Maybe we already have the expanded playoff format I've always wanted
Full disclosure: I've been a big proponent of expanding the playoffs since the beginning. A 4-team playoff when you have 5 power conference champions seemed ridiculous right from the start. I like the idea of 12 teams. Some like 16, others like 8. But more "win-or-go-home" playoff games seemed like a no-brainer.
Since my hopes for expansion were dashed earlier this year, I decided to simply treat the end of this season as if they were playoff games. And what a great weekend of more-than-4-team (MT4T) format playoff football I just enjoyed.
Of course, the obvious: Michigan knocks OSU out in a game for the ages and provides a catharsis a full decade in the making. UM advances to a national quarterfinal matchup in the B1G CCG.
In the SEC Alabama stared elimination in the face and needed an Auburn RB brain fart and a miracle 97-yard drive to survive and advance to their quarterfinal, with the #1 seed waiting. Georgia may be the only team that can survive a loss at this point of the season, but it's another elimination game for Bama. (Right...? Right. Probably....)
Cincy has been playing elimination games all season and gets another one this coming weekend against a Top-25 team.
And the Big XII provided a thrilling playoff-type game with Bedlam in Stillwater, with OU dropping out of contention and OSU (NTOSU) earning the right to play in another elimination game. The Pokes may need a bit of help if they win, but it's clear they are out if they lose.
There are 4 conference championship games that are acting like national quarterfinals for at least four (if not five) different teams. They are all facing the "win-or-go-home" scenarios I wanted a MT4T playoff to provide.
If a 12-team or 16-team playoff were waiting following the CCG games this weekend, these games would still be exciting, but teams like OSU, OU, MSU, Ole Miss and Oregon would be thinking about their waiting playoff spots. Would the win over OSU still be as amazing knowing UM could face them again in a few weeks? Would Bama have to even worry about elimination? Would UM?
Ultimately I think we'll find out as I believe expanded playoffs are inevitable. As soon as the powers that be can figure out how to divide the extra billions, it will happen. Until then, enjoy the rest of these de facto playoff games that are sneakily built into the current season!
P.S. - I didn't forget to mention them - to hell with Notre Dame.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:15 PM ^
8-12 team playoff would be optimal (all Conference Champions are in plus best G5 team plus 3 at large is 8, for example). If 12 you could eliminate a fair number of pointless bowl games (given the top 4 seeds a bye and make the first round at home). I really would enjoy that latter aspect - here thinking of Ann Arbor (or Iowa, Oklahoma etc. hosting a December playoff game vs. any SEC team).
November 28th, 2021 at 11:17 PM ^
Yeah, I have a whole thing written up for my (somewhat involved) plan for an expanded playoff that I was going to post in a week or two...but I think that'll have to wait, and can imagine that it won't find the same degree of interest from Michigan fans than if the results had gone the way too many were expecting.
November 29th, 2021 at 8:36 AM ^
Really..."too many were expecting", eh??? In general, there is already a very high level delusion among fans-all fans. Here, it took several decades for Michigan fans to regain an appropriate level of sanity and reason in their expectations regarding this "contest". Fans need no encouragement in their quest for delusional thinking. It is not an exaggeration to state that Michigan fans had little reason to expect a victory last Saturday. But my oh my was that a spectacularly played game by our boys in the maize and blue!
November 28th, 2021 at 11:18 PM ^
Even though Michigan has the shot if they beat Iowa, I still feel like it needs to expand. Go to 8 for a few years and see how that is and then revisit for 12 or whatever. If 8 is good, leave it at that. The only thing I don’t like about the expansion is if they don’t make Notre Dame play a ccg. They’ll get in on most years by being top 8 with their candy ass schedule.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:33 PM ^
Would the win over OSU still be as amazing knowing UM could face them again in a few weeks? Would Bama have to even worry about elimination? Would UM?
Of course, it would depend on the format. In most proposed formats, the number of "at-large" (non-conference champions) would be limited to 2 to 4. So yes, Michigan would have to worry, so might Ohio State or Notre Dame or even Alabama.
I would hope that whatever expanded format they devise, the chance of facing them again would be reduced by modifying the seeding to take those things into consideration, so that if we'd meet again, it wouldn't be until at least the semi-finals.
November 29th, 2021 at 12:18 AM ^
No. Some one loss team or Cincinnati is still going to be hosed this year. Gotta be at least 8. I vote for 12 with Power 5 conference championship auto-bids. Fill in the remaining 7 from the committee rankings.
November 29th, 2021 at 1:57 AM ^
Yeah I'm still in the "8 is perfect" camp. 5 conference champions, 1 group of 5 guaranteed spot, 2 at-large. Given how (unfortunately) often ND is likely to grab an at-large, I don't think having a single at-large spot available is gonna rob The Game or other big matchups of much tension.
And of course in this ideal world the first round is all on campus, so the difference between getting a home game as conference champ and a road game as an at-large is huge even if you think you have the at-large sewn up.
November 29th, 2021 at 1:45 AM ^
Man, you guys care about the national championship too much. Used to be there wasn't even really a national champion, just whoever went undefeated in big conference.
Win The Game first, win the conference second and then whatever happens after that is just for fun.
I really couldn't care less what sportswriters in the south or pacific west think is the best team in the country. We'll know for certain every year who is the conference champion and that's all that matters.
November 29th, 2021 at 8:51 AM ^
Your point is valid but the NC simply adds the next layer to the championship concept-and that is not a bad thing. Athletic contests, at their best, are for the benefit of those playing the games. Adding a "post-season" championship format offers goodness for both the individual players and the game in general. It is not reasonable to expand football to the basketball inclusion level but moving it out to include as many as 16 does makes sense.
November 29th, 2021 at 9:16 AM ^
I agree. In fact I am not a fan of a 4 team playoff that routinely allows the 2nd best team in a conference in. The Alabama-Georgia game should eliminate one of them, but Georgia probably would get a mulligan in a close game.
We wouldn't even have the Top 4 if the idiot pollsters hadn't given us a LSU-Alabama rematch.
If it has to be 4 it should be limited to 1 team per conference.
November 29th, 2021 at 2:57 AM ^
There are roughly 120 D1 football teams, and how we accept a "Jury" to put them in a pot a boil it down to 4 teams in 12 games in a relatively small sample size is beyond me.
Conference champs are all bullshit but innate in our thinking but is needed because of the current structure of college football. Fuck Notre Dame, but they have it right. You sit back and watch the chaos unfold next week and may get into the "dance".
10% (or 12 teams) is a step forward. MLB & the NFL expanded, & we have the perfect model of the college basketball, NCAA is being held hostage by the antiquated bowl system.
No one gives a FLYING FUCK about the Rose Bowl anymore.
November 29th, 2021 at 8:19 AM ^
It used to be every team was in contention for the national title, and each week was a "playoff" game. Think about some people want 8 then 12 then 16, then 24 then 48, 96 and then what just the whole season is the playoffs? And we're back to where we were for a hundred years, the way that always made and still does make the most sense. No artificial playoffs, just play out the season and after the first Saturday in January, whoever is undefeated can claim a national championship and hang up a banner.
November 29th, 2021 at 9:11 AM ^
No. Your premise is, 100%, not true. There is benefit and value in distilling play down to the best against the best. People of knowledge and integrity can weigh and determine what the best route is here-the path that offers the optimal benefit to the players of the game. This is what should be driving the discussion and decisions.
November 29th, 2021 at 9:25 AM ^
If you ever have the power to make this a reality, I pray to God we join the MAC
Your premise rewards scheduling nobody. An expanded playoff encourages teams to play better schedules to rank more highly. Being 1, 2, 3, or 4 is all pretty much the same in this format, but you'd much rather be a 2 seed playing a 15 than a 16 playing a 1. More incentive for having worthwhile regular season games
November 29th, 2021 at 9:19 AM ^
6 or 8 is the best number and would make it pretty unlikely for Michigan and OSU to ever rematch unless it was for a national title
November 29th, 2021 at 2:20 PM ^
I have been saying for years that all you need to do is limit the playoff to Power 5 conference champions. Suddenly the conference championship games become playoff games and the regular season becomes super important.