College Football Playoff drought has Big Ten athletic directors pushing for change

[huskymedic]

Michigan State AD: Expanding the College Football Playoff 'is probably inevitable'

Count Michigan State’s Bill Beekman with the athletic directors who think the College Football Playoff will expand one day.

www.freep.com

>>“My personal opinion is that expansion is probably inevitable. And I think at some level, that’s a good thing,” Beekman said Tuesday at the Big Ten athletic directors meetings. “I do think there are very real concerns about how long you make the schedule and how many games you play, and there are concerns about spreading that too much over two semesters.

“At the same time, it’s such a small number of teams. And so if you got two teams playing one extra game, it’s not 300 or even 50 or 60 – it’s two teams playing one extra game. I think in the greater scheme of things, I think its probably good for the game and good for the teams involved if you move it from four to eight.”<<

 

[BlueDogs]

Mark my words: the puppet masters will make sure the B1G is in the CFP. The P5 hates expansion because it opens the door to non-P5 competition. They want total control of the rice bowl.

 

[Bobol]

1. There is no reason why the College Football Playoff is not expanded to 8 teams.

2. Any mid major team that finishes undefeated (see UCF) deserves a right to compete for the National Championship.

3. I despise the NCAA.

 

[Scrutineer]

Our former Rock Star's quote:
.....................Manuel said at the meetings on Monday. "Because I obviously believe that you go through and you win the Big Ten championship in this league, you’ve accomplished something that desires to put you in position to play for the national championship.”

Desires to put you in position? And, in what other league would you win the Big Ten championship? The pressure of making the basketball hire may have gotten to him.

 

[uconnfan68]

College football has basically evolved into a 2 team show. Nobody cares that the Big 10 champ gets left out except the Big 10. Personally I think the current setup is wrecking the sport long term because it has resulted in sidelining virtually every program but 2. And made winning a pseudo championship the be all of the season. But unlike basketball or even the nfl where 10 teams have a shot most have none and even 2-3 so called Power leagues are shut out.

Cut scholarships from 80+ to 50. Spread the wealth.

 

[billybud]

Cutting schollies to spead the wealth....hmmmm

You could also sharply limit the number of top 100 (ESPN, 247, etc) recruits available to a team...in basketball and football. That spreads the wealth even better...

If that is what you are after.

 

[billybud]

Oh yes sirree...

A forced spread of talent would even some playing fields...make dynasty runs a thing of the past.
.
If that really is what folks want.

Much more effectively than a lower scholarship cap where everyone can have 55 but Bama can still have all 5 stars.

 

[billybud]

Basketball, men and womens, could go the same way....open things up for some teams that might never sniff a Final Four.

 

[uconnfan68]

Cutting schollies to spead the wealth....hmmmm

You could also sharply limit the number of top 100 (ESPN, 247, etc) recruits available to a team...in basketball and football. That spreads the wealth even better...

If that is what you are after.

Not what I was looking for. Sounds like you’d like to go back to the days of 150 players being stockpiled by some schools.

 

[Ldandy]

It's not difficult.

B1G
SEC
ACC
Big 12
PAC
Top Ranked G5 Champ
Wildcard
Wildcard

Committee basically gets together to select the last 3 in and seed the tournament. It doesn't need to be any harder than this.

 

[weyuo]

I believe in the 8 team playoff. Keep the schedule to 12 regular season games plus a conference championship game. The schools, all schools need the revenue for the most expensive sport in college. But...

1-It has to be the best 8 teams in the country regardless of conference championship. Because of such a short schedule only the 8 best should be invited. It makes each regular season game that much more critical.​

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2- To qualify for the 8 team playoff ALL regular season games must be played vs FBS opponents. No more scheduling FCS cupcakes. This will force more P-5 teams to schedule more G-5 teams which should help the G-5 with much needed revenue. Hopefully this will help narrow the gap, slightly, between the G-5 and P-5. Schools like UConn trying to build/rebuild programs that want to schedule FCS schools can do so but forfeit any chance of making the playoff regardless if they go undefeated or rank high in the top 25. They most likely wouldn't be invited anyway.​

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3- To qualify each non conference game must be played in a different conference. No team can play two non conference games from the same non conference. That means Alabama must play four different FBS conferences in their non conference schedule and so does every other school wishing to compete for the National Championship. This too may give the G-5 schools a slightly better shot at scheduling the "big boys" from time to time. It may also help the Pac 12 and Big 12 with perception. ​

​

Everyone knows that succeeding at the Div -1 level is at least 75% recruiting. Permanently separating the G-5 and P-5 with two different playoffs and national championships means UConn will never be able to recruit the absolute best high school football players in their own state or region. With the opportunity for G-5 and P-5 schools to compete for the same ultimate prize(as seemingly impossible as it might look for some G-5 schools) you still have hope from the fan base that your small school might be that Cinderella that could become the next Oregon.

​

 

[billybud]

Not what I was looking for. Sounds like you’d like to go back to the days of 150 players being stockpiled by some schools.

But teams like Alabama and Clemson are stockpiling five stars and would do so still with a 55 limit...

It isn't the quantity, it is the quality that isn't being spread.

Hell...Clemson has five 5 star kids committed already for the 2020 class....more than the AAC, Big Ten, and Big 12...combined.

Clemson, spotting other teams 25 schollies would still be a power.

Alabama, a couple of years ago, could have put a defense on the field with a 5 star at every position.

 

[freescooter]

Cut scholarships from 80+ to 50. Spread the wealth.

You do know that they did exactly that in the 80s. Well not exactly but close. They put a limit. First I think 100 then reduced it to the current number. The reason was that a few schools were loading up while others didn’t get guys. Johnny Majors was one guy who mastered that. Even people in leadership positions in leagues and the NCAA realized it was good for the game at that time. I personally like the idea of 68-70. Covers 3 deep on both sides of the ball plus kicker punter.

 

[freescooter]

I’d go with a 12 team playoff. Every league champ plus a couple of wild cards. Top 4 get a bye but must be conference champs Wild cards must play in round 1. I’d cut the regular season back to 11 games too

 

[uconnfan68]

But teams like Alabama and Clemson are stockpiling five stars and would do so still with a 55 limit...

It isn't the quantity, it is the quality that isn't being spread.

Hell...Clemson has five 5 star kids committed already for the 2020 class....more than the AAC, Big Ten, and Big 12...combined.

Clemson, spotting other teams 25 schollies would still be a power.

Alabama, a couple of years ago, could have put a defense on the field with a 5 star at every position.

How many 5 stars will walk on at those schools over getting a full ride elsewhere?

 

[bobbyinaz]

I’d go with a 12 team playoff. Every league champ plus a couple of wild cards. Top 4 get a bye but must be conference champs Wild cards must play in round 1. I’d cut the regular season back to 11 games too

Cutting the regular season to 11 games is a non-starter. Home games are too valuable to schools to only have 5 every other year.

Most schools would try & figure out a way to get a 7th home game before they agree to only 5

 

[billybud]

How many 5 stars will walk on at those schools over getting a full ride elsewhere?

55 five and four stars at Bama? Who needs walk ons?

Clemson just had commits in the 2020 class from:

...the #2 DE...
...the #1 DT
...the #6 DT
...the #10 DT
...the #1 QB
...the #3 RB
...the #3 DB
...the #4 OL
...the #7 OL

and other top athletes...think they need more than 55 athletes to win when everyone alse has the same limits but not near the quality?

The rich will still horde the talent. The rich just won't dip down to three star kids.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Hopefully we end up with:

1. Each of the five Power 5 conf champ winners. Each conf would retain the right to decide if they want to substitute their conf champ winner for any team within their conf that finishes the season at a ranking higher than their own conf champ winner.
2. The highest ranked G5 or independent school. G5 and Independent schools will have to meet certain schedule criteria (ie no more than one FCS game)
3. Two wildcard spots for the selection committee. However, one slot is set aside for any G5 program or Independent program that finishes the season undefeated, but did not finish with a ranking ahead of the highest G5 program. Yes, I want a back door for undefeated FBS programs to get in in the event we have a situation like UCF and Boise (or ND or BYU) both finishing undefeated. Undefeated should always be rewarded as long as no more than one victory was against FCS competition.

If I were a betting, I would put my money on each of the P5 conference winners and 3 wild cards. Most years one of the wild cards will be Norte Dame with the 2 wild cards coming from the P5. On the rare occasion the committee will have no choice then to put a G5 into the playoff. However, the goal of the committee will be ND and 2 wild cards da coming from the P5. Keep the $$$$ in the P5.