College Football Playoff Appreciation Thread

Submitted by M-Dog on
If it was not for the College Football Playoff, this year's National Championship game would have been Alabama vs. FSU.  Think about that for a moment.
 
The echo chamber would have picked Alabama because they are Alabama and won the SEC, and would have picked FSU because they won it last year and were still undefeated.  It would have been "self-evident" that those were the two best teams.  Except they weren't.
 
I think we should keep this Playoff thing.
 

Tater

January 2nd, 2015 at 4:11 AM ^

I have been suggesting eight teams for years now.  At the very least, there should be six, with a special "play in" round after the last week of the season, matching 3-6 and 4-5.  Then every one could rest and they could do exactly what they are doing now in January with the losers filling out one of the other four of the "New Year's Six" bowls.

GoBLUinTX

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:53 AM ^

Number 8 MSU beat #6 Baylor. Shouldn't MSU have had a shot at the playoffs?  And if MSU should be in so too should have #7 MIss St., but #12 Georgia Tech thrashed Miss St., so maybe the brackets should include at least down to 12.

MGoBender

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^

Early round NCAA games are played in stadia that are 1/4 the size of football stadia.  And they are regularly half empty.

It is a concern.  Big schools like us, OSU, Texas, Alabama will have enough alumni to fill three high-priced games.  But not all schools.

That's why the first round should be played on campus :)

HELLE

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:57 AM ^

having on campus games the first round. I actually thought they should have them this year but I haven't seen the attendance numbers yet. My initial thought was that every school would have trouble filling the stadium for semifinal games. Edit* I just saw the numbers and I was wrong.

gwkrlghl

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^

Moving them to home sites for quarters and semis would solve that problem, but thats a tough battle to fight with bowl execs fixing to lose a lot of money from a decision like that.

I still think 6 is right. Usually when you get down to the 7-10 range, you're looking at 2-3 loss teams who have probably lose to at least 1 or 2 of the guys who are playoff locks

GoBLUinTX

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:48 AM ^

Better idea.  16 teams, that allows for two teams per Power 5 because everybody can have a bad game and then six at large to ensure fair representation from the smaller conferences.  Plus four play-in games, one for each quadrant of the bracket.  Total 20 teams.  

And that, my friend, is the least you can do for political correctness.

Eskimoan

January 2nd, 2015 at 3:59 AM ^

It blows that OSU is in the ship but at least its a B1G school and not SEC. Today was a great day for football , watching two big games like that was awesome, something that has been missed for a long time. I believe TCU has the biggest argument this year, but it is a result of their conference not keeping up with all the others, and not having a championship game. I couldn't be happier about the playoff so far.

sierragold

January 2nd, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^

The Big Ten could have been making excuses for years, but instead just as the rest of the nation was forced to be beat down and even have books written about how GREAT the SEC is. Well maybe they are, but this year and based on the bowl games.

It is the PAC 12 WEST MEETS BIG TEN EAST.

I am good with the entire playoff system and to think that the SEC wanted the system so they could have 2 Teams in the playoffs for a NC and now are shut out.

Go Big....................

LSAClassOf2000

January 2nd, 2015 at 11:07 AM ^

One thing that might possibly get overlooked in the national summary of these bowls, and I sincerely hope it does not, was fun it actually was to see a triple option team just take it to someone for an entire game, especially a team that for much of the year, people were putting in their personal Top 4. 

Thorin

January 2nd, 2015 at 4:44 AM ^

It's better than the BCS, but better than an Ohio State vs. Oregon Rose Bowl on January 1st (Rose will be on the 31st next year)? I'm not so sure. With traditional bowl tie-ins, the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cotton were all championships that meant as much or more than the Dr. Pepper vagina trophy. 

skwasha

January 2nd, 2015 at 6:46 AM ^

I'm with you. This will eventually go to eight. Which in my min is even worse. Did anyone see the orange bowl crowd?! Half empty. That used to be one of THE big bowls. But hey, not a playoff bowl so why bother. May as well just ditch the rest of the bowls if we're really going all in on this playoff thing.

Blah - get off my lawn!



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gwkrlghl

January 2nd, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^

They're all meaningless games which no one outside of the participating fanbases will remember in two weeks unless it's one of the few great bowl games that inevitably happen.

I still do not understand why FBS football has to be feelingsball.

"But they will be sad if they don't get to play in a bowl game!"

Tough shit. Look at literally every other sport in college athletics including FCS, D-II, and D-III football. Make the tournament if you want to keep playing, otherwise you're done. No one gives a crap about CMU playing Western Kentucky. I doubt most of their fanbases even watched that game

DealerCamel

January 2nd, 2015 at 1:19 PM ^

When else do you get to see teams from completely different areas of the country play against one another?  How often would Oregon play Ohio State or Wisconsin play TCU or Michigan play Texas? 

It's something completely unique to the FBS.  Basketball has March Madness, FBS has the bowl season.

Thorin

January 2nd, 2015 at 7:57 AM ^

OK, I'm glad to hear they're keeping it on New Year's Day, but it's still been stripped of most of its meaning. Like the guy above said, playing an Orange Bowl in an empty stadium was sad. In years when the big game's are on New Year's Eve, we could see a similar site in Pasadena. I honestly can't think of anything more depressing than Michigan playing a meaningless consolation game in a half-empty Rose Bowl.

Gucci Mane

January 2nd, 2015 at 5:08 AM ^

The playoff is awful. And if it is expanded it will just get worse. Please stop trying to ruin college football !!!

1464

January 2nd, 2015 at 8:15 AM ^

Huh?

In it's very first year, the playoff has proved how flawed the NCG selection has been.  Alabama and FSU were not the two best teams in the country, and yet last year they would have been promoted into the title game.

Needless to say, Bama would have destroyed FSU (who were the biggest pretender team to go 29-0... I know, that sounds weird).  Once Bama won another NCG, the SEC chant would have just gotten louder.

No more self fulfilling prophecies.  The SEC must win on the field, the same as any conference.  An 8 team playoff would eliminate even more bias.  

I cannot fathom how a sane person could see the results of yesterday and think that the playoff should go away.

jimt1023

January 2nd, 2015 at 9:31 AM ^

Are probably hating the format. Actually I'd say the entire SEC, who can no longer use reputation alone to get to the NC game.

I love the playoff. I think it will be toughest on the SEC which will be great for college football. My wife is from Alabama. I can't wait for the day I can travel down there and don't need to listen to ignorant SEC fans talking about the vaunted SEC speed and great defenses.

rbgoblue

January 2nd, 2015 at 7:03 AM ^

Not sure that this year showed that we need 8 teams in. Sparty had chances against Oregon and OSU and showed they were inferior. Ole Miss and Miss St got blown out in bowl games and didn't belong. Only team that really has an argument for being left out is TCU.


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MGrether

January 2nd, 2015 at 7:07 AM ^

Agreed, it was great seeing two games that pitted good against good, not just conf vs conf. Now, let's just expand to 8 and call it done, so that each P5 conference champion gets in a and be done. Then, allow the other bowls to be development opportunities for the other teams. I think it will be great for football.



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