College Football Playoff To 12 Teams

[uconntailgater]

I like this new 12 team format. Of course the details still need to be worked out. One thing I would change is the teams that lose in the first round should still be eligible to play in a bowl game afterwards.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I like this new 12 team format. Of course the details still need to be worked out. One thing I would change is the teams that lose in the first round should still be eligible to play in a bowl game afterwards.

Bowl games will go the way of the dinosaurs

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Can we have one thread about changes in college football that doesn't become about Notre Dame? Just one would be great.

Otherwise, could someone point me to a UConn board?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

this will. i believe spread out the recruiting talent to more teams.

If you want to get paid, and if you want to make the League, you need to get on the field. Sitting on the bench at Alabama doesn't do you any good.

 

[McLovin]

 

[huskyinfl]

Are we in the 12 after this CCSU win?

 

[kibblesnbits]

So the top 4 from the B1G, the top 4 from the SEC and the next 4 conference champs?

 

[gsmooth]

Are we in the 12 after this CCSU win?

I like our chances

 

[huskymedic]

Analysis: Will a bigger College Football Playoff be better?

While enthusiastically announcing plans to expand the College Football Playoff, those in charge of the postseason system downplayed the revenue windfall that will come with tripling the number of participants and declined to speculate about whether a new format will tap the brakes on conference real

apnews.com

 

[UCFBfan]

So the top 4 from the B1G, the top 4 from the SEC and the next 4 conference champs?

Yeah this is pretty much it. For those who think expansion is over, I disagree. Look at Week 1. In the proposed set up, the Pac-12 would already be looking at one entry, that's it. The Big 12 will likely have the same result. Yet if I'm an Oregon or UW, I look at my former conference mates and see schools getting a crap ton of money from their conference and a boost in rankings from just being in the B1G and only losing 1-2 games. The Pac-12 is not lasting much longer. I can't see Oregon and UW sitting idly by and not pushing to join the B1G if they'd have them. The same can be said for the ACC.

This looks nice on paper and will give those other conferences a "shot" but in the end, we'll be left with the same teams and same conferences playing on the final two weeks of the year

 

[UCFBfan]

What this does is open up the opportunity for other conferences. if a MAC or MWC has a champion that is one of the top 6 ranked champions, they get in. How many times would the American Champ have gotten in as one of the top 6 conference champs? This allows recruiting to pick up for lesser schools. A player may have an easier time getting into the playoff at Memphis or Boise St. than Penn St. this is HUGE. Of course….we’re not in a conference any longer, but….this is a big step forward for parity in college football. (You still have the P2 with all the $, but this is a breath of fresh air for all other programs…)

I think this line of thought works but is based on pre-portal times. With the free agency portal, kids can leave schools and get automatic playing time no matter if they were recruited or not. Look around CFB and I'd guess 75-80%, if not higher, of starting QBs were transfers from the portal. Schools with better shots to get to the CFB may get better transfers, but the portal has already allowed the playing field to get a little more level.

 

[shizzle787]

So the top 4 from the B1G, the top 4 from the SEC and the next 4 conference champs?

Unlikely. If ND goes at least 10-2, they will be in.

 

[shizzle787]

If by some miracle we go 12-0 one year, I do think we schedule good enough to snag an at-large.

 

[Alibi Ike]

It is worth reminding everyone that the SEC has dominated football because it was willing to cheat at a level other conferences were not. NIL balanced that playing field somewhat, and now giving 12 bids to the playoffs balances it even more. Why sit at Alabama when you can start, and have a shot at the playoffs, at Baylor or Cincinnati or Oregon?

Only SEC schools were cheating? Are you serious?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Only SEC schools were cheating? Are you serious?

Nobody (once the SWC went by the wayside) has cheated at an SEC level beyond the SEC.

That conference has had at least one school on some form of probation for football violations every year since 1979.

 

[businesslawyer]

Only SEC schools were cheating? Are you serious?

That was not what he said. The post you responded to was less than four lines. Try again.

 

[uconndogs]

For those who see greater parity with a 12 team playoff structure I don't see it. Moves by the SEC and BiG are driven primarily by gaining a bigger piece of the pie for themselves. Assuming they plan on staying with the NCAA, and I don't believe they are, they will use their leverage to amass media contracts that will assure they have a financial advantage beyond that of anyone else. That will assure advantages with NIL and attracting and retaining the best talent. Note "retain", because if you don't have the dough you won't be able to keep the best players.

That all said, I think the BiG and SEC will be broken off from the NCAA inside of five years. They will view that model as optimizing the economics. They are thinking like the NFL managing franchises. It has nothing to do with traditional college athletics.

 

[shizzle787]

This is to say who realistically can get into the 12-team playoff undefeated and/or as an at-large. Does your school get into the playoff if it is undefeated?

Currently, the pathway is available to the 65 P5 schools and an AAC school if it goes undefeated two straight years and beats marquee opponents.

With the 12-team playoff, the door opens for more schools but I don't believe everybody.

Obviously the 68 P5 schools going forward plus Notre Dame will have access, but who else?

In my opinion, if the following schools/conferences go undefeated in most years, they will be in.

AAC
MW
Army
UConn
Sun Belt

The following schools/conferences will still have an uphill battle due to weak schedules:
MAC
UMass
C-USA

 

[History Geek]

This is to say who realistically can get into the 12-team playoff undefeated and/or as an at-large. Does your school get into the playoff if it is undefeated?

Currently, the pathway is available to the 65 P5 schools and an AAC school if it goes undefeated two straight years and beats marquee opponents.

With the 12-team playoff, the door opens for more schools but I don't believe everybody.

Obviously the 68 P5 schools going forward plus Notre Dame will have access, but who else?

In my opinion, if the following schools/conferences go undefeated in most years, they will be in.

AAC
MW
Army
UConn
Sun Belt

The following schools/conferences will still have an uphill battle due to weak schedules:
MAC
UMass
C-USA

I think an undefeated MAC champ has a chance. Other than that, I think this is accurate as of today.

 

[shizzle787]

I think an undefeated MAC champ has a chance. Other than that, I think this is accurate as of today.

IMO only if the AAC and MW champs both have two plus losses (for auto spot) or there isn't a two-loss P5 team or undefeated Army or UConn (for at-large).

 

[metsfan2323]

Starting in 2026 G5 conference teams will have a realistic chance of making the playoffs. Coastal Carolina and other top G5 schools must be very excited about the new playoffs. The realistic odds of UCONN as an independent gaining an at large bid will be about 1 - 5000 in other words not realistic at all. Sorry.

Sure if we were to beat Ohio State on the road and run the table impressively with the rest our games it could happen, but good luck with that.

 

[Kolumbo]

Point 3 states that the 4 highest ranked conference champs get seeded 1-4. Expect Notre Dame to join a conference.

I expect the ACC to bend over and allow a partial member to take the ACC championship slot if said partial member is ranked higher than any other ACC member. Of course it's not up to just the ACC but that partial member will figure out a way to have its cake.

 

[History Geek]

I expect the ACC to bend over and allow a partial member to take the ACC championship slot if said partial member is ranked higher than any other ACC member. Of course it's not up to just the ACC but that partial member will figure out a way to have its cake.

Interesting. Hadn’t thought of that

 

[History Geek]

IMO only if the AAC and MW champs both have two plus losses (for auto spot) or there isn't a two-loss P5 team or undefeated Army or UConn (for at-large).

Northern Illinois was the best G5 team recently. That year they could have leapfrogged other G5 champs.

 

[giddyup]

I really see no reason for 12 because I don't like anyone getting a bye in a tournament. But I am okay with the top six conference champions and then maybe the next two highest ranked teams. Eight is fine and it could allow some of the other bowl games to survive. But they feel like more teams means more money so that's the direction they go. An unbalanced tournament. But it does give chances to some other conferences so not all bad. At least for now.

Nobody should get a bye. But they can’t resist stacking the deck somehow.

 

[LBird33]

CFP expansion to 12 teams a big win for college football — FOX Sports

 

[DoctorWho85]

Should be all conference champs and then the remaining highest ranked teams to fill out the 12. Only fair playoffs.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Nobody (once the SWC went by the wayside) has cheated at an SEC level beyond the SEC.

That conference has had at least one school on some form of probation for football violations every year since 1979.

I think you have forgotten the Ohio State and Southern Cal football scandals, just to name two.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think you have forgotten the Ohio State and Southern Cal football scandals, just to name two.

Two, vs how many in the SEC over the past four and a half decades?