"Make College Football Great Again" from Nate Silver of 538

[History Geek]

Nate Silver's solution to fixing college football. It involves the same philosophy behind determining, as fairly as possible, a winner of a multi-team high school debate tournament. I was the debate coach where I teach for a while and have seen how well this basic philosophy worked.

Make College Football Great Again

Something to consider/discuss while we wait for HCRE fill out his staff and solidify/land some recruits.

 

[HuskyV]

Interesting concept. It makes for compelling match-ups & meaningful games throughout the year.

The big omission is how this benefits the conferences in terms of broadcasting $$$. The more meaningful games should result in more money, but how do the conferences & broadcasting partners benefit.

Great point that newly created conference championship games have already out-lived their usefulness.

For our UConn Huskies the key question is what is the proper number of teams in a conference can maximize revenue & have the optimal outcome.

 

[whaler11]

9 team conferences playing round robins.

Problem solved with a lot fewer words.

 

[pepband99]

9 team conferences playing round robins.

Problem solved with a lot fewer words.

Well yeah, like a money printing machine would solve a lot of problems, too.

As crazy ideas go, this one isn't so bad.

 

[HuskyV]

Try getting 14 & 12 team conferences get down to 9 - not so easy.

 

[Chin Diesel]

He also conveniently ignores the cost of scheduling midseason.

Very real constraints like transportation, lodging, venue availability, etc.

 

[whaler11]

Try getting 14 & 12 team conferences get down to 9 - not so easy.

It's actually pretty easy. You grow to 18 and play as two separate 9 team leagues.

 

[whaler11]

He also conveniently ignores the cost of scheduling midseason.

Very real constraints like transportation, lodging, venue availability, etc.

He did have home and road outlined. So flights can be an issue but lodging and venues could be managed.

 

[BlueDogs]

There are always a thousand reasons to be found for why we "can't" and those who have manipulated the system to their favor are glad to agree. I would have never imagined a group of over privileged conferences taking over the ncaa and writing their own special rules.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I actually think this would be a pretty interesting idea in the AAC. It would be fun to have all the last games of the season be competitive between similarly good or bad teams. It'll never happen but it's a fun mental exercise.

 

[History Geek]

9 team conferences playing round robins.

Problem solved with a lot fewer words.

I like words.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Yeah, UConn could have been paired up against Tulane for the coveted 11th place trophy. Oh wait. Well, at least it would have been an evenly matched game. Ahhhb, maybe not.
I do agree that conferences should be limited to 10 schools and require that they play a full round robin. OOC's could be left to individual programs. Traditional: USC v ND. Money games: Oklahoma v Ohio State or cupcake games). Go to eight conferences (80 teams) with conference champs going to playoffs.

It would be nice to have regional conferences with 5 rivalry games on last weekend. Eight teams could play the weekend that current conference championship games are played. Four remaing teams could play like present.

Uconn could be in conference with BC, Syracuse, Rutgers, Penn State, Temple, Pitt, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

 

[freescooter]

I would go with the idea of 10 team leagues With champs playing in some type of tournament. 11 games and start then start the playoffs thanksgiving weekend with the championship on New Year's Day. You are always going to lose if you are against the NFL play offs and this avoids that problem. I'd say 10 leagues of 10 plus 2 at large so you could address ties/flukes and keep the SEC and Big 10 happy.

 

[Redding Husky]

9 team conference:

BC
UConn
Syracuse
Rutgers
Penn State
Temple
Pitt
Maryland
WVU

You're welcome.

I realize this has a below zero chance of happening.