Let's discuss the future

[8timechamps]

In two years (2014), the FBS will move to a four team playoff. That arrangement is slated to last for 12 years (2025).

First, how long will the playoffs remain at 4 teams? The track record of the BCS/NCAA leads me to believe that the four team format will remain the standard for at least 5 years. I know when the committee first announced the playoff, they cited the reason for remaining at four teams was to protect from the devaluation of the regular season (Link (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/06/four-team-playoff-future-expansion/1#.UMkPjoPom8A)). That sounds good, and I'm sure it's what most anti-playoff folks wanted to hear, but we all know that the BCS is not driven by what's best for the season. They're driven by what's best for the wallet. Once the schools get a taste of the money generated from the playoffs, they'll realize how much is being left on the table, and want more.

Whether you're pro or anti playoff, that's not really the subject I wanted to discuss. What I really want to discuss is the Big XII, and the state of the conferences in college football.

One could look at the realignment madness and draw a direct line to the looming playoffs. And it's also no secret that money is the reason many of the schools that have realigned, made their moves to other conferences. In my opinion, only Texas A&M had a reason, other than money, to make the jump. Theirs was a lot to do with the University of Texas, but we all know that story.

In the latest rumor whirlwind was the discussion of FSU to the Big XII. When and/or if that happens, does that spell the end of the ACC? In the current environment, I think it's survival of the fittest, and there's not enough room for the ACC & Big XII to co-exist long term. One will fall.

Also, how does the current landscape affect recruiting? If you look at this year in a vacuum, A&M looks to be succeeding by association (to the SEC). I can't imagine A&M landing the recruiting class that they have attracted this year if they were 10-2, and in the Big XII. Nor do I think Johnny Manziel would have won the Heisman. Missouri has attracted recruits for the same reason, they just haven't enjoyed any success on the field against the SEC.

The road gets rougher for OU as college football moves forward (if things stay the same). Clearly the SEC is treated a little differently than the other conferences. Good, or bad, it's how things are. I hope the Big XII doesn't decide to "sit this one out", but in a recent statement, the conference said that they are fine remaining at 10 teams, because it's more money for everyone (link (http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/61349/why-the-big-12-wont-expand)). That's great, but will the product on the field be the sacrifice?

Discuss.

[Scott D]

Within 10 years the discussion will be whether it should expand to 16 or 20.

[Sabanball]

First, how long will the playoffs remain at 4 teams?

Probably until the SEC puts 3 teams in the final 4, which it would have this yr had the playoff system been in effect. Then all the SEC-haters will cry foul like they are now about the BCS. The playoff system is not going to create any consensus.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Four team playoff is dumber than the BCS...should've started with 8

[8timechamps]

First, how long will the playoffs remain at 4 teams?

Probably until the SEC puts 3 teams in the final 4, which it would have this yr had the playoff system been in effect. Then all the SEC-haters will cry foul like they are now about the BCS. The playoff system is not going to create any consensus.

SEC haters, or not, the SEC is viewed differently than the other conferences. But, to your point, that would probably hasten the increase of the number of teams in the playoff.

[OU_Sooners75]

See sabanball, you're showing your ignorance.

Likely 2 things will happen.

1. An eligible team will be selected by a committe.
2. An eligible team will likely have to be a conference champion.

The rules on the playoff are not set. But they will not be using a ranking system, but a selection committee. So the likelihood that the SEC or any conference getting 2 or more in a 4 team playoff is slim to none. A selection committe will likely lean more to a conference champion with the same record as any team that isn't a conference champion.

In fact this would actuall help a conference like the Big 12 if they have two one loss teams that shared the conference championship over two one loss SEC teams.

Good bye media bias which heavily favors the SEC thanks to the few billion dollar contract with the SEC.

[8timechamps]

Interesting article, it talks about the Big Ten keeping Maryland and Rutgers off of the Big Ten Network until the cable companies in those markets agree to pick up the leagues network:

Link to article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/maryland-to-big-ten-its-money-versus-tradition/2012/12/11/3c5da16c-3fd0-11e2-ae43-cf491b837f7b_story.html)

This is an example of what the realignment is all about. Money.

[JiminyChristmas]

The future that I would like to see is for someone with the cash to come along and organize D1 into 4, 20 team conferences. 10 teams per division in each conference. Play the other 9 teams in your division plus 3 OOC games to maintain traditional rivalries, then a conference championship game. You would still use the BCS for tiebreaker purposes. The 4 conference champs go into the 4 team playoff. The rest go to the other bowls. The 40 teams currently in D1 who don't make the cut drop down a level.

The 4 conferences could be drawn up geographically and you could maintain most common conference membership in the same leagues.

CBS keeps the "southeast", ABC/ESPN keeps the "north", Fox keeps the "west", and I guess the highest bidder picks up the "central" league.

Only a few teams per year increase their number of games. Max that 2 teams would play is 15 games (only 1 more than some teams play currently). 12 regular season + 1 CCG + 2 playoff games. The regular season remains extremely important in this scenario.

[8timechamps]

The future that I would like to see is for someone with the cash to come along and organize D1 into 4, 20 team conferences. 10 teams per division in each conference. Play the other 9 teams in your division plus 3 OOC games to maintain traditional rivalries, then a conference championship game. You would still use the BCS for tiebreaker purposes. The 4 conference champs go into the 4 team playoff. The rest go to the other bowls. The 40 teams currently in D1 who don't make the cut drop down a level.

The 4 conferences could be drawn up geographically and you could maintain most common conference membership in the same leagues.

CBS keeps the "southeast", ABC/ESPN keeps the "north", Fox keeps the "west", and I guess the highest bidder picks up the "central" league.

Things are moving toward the world of super conferences. I don't know what it will look like, but your scenario sounds as good as any I've seen.

[OU_Sooners75]

Well yeah. We already knew realignment was about nothing more than money.

Damn sure isn't because of geographical proximity like it used to be.

That said, bring on FSU and Clemson!

[Jacie]

The 40 teams currently in D1 who don't make the cut drop down a level.

I think the trend is going the other way. For some years it seemed the cost of playing D-1 level football was driving smaller, less successful schools out of the market, but lately, teams are moving into D-1. While you may get your super conferences, it might be 6 instead of 4.

[Scott D]

I think the trend is going the other way. For some years it seemed the cost of playing D-1 level football was driving smaller, less successful schools out of the market, but lately, teams are moving into D-1. While you may get your super conferences, it might be 6 instead of 4.

just because 20 mediocre teams try to make a superconference (I'm looking at you MWC & CUSA) doesn't make it a super conference.

[Sabanball]

See sabanball, you're showing your ignorance.

Likely 2 things will happen.

1. An eligible team will be selected by a committe.
2. An eligible team will likely have to be a conference champion.

The rules on the playoff are not set. But they will not be using a ranking system, but a selection committee. So the likelihood that the SEC or any conference getting 2 or more in a 4 team playoff is slim to none. A selection committe will likely lean more to a conference champion with the same record as any team that isn't a conference champion.

In fact this would actuall help a conference like the Big 12 if they have two one loss teams that shared the conference championship over two one loss SEC teams.

Good bye media bias which heavily favors the SEC thanks to the few billion dollar contract with the SEC.

The rankings will still be around, both computer and human, and media bias that will still influence the whole process. IF you thought all that was going away, I've got a fleet of yachts for sale.

That being said, I think the overwhelming majority of SEC'ers favor a playoff. I always have. Shoot, Mike Slive was the first commish to promote one several yrs back and the Big 12 and others were the ones that shot it down. Buy, hey, seeing another conference rack up 6 titles in a row will make people rethink and revisit things, I guess.

[Soonermagik]

First, how long will the playoffs remain at 4 teams?

Probably until the SEC puts 3 teams in the final 4, which it would have this yr had the playoff system been in effect. Then all the SEC-haters will cry foul like they are now about the BCS. The playoff system is not going to create any consensus.

A 10 team playoff would be a much better system.

[StoopTroup]

I think 9 is perfect.

[OUinFLA]

The rankings will still be around, both computer and human, and media bias that will still influence the whole process. IF you thought all that was going away, I've got a fleet of yachts for sale.





I didn't know you had a fleet of yachts !
Can we be good friends?

[SanJoaquinSooner]

It doesn't matter. With 65 teams in the basketball playoffs, there is bitching about teams who should be in, but got screwed.

[Widescreen]

Probably until the SEC puts 3 teams in the final 4, which it would have this yr had the playoff system been in effect. Then all the SEC-haters will cry foul like they are now about the BCS. The playoff system is not going to create any consensus.

That being said, I think the overwhelming majority of SEC'ers favor a playoff. I always have. Shoot, Mike Slive was the first commish to promote one several yrs back and the Big 12 and others were the ones that shot it down. Buy, hey, seeing another conference rack up 6 titles in a row will make people rethink and revisit things, I guess.
Yes, yes, we get it. The SEC is the sun and everyone else just orbits around it.

[badger]

I would rather have no more than 1 team per conference in the playoffs. That way, each conference can determine how to send it's ONE representative to be considered for the national title. If you have three teams with one loss, THEN FIGHT IT OUT AMONGST YOURSELVES! Don't expect a national playoff to determine YOUR conference's mess!

I would also like to have a six team playoff so that the five major conferences (Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, SEC, B1G) and a representative from the rest (Big East, MWC, C-USA, Sun Belt, MAC, Notre Dame, etc) could each have someone in the mix for the national title.

The format could be similar to the NFL playoffs, where the top two seeded teams would get a first round bye.

Having only ONE representative from each conference may also put this conference reallignemnt for money purposes bullsh!t to rest. If the SEC gets all four representatives, then of course everyone is going to be clamouring to get into the SEC. If the SEC gets ONE representative like everyone else, if the B1G gets ONE rep, the Big 12 gets ONE rep, then maybe perhaps MAYBE schools would finally put this giant cluster**** to rest and conferences can be more about regions and traditions and rivals and not MONEY MONEY MONEY???

There is a precedent for having ONE rep in the national title hunt -- it's the incredibly popular NCAA basketball tournament, which guarantees one bid per conference and only ONE bid. Before you point out that the ACC and Big East regularly send several dozen teams each, remember that basketball is a game that can be played nightly and football is not.

The NFL has also set precedent on ONE rep with its own playoffs. While there are wildcards, the divisional reps are the auto high seeds and each division is guaranteed to have one representative.

[BBQ Man]

There are people that think 16 teams is too many (even though the other sports and football at the other levels have this many or more), but that's the only way it can be fair. Have every conference winner and then 4-6 at large teams (depending on how many conferences there are) get in. Some are worried the SEC will dominate the at large bids - and maybe they will for a couple of years, but its cyclical. It won't stay on top forever. Also, I consider us one of the top two conferences and we'll benefit from the at large bids. Look at this year. We'd get left out of the playoffs even though we're co-champs, while teams like Arkansas State and Utah State are in it. Then once you've got the 16, seed them like a normal tournament regardless of which teams received an automatic or at large bid. There would be very little room for arguments from teams that missed it. They could even have a bowl week after the season and before the playoffs so we can still have tons of no-named 6-6 teams play each other for the Brand Z bowl.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

4 is plenty.

[sooneron]

There are people that think 16 teams is too many (even though the other sports and football at the other levels have this many or more), but that's the only way it can be fair. Have every conference winner and then 4-6 at large teams (depending on how many conferences there are) get in. Some are worried the SEC will dominate the at large bids - and maybe they will for a couple of years, but its cyclical. It won't stay on top forever. Also, I consider us one of the top two conferences and we'll benefit from the at large bids. Look at this year. We'd get left out of the playoffs even though we're co-champs, while teams like Arkansas State and Utah State are in it. Then once you've got the 16, seed them like a normal tournament regardless of which teams received an automatic or at large bid. There would be very little room for arguments from teams that missed it. They could even have a bowl week after the season and before the playoffs so we can still have tons of no-named 6-6 teams play each other for the Brand Z bowl.

Why in the world do you feel that an unranked team deserves a shot? It's a waste of space. This year, a 5 loss Wisconsin team would qualify for that playoff along with Arkie St?. Screw the auto - bid. And take the ****ing Rose Bowl out of the equation, I'm sick of their "tradition" and bellyaching.
Take the top 8. Yeah, this year it would have 4 sec teams, but maybe next year it would have only 2. If it played out like the bball, you'd have at least one sec team eliminated after the first round.

[SoonerMachine]

I think 8 teams is about right...

But I was curious as to what is the advantage for a rather small school (football wise) to join D-1? Is it just money?

[BBQ Man]

Why in the world do you feel that an unranked team deserves a shot? It's a waste of space. This year, a 5 loss Wisconsin team would qualify for that playoff along with Arkie St?. Screw the auto - bid. And take the ****ing Rose Bowl out of the equation, I'm sick of their "tradition" and bellyaching.
Take the top 8. Yeah, this year it would have 4 sec teams, but maybe next year it would have only 2. If it played out like the bball, you'd have at least one sec team eliminated after the first round.

The Big Ten thing is an exception that will only happen once every 50 years. If you only have 8 teams, then the ones in the smaller conferences will never get in and it will never be considered fair. Just add one more week, let them have their shot and then we don't have to hear how its an unfair system.

[BBQ Man]

I think 8 teams is about right...

But I was curious as to what is the advantage for a rather small school (football wise) to join D-1? Is it just money?

Money and Pride.

Sound like we're starting a list of sins. :)

[sooneron]

Money and Pride.

Sound like we're starting a list of sins. :)

Or trying to be "fair". Don't like it. B1G doesn't qualify for my top 8 system last year, too. :D

[badger]

Money and Pride.

Sound like we're starting a list of sins. :)

The 7 deadly sins of college football:

Lust or lechery (carnal "luxuria") is an intense desire. It is usually thought of as excessive sexual wants, however the word was originally a general term for desire. Therefore lust could involve the intense desire of money, fame, or power as well.
I wanna join the big boy conference too!


Derived from the Latin gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow, gluttony (Latin, gula) is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste.
Texas: Money money money money money money money money money... TV network TV network TV network TV network TV network TV network... Facilities facilities facilities facilities facilities facilities...


Greed (Latin, avaritia), also known as avarice or covetousness, is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed (as seen by the church) is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of material possessions.
SEC: So under this new playoff format, we can still win the national title every year AND have more than two of our teams included in the championship discussion past our own regular seasons?

B1G: We want the Big 12's team over here... and the Big East-turned ACC team and the ACC team over here...

Everyone: Give us more TV money. Now.

Bowl: Sure we're "invite" you to our bowl... all you have to do is buy 17,000 tickets that you'll never be able to sell!


Sloth (Latin, Socordia) can entail different vices. While sloth is sometimes defined as physical laziness, spiritual laziness is emphasized. Failing to develop spiritually is key to becoming guilty of sloth. In Christian faith, sloth rejects grace and God.
Kansas: When does my conference bowl payout check arrive?

SEC: So we'll just schedule our usual creampuffs for our non-conference schedule. After all, Kentucky is a very challenging in-conference opponent!

Savannah State: All I have to do is show up and you'll pay me HOW much money to lose by 84 in your house?!


Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. Wrath, in its purest form, presents with self-destructiveness, violence, and hate that may provoke feuds that can go on for centuries.
Mizzou: Gawd to Tech's academic suck so I want to join the Big 12. Gawd to Nebraska and Colorado suck at basketball, so the Big 12 just got stronger by letting them go! Gawd to I hate the Big 12... going to the SEC! **** you for refusing to play me anymore, KU!

Texas A&M: How DARE you start your own lucrative television network that you once wanted us to be a part of but we declined! I'm leaving to spite you, Texas!

Nebraska: You DARE you continually beat us, even if your worst season in recent memory! I'm leaving to spite you, Texas!


Like greed and lust, Envy (Latin, invidia) is characterized by an insatiable desire. Envy is similar to jealousy in that they both feel discontent towards someones traits, status, abilities, or rewards. The difference is the envious also desire that entity and covet it.
Baylor: Do we have any allies left in the Texas legislature? No? WELL THEN WE ARE GONNA THROW UP SOME BILLBOARDS! That'll show them!

Alabama: Ooooo, our little brother took a championship. I know we have many ourselves, but this ONE championship that our little brother took is UNACCEPTABLE. Time to down your precious trees...


In almost every list, pride (Latin, superbia), or hubris (Greek), is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and the source of the others. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God).
SEC: S-E-C! S-E-C!

[goingoneight]

I think we need to make the third-biggest money-maker in our conference bail and just stay at nine teams. Rinse, repeat until it's just the OU-Texas conference. Knowing our luck, we'd still have oSu holding onto our coat tails for dear life.

[soonercastor]

I would like to see the Big 12 be a bit aggressive and make a move (maybe they are, behind the scenes). More money for everyone is fine....for now, what about the future? Might have to take a paycut now for longevity.

[FtwTxSooner]

I would rather have no more than 1 team per conference in the playoffs. That way, each conference can determine how to send it's ONE representative to be considered for the national title. If you have three teams with one loss, THEN FIGHT IT OUT AMONGST YOURSELVES! Don't expect a national playoff to determine YOUR conference's mess!

I would also like to have a six team playoff so that the five major conferences (Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, SEC, B1G) and a representative from the rest (Big East, MWC, C-USA, Sun Belt, MAC, Notre Dame, etc) could each have someone in the mix for the national title.

The format could be similar to the NFL playoffs, where the top two seeded teams would get a first round bye.

Having only ONE representative from each conference may also put this conference reallignemnt for money purposes bullsh!t to rest. If the SEC gets all four representatives, then of course everyone is going to be clamouring to get into the SEC. If the SEC gets ONE representative like everyone else, if the B1G gets ONE rep, the Big 12 gets ONE rep, then maybe perhaps MAYBE schools would finally put this giant cluster**** to rest and conferences can be more about regions and traditions and rivals and not MONEY MONEY MONEY???

There is a precedent for having ONE rep in the national title hunt -- it's the incredibly popular NCAA basketball tournament, which guarantees one bid per conference and only ONE bid. Before you point out that the ACC and Big East regularly send several dozen teams each, remember that basketball is a game that can be played nightly and football is not.

The NFL has also set precedent on ONE rep with its own playoffs. While there are wildcards, the divisional reps are the auto high seeds and each division is guaranteed to have one representative.

I am with you on this one. Why the heck a conference should be allowed to have more than one representative in a 4 team playoff makes no sense at all to me. I would leave it up to the conference to determine their representative, conference champion, highest ranked team in the conference, etc., but that would be their lone representative.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Four team playoff is dumber than the BCS...should've started with 88 is the OPTIMAL number. Big enough to quiet most fans about the naming of a REAL NC, but low enough to not cheapen the regular season, like the NFL has done with their system.

[SoonerMarkVA]

I agree with 8 as the "right" amount. First round is on the home field of the higher seed. Then split up the semis and final between 3 bowls who bid for those games. Yes, there are those who will moan that team X deserved in over team Y, but realistically if you pick 8 teams you can make sure that whichever one has a legitimate gripe to be NC is in the group. Even though people still bitch about the 66th team that didn't get into the NCAAs, no one then claims, "and that team was definitely the best in the nation!"

[ddub0224]

8 team playoff. Automatic bids to the highest ranked teams of the 5 major conferences. This puts emphasis on the whole season, not just a conference championship game (see Oregon & Stanford example this year). The remaining 3 spots are then to be determined by a selection committee to ensure the next best teams get in (see Georgia or OU instead of N. Illi this year). If a conference's highest ranked team is ineligible, that spot is then replaced by a committee selection (ala no Wisonsin bc of OhSt this year but perhaps Georgia or OU).

Thoughts?

[badger]

I would like a spot reserved for the non major 5 just so they can belong to this big monster known as college football too... but that spot would be taken by Notre Dame this year, not Northern Illinois.

[jkjsooner]

Also, how does the current landscape affect recruiting? If you look at this year in a vacuum, A&M looks to be succeeding by association (to the SEC). I can't imagine A&M landing the recruiting class that they have attracted this year if they were 10-2, and in the Big XII. Nor do I think Johnny Manziel would have won the Heisman. Missouri has attracted recruits for the same reason, they just haven't enjoyed any success on the field against the SEC.

You are correct about Manziel. Had he done what he did in the Big 12 it would have been excused away.

As for A&M recruiting, I was nervous that this would help them to our detriment. We'll see how it plays out.

I wouldn't worry if I were a Texas fan though. Texas is still the big dog in that state and will always be. Texas could join any conference they wanted to tomorrow (if they were willing to give up the LHN) and they will if they feel that it is necessary. Whatever advantage A&M has gained could be negated by Texas almost overnight. I wouldn't get to comfortable if I were A&M.

Most likely if they go we go with them.

[jkjsooner]

The future that I would like to see is for someone with the cash to come along and organize D1 into 4, 20 team conferences. 10 teams per division in each conference. Play the other 9 teams in your division plus 3 OOC games to maintain traditional rivalries, then a conference championship game. You would still use the BCS for tiebreaker purposes. The 4 conference champs go into the 4 team playoff. The rest go to the other bowls. The 40 teams currently in D1 who don't make the cut drop down a level.

I like this idea but it goes against how the NCAA is organized. The NCAA has always been an oversight organization with little direct control over things like affiliations and scheduling. Moving the NCAA to a system that works more like professional leagues would be a dramatic shift.

I do like the idea of reducing the size of D1A. You could do something like they do in European soccer leagues where you have to earn your spot in D1A on the field. Say the lowest 10 teams in D1A are replaced by the highest 10 in whatever new division you've created.

[jkjsooner]

It doesn't matter. With 65 teams in the basketball playoffs, there is bitching about teams who should be in, but got screwed.

There's a little bitching for a day or two. Nobody questions the legitimacy of an NCAA basketball champion because anyone who had a legitimate shot at winning the title was included.

[jkjsooner]

Yes, yes, we get it. The SEC is the sun and everyone else just orbits around it.

Why the F' is he allowed to stay here? There has to be some type of board policy that addresses someone who doesn't break a board rule in any individual post but whose posts as a whole are generally irrelevant and show no interest in OU.

I just don't get it. Saban, we don't care to hear about Alabama 24x7 or to hear every beef you have with us or our conference. Understand?

[jkjsooner]

I am with you on this one. Why the heck a conference should be allowed to have more than one representative in a 4 team playoff makes no sense at all to me. I would leave it up to the conference to determine their representative, conference champion, highest ranked team in the conference, etc., but that would be their lone representative.

Let's say you can agree to some objective criteria to identify the best four (or eight or whatever) teams. Adding any other exclusionary rules (such as only one team per conference) adds nothing except to guarantee that the best four teams are not represented in the tournament.

It makes no sense to me - especially when you consider conference affiliation is an agreement between member institutions and for all intents is outside of the realm of the NCAA.

I suppose there would be no automatic qualifiers for conference champions in a four team tournament. Most likely conferences would want their champion in the tournament but would probably have to make an exception in cases when the conference champion wouldn't qualify but another member would.

Then you have the independents. For a Big 12 team we would have to win our conference AND qualify for the four team tournament. For Notre Dame they would just have to qualify for the four team tournament. The exclusionary rule would work to independent's advantage - hardly fair.

[FirstandGoal]

I would rather have no more than 1 team per conference in the playoffs. That way, each conference can determine how to send it's ONE representative to be considered for the national title. If you have three teams with one loss, THEN FIGHT IT OUT AMONGST YOURSELVES! Don't expect a national playoff to determine YOUR conference's mess!

I would also like to have a six team playoff so that the five major conferences (Big 12, Pac 12, ACC, SEC, B1G) and a representative from the rest (Big East, MWC, C-USA, Sun Belt, MAC, Notre Dame, etc) could each have someone in the mix for the national title.

The format could be similar to the NFL playoffs, where the top two seeded teams would get a first round bye.

Having only ONE representative from each conference may also put this conference reallignemnt for money purposes bullsh!t to rest. If the SEC gets all four representatives, then of course everyone is going to be clamouring to get into the SEC. If the SEC gets ONE representative like everyone else, if the B1G gets ONE rep, the Big 12 gets ONE rep, then maybe perhaps MAYBE schools would finally put this giant cluster**** to rest and conferences can be more about regions and traditions and rivals and not MONEY MONEY MONEY???
.

I love this thought, but I would also like to tweak it to where the 1 at-large bid could be any team from any conference if they were ranked high enough. That way if you really had #1 and #2 (or even 3 or 4) from the same conference, the other team would be able to get in. If let's say --using a random example of course-- that your conference is incredibly overrated and the idiot voters put 5 of them in the top 7, then only the highest ranked of those that didn't win the conference title would get the at-large bid provided there wasn't already a team from the other conferences (or Domer) that was ranked higher than the second ranked team in the conference that has as bajillion teams in the top 10 due to the fact that they all play each other.

[FirstandGoal]

Why in the world do you feel that an unranked team deserves a shot? It's a waste of space. This year, a 5 loss Wisconsin team would qualify for that playoff along with Arkie St?. Screw the auto - bid. And take the ****ing Rose Bowl out of the equation, I'm sick of their "tradition" and bellyaching.
Take the top 8. Yeah, this year it would have 4 sec teams, but maybe next year it would have only 2. If it played out like the bball, you'd have at least one sec team eliminated after the first round.

While I agree that 5 loss Wisconsin doesn't deserve the Rose Bowl, I still think they are a better team than NIU. One big problem with the rankings right now is that the knuckleheads all voting SEC-SEC-SEC just because they all play and beat each other (and by whatever twisted logic this is seen as them proving they are inferior to everybody else) wouldn't necessarily give us the best 4, 6, or 8 teams either. Much better to reward the teams first who have committed to the major conferences and then if there is a great team (like Domer this year-puke) deserving of the spot, they can have an at-large bid. Also, I seriously doubt the love-fest for the SEC is ending anytime soon. ESPiN is too busy worshipping them (and anybody who thinks that Manziel would have won the Heisman had eATMe still been in the Big XII is delusional) and the media bias will prevent a lot of conferences from getting a team in.

[JiminyChristmas]

With 4, 20 team conferences, you essentially have an 8 team playoff with the first round being the 4 championship games.

With the Big East crumbling, we just need the ACC to implode to be left with our 4 conferences. Maybe this is closer to reality than it seems.

[8timechamps]

With 4, 20 team conferences, you essentially have an 8 team playoff with the first round being the 4 championship games.

With the Big East crumbling, we just need the ACC to implode to be left with our 4 conferences. Maybe this is closer to reality than it seems.

It seems that in all of this realignment madness, once a domino falls, more will follow. I hope that's the case with the Big East and the ACC.

[OU_Sooners75]

The rankings will still be around, both computer and human, and media bias that will still influence the whole process. IF you thought all that was going away, I've got a fleet of yachts for sale.

That being said, I think the overwhelming majority of SEC'ers favor a playoff. I always have. Shoot, Mike Slive was the first commish to promote one several yrs back and the Big 12 and others were the ones that shot it down. Buy, hey, seeing another conference rack up 6 titles in a row will make people rethink and revisit things, I guess.

News flash there Einstein...

The rankings are still around in basketball but does not guarantee you a spot in the ncaa tourney.

Face it you dip****, the rankings will no longer be the end all when the selections of the four (or however many there is) teams that get to play in the playoff.

We all witnessed how pathetic the tv ratings were when lsu played bama for the bcs title last year. The lowest in bcs era.

Face it, the only people that give a **** about the sec is those that live in the sec footprint.

So while you live in your fantasy world, reality is, there will never be 3 teams in a playoff. And the rankings will have very little to zero influence in the selection process.

[Sabanball]

I agree with Stoops the Eternal Pimp, 4 is plenty.

I'm a big proponent of a playoff system, but NOT a tournament. The more you expand outward from the "four team" core, the more chance you have of having an eventual NC having 3 or more losses. That's too many, and simply rewards the 'hot' team and not necessarily the best team.

[mainline13]

Just read Badger's 7 deadly Sins of College Football, and I have to say one thing. Badger, your education was surely not wasted. A classic for the ages, that one.