS of conference. There will be NO LIMIT to how many schools from one conference in this playoff. If you are with in the parameters for the playoff [then] you are in. This years rankings: 1. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champ) 2. Florida (SEC Champ) 3. Texas (at-large) 4. Alabama (at-large) 5. USC (PAC 10 Champ) 6. Utah (at-large) 7. Texas Tech (at-large) 8. Penn State (Big 10 Champ) 9. Boise State (at-large) 10. Ohio State (at-large) 11. Cincinnati (Big East Champ) 12. Virginia Tech (ACC Champ)

Give the top 4 teams a bye week. The bottom 8 play and the winners there play the top 4. It expands past the 8 team theory to allow the non-BCS schools and other schools that deserve a chance but doesn't get to the 16 team theory that would include 3 loss teams.

The first 2 rounds [are played] at the higher seeds campus. This would help with travel costs and assure that fans could and would show up to the games with ease. After that you would put the final 4 into 2 of the current BCS bowls. The Championship would be at another BCS bowl site.

The 1st round would take place the week after the season ends (this weekend coming up) on Friday (one game at 8:00) and Saturday (other 3 games). The 2nd round would take place the following week with the same Friday/Saturday split. The reason for the 2 night setup is so all the games can be televised. The semi finals would take place on January 1st and the National Championship a week later. This gives teams a week off in the middle to rest and get ready for more games.

I would watch EVERY SINGLE GAME! And I bet most people would too. Could you imagine the ratings for the semi-final games on NEW YEAR'S DAY? Everything would be on the line. That is in my opinion, what would be the best possible thing for college football. There is NO WAY an 8 or 16 team playoff would add as much drama. And the regular season wouldn't lose much either. Sure a game or two (Fla/Bama this year, Mich/OSU a couple years ago) would lose SOME LUSTER but really wouldn't the fans be WINNING with the games we get after the season.

IT IS TIME FOR A PLAYOFF - List of Articles (with links)

Chapter 1 - Background
Chapter 1A - Background, Part 2
Chapter 2 - Example of Problem
Chapter 3 - Jim Ruppert’s Bowl Schedule
Chapter 4 - Another Point of View
Chapter 5 - Case Against 8 or 16 teams
Chapter 6 - Congress Gets Involved
Chapter 7 - Alternative 16 Team Plan
Chapter 8 - And More…
Chapter 9 - As I See It