Notre Dame won't be able to get a bye in playoff expansion

Submitted by bleed blue 1 on June 10th, 2021 at 7:59 PM

ND athletic director has confirmed that they will not be able to get a bye and will probably have to join a conference. I must say knowing Notre Dame wont be able to get a bye feels great .

rob f

June 11th, 2021 at 2:19 AM ^

I sure hope nobody goes to that school to major in Geography.

Besides, why should any special favors be bestowed upon a school with 1) a french name AND 2) that sports a nickname celebrating inebriated belligerent natives of Ireland, when it comes to deciding the championship of a totally American sport.

'Murica!

notetoself

June 11th, 2021 at 11:25 AM ^

i think you also have to look at who is naming the mascot.

white folks naming a school mascot after a subgroup of white folks (although, i acknowledge the irish weren't always considered white) is not exactly a sign of a power dynamic. plus, is there anything white people love more than claiming to be irish? i know my white half loved it when i was younger.

but white folks naming a team after a people group they nearly eradicated? yikes.

i think i'd amend your last statement to say "if all of the native americans in the US were responsible for naming the redskins, they'd still be the redskins too"

lilpenny1316

June 10th, 2021 at 8:30 PM ^

Personally, I'd prefer ND in the B1G. It makes more sense to have ND join the B1G and ship Maryland to the ACC. Why MD instead of Rutgers? Because no other major conference would be stupid enough to take a program not good enough for Conference USA just to break into the NYC TV market. MD going home to the ACC renews their rivalries with UVA and Duke.

Yooper

June 10th, 2021 at 9:02 PM ^

I agree with this. Unfortunately it makes too much sense to ever happen. 
Also, for all the excitement in the media, I doubt that a system that gives Alabama, Ohio state, Clemson and Oklahoma a first round bye will really change much in terms of who gets to the final four or two.  This whole things seems to be a way to get more money from what would otherwise be today’s bowl games. March Madness football version this is not.  
Letting Michigan and others have camps without restriction around the country would have a bigger impact on spreading the talent around. Again, we know that won’t happen. 

lilpenny1316

June 11th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^

Eventually, we'll get to a 16-team model. March Madness had byes for the top seed during a period where they went from 32 unseeded teams in 1977 to 64 teams in 1985.

For those interested in a little state of Michigan hoops history, check out our Sweet Sixteen opponent that year (LINK).

King Tot

June 11th, 2021 at 12:19 PM ^

I can say that myself, and many of my friends from differing fan bases, have mostly stopped watching college football because it is boring. That is especially true of the playoffs/championship rounds. Who wants to watch Bama and Clemson duke it out nearly every year. It is not good for the sport IMO but I understand how a Buckeye would not want more competition.

Seriously

June 11th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^

Me: The one good argument for expansion is that it would increase competition by spreading out talent.

You: I can see how a Buckeye would not want more competition.

(I want to de-commercialize college football altogether and eliminate sports scholarships. I don't care how that would affect Ohio State's competitive advantage. This is probably incomprehensible to 110-iq midwits at the AA school for kids who can't read good.)

NittanyFan

June 10th, 2021 at 8:30 PM ^

Good!

But not good enough.

Let's make this even better.  Let's make the rules such that the other independents (BYU, Army, UConn, etc) ARE Bye Eligible.

It's unlikely any of them ever would ever be in a position to get a bye of course.

But since Notre Dame thinks they are such a "special and precious and unique little snowflake in the college football world", let's give them their own special and precious and unique little carveout.

bronxblue

June 10th, 2021 at 8:35 PM ^

I assume they'll just try to create their own conference with the three service academies and whatever directional schools in the Midwest who'll stay out of their way. /s

But seriously, I like the idea of an expanded playoffs just to keep things interesting, and perhaps spur on the NIL rights talk a bit more because of the increased visibility options.

Perkis-Size Me

June 10th, 2021 at 9:24 PM ^

It’s like Homer said to Lisa in a Treehouse of Horror episode of the Simpsons. “So grow a penis or get lost.”

AKA go find a conference or go fuck off.

LSAClassOf2000

June 10th, 2021 at 9:52 PM ^

Notre Dame could always play with itself and that would be their "bye", right? The problem is if you play with yourself and still manage to lose. Not only is it embarrassing, but you still have to wipe up afterwards.

Ezekiels Creatures

June 10th, 2021 at 9:56 PM ^

Make it 16 teams. Byes are not good for the fans. Thus, not good for the sport.

 

16 teams--a couple more good games in January.

Human Torpedo

June 10th, 2021 at 10:07 PM ^

Is this a part of bigger effort to preserve the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, etc. as part of the Playoff by any chance? I think that would be amazing if that's the case and I'll absolutely be for it then because the Championship Bowls and their traditions need to not end!

Mpfnfu Ford

June 10th, 2021 at 10:42 PM ^

The 12 team playoff format being discussed is the final death blow to conference independence. It puts you at such a massive competitive disadvantage that it’s just not worth whatever extra money ND gets from NBC to stay independent. 
 

Big 10 offers them a better geographic fit and more money, acc offers a better cultural fit (ACC has far more private colleges than any other major conference) and an easier path to on field success. We’ll see whether ND cares more about money or success.

befuggled

June 11th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^

The Pac 10 does have two private schools which Notre Dame has played for a long time. I do think it would be hilarious to see Notre Dame playing at night on the road game at Washington State and getting upset.

Oddly, the regular Stanford series only goes back to the late eighties (aside from a few games every now and then before that). I thought it was an older series like the Southern Cal thing.

mackbru

June 11th, 2021 at 12:39 AM ^

It’s really simple. More playoff teams means more excitement for more players, schools, fans, and tv networks. A system in which only 4 out of 130 teams go to the playoffs is absurd, reductive, bad for the game, and boring, especially when it’s always the same 4-6 teams. Shake off the cobwebs. Open things up. Have more fun.