My newest playoff idea

[osutuba]

I was thinking about this the other day. I, like many others, am NOT a fan of the BCS. When you consider that the FCS (Div. 1-AA), Div. 2, and Div. 3 all do playoffs, it is not inconceivable to have the same for Div. 1-A. I have had several ideas, but I think I finally came up with one.

That being said, here is my idea. I'll do it in bullet points so to make it easier to follow:


All conferences must either have a championship game or be required to play every team in their conference to determine a champion. Want more non-conference games, Big Televen? Have a conference championship game and you won't have to worry about it.
Conference champs are automatically in the tournament. 11 conferences = 11 automatic bids.
The 5 "Wild Card" spots are determined two ways: 1)Any Independent gets in if they have fewer losses than the worst automatic bid team, and 2) Conference runners-up based on Sagarin ranking.
Seeding is similar to that of the NCAA Basketball tourney, in that no two teams can meet in the first two rounds if they are in the same conference or met earlier in the season. Otherwise, it is based on things like Sagarin rankings and non-conference records. Selections would be made the Sunday after all champions are decided.
Round 1 is played at the higher seed's home stadium the week after "Selection Sunday" (this year that would be Dec. 13 or 20).
Quarters, Semis, and the championship game can all be played at BCS Bowl Sites over the following 3 weeks, putting the end of the season for this year at Jan. 6 or 13.
Two sites would host an afternoon and evening quarterfinal game each (e.g., Sugar and Fiesta)
Semis would be be either at two separate sites or done like the quarters at one site (e.g., Rose and Orange get one game each or one site gets both)
Championship would be held at either the remaining bowl site or the site of that year's Super Bowl.
Sites would rotate yearly to give equal opportunity to host the deeper games in the tourney, similar to the how the BCS is done now.
All other bowls would be played using the system they currently use.

Thoughts?

[legelegel]

Before I read your plan, please tell me how you make those bullets? :cool2:

[legelegel]

All conferences must either have a championship game or be required to play every team in their conference to determine a champion. Want more non-conference games, Big Televen? Have a conference championship game and you won't have to worry about it.I like that. Is that yours?

The Big Ten (11) could easily have their number one and number teams play one more game, especially if they continue want to have a system that could have two undefeated teams at the end of their season.

[osutuba]

Before I read your plan, please tell me how you make those bullets? :cool2:
There is an option in the text editor. It's just to the right of the alignment options (left/center/right)

[osutuba]

I like that. Is that yours?

The Big Ten (11) could easily have their number one and number teams play one more game, especially if they continue want to have a system that could have two undefeated teams at the end of their season.
"Big Televen" is something a buddy of mine gave me during our OSU days.

[legelegel]

"Big Televen" is something a buddy of mine gave me during our OSU days.

I'm sure Penn. State was glad to see their addition to the conference was celebrated with their added silhouette of the #11.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7757/big1008hdrlogorq2.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[legelegel]

The 5 "Wild Card" spots are determined two ways: 1)Any Independent gets in if they have fewer losses than the worst automatic bid team, and 2) Conference runners-up based on Sagarin ranking.I would tell the 4 independents to get with the program or get left out, that is find a conference to join.

I'm tired of Notre Dame, Army and Navy thinking they are so special. At least the Hilltoppers will join a conference next year.

[bleedorange]

I'm sure Penn. State was glad to see their addition to the conference was celebrated with their added silhouette of the #11.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7757/big1008hdrlogorq2.gif (http://imageshack.us)



"Big Televen" is a pretty common term that I've seen, going back to the very day that Penn St. joined the conference and they chose to keep the erroneous name.

[PokesFanatic]

Overall, good idea, but I personally think that automatic bidding from conference championships is a big part of what is wrong with the BCS. Penn St. was an example a couple of years ago and the automatic bidding made for a horrible mismatch in a BCS game.

Instead, just rank teams with a system equivalent to the current BCS system and take the top 10. Have a 'play-in' for teams 9 and 10, the winner facing the BCS No. 1 the next week. Seed the remaining tournament in the typical fashion (1st v. 9/10th; 2nd v. 8th; 3rd v. 7th; 4th v. 5th) and play them down to one team: the bona fide national champion. You'd use the same BCS bowls as you have now, but you'd have to work out special pricing for fans of teams that have finished the season in the Top 10.

Now, under this system, no team is denied the ability to get in based on whether or not they won their conference, and every game is still meaningful. Take us versus Ttech last week. We win (and continue to win) we're in the playoffs and seeded nicely. We lose and we're on the outside looking in. Also, allowing ten teams to play off opens the door for the 'cinderella' to have her perfect season--meaning that a Boise St. could have a legitimate shot at an NC, regardless of what conference they come from--currently an impossibility due to the weight pollsters give to power conferences.

No system will be perfect, but if the best team in any given year can't finish ranked in the Top 10, they don't deserve a shot at winning it all.

[legelegel]

You have one too many teams for a one game play in and an 8 bracket playoff . No 6 got left out here.

... Instead, just rank teams with a system equivalent to the current BCS system and take the top 10. Have a 'play-in' for teams 9 and 10, the winner facing the BCS No. 1 the next week. Seed the remaining tournament in the typical fashion (1st v. 9/10th; 2nd v. 8th; 3rd v. 7th; 4th v. 5th) and play them down to one team: the bona fide national champion. .

[legelegel]

"Big Televen" is a pretty common term that I've seen, going back to the very day that Penn St. joined the conference and they chose to keep the erroneous name.

I'm going to have to get out more or quit listening to the same people, bleedorange.

[Pokevette]

As I've said before, I am fundamentally against any idea involving more than 8 teams. I would take the six BCS league champs plus the two highest rated non-bcs schools.

If you want to include more than one team from any conference, that should be done by a League Championship which is in essence a "play-in" game to the final 8 team format.

NOBODY has ever cared if the 16th best team in the Nation has a chance to win the National championship. An 8-team play-off is more than adequate to allow all deserving teams a shot at the Title.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Admittedly, I didn't bother to read your plan, and I clicked the bottom button.

I DON'T WANT A PLAYOFF.

The last thing on earth that I would want would be another 3 or 4 weeks of watching USC or OU, or LSU, or (fill in the perrinial media favorite here).

Why do so many insist on trying to create a method for teams we hate watching, to play 4 more weeks?

Crazy if you ask me.

[FalseGod]

Because the current system does not determine a true champion. At least with a playoff you have a better picture of who deserves to be the champion. For example, the Big 12 this year has more than two teams which would probably cake walk through the Pac-10 this year, yet we're penalized because USC or Ohio State have cake walk conference schedules.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Because the current system does not determine a true champion. At least with a playoff you have a better picture of who deserves to be the champion. For example, the Big 12 this year has more than two teams which would probably cake walk through the Pac-10 this year, yet we're penalized because USC or Ohio State have cake walk conference schedules.

so... a playoff doesn't fix any of that, and the Big12 would probably deserve more than two teams in the playoff, which would never happen (or shouldn't).

I seriouly doubt you silly claim about the Pac10 or the Big10. Who cares anyway? The big10 won't be in the MNC hunt anyway, and USC beat some really good teams despite what you think of them.

A playoff will never give you a better picture of anything, because they simply cannot take a sufficient number of teams to make it fair.

A plus-one game give you almost the exact same thing.

Playoffs for D-1A football are stupid. They don't work for 1-AA, and it won't work for 1-A.

It's just a flat out stupid idea.

What next, wild-card teams... whoo hooo.. that's fair.

[legelegel]

...
Playoffs for D-1A football are stupid. They don't work for 1-AA, and it won't work for 1-A.

Why do you think the NCAA football playoffs do not work?

[BigBadBen]

The only reason I say no is because I dont like the idea of Bowls being used for playoff games.

Its too much travel for teams & fans, and higher seeds should get home field advantage.


Ive been saying for a while....


First off, remove automatic conference tie ins & the Notre Dame 7 win BCS guarantee.

Take the top 8 regardless of conference, seed them. 1-4 host. Winners advance & higher seeds host the following week.


Losers of playoff game 1 & 4 play in BCS bowl #4
Losers of playoff game 2 & 3 play in BCS bowl #3

The higher seeded winners host 2nd round.

Losers of playoff game 5 & 6 play in BCS bow #2

Winners of playoff game 5 & 6 play in BCS Bowl #1.

Tada!

[legelegel]

What do you tell an undefeated team who is number 9 in the BCS Rankings?

[BigBadBen]

Same thing you tell the current #3 team who is undefeated, "tough luck".

Right now, #9 doesn't stand a chance anyway, so why would they all of a sudden have a concern?

I doubt we see that happen anyway. But if it does, it shows the idiocy of pre season polls. They set a season benchmark based on nothing but hype.

[legelegel]

Same thing you tell the current #3 team who is undefeated, "tough luck".

Right now, #9 doesn't stand a chance anyway, so why would they all of a sudden have a concern?

I doubt we see that happen anyway. But if it does, it shows the idiocy of pre season polls. They set a season benchmark based on nothing but hype.

Exclusion is the problem not the answer.

Ask Villanova if they had a chance in 1985 when that basketball team won a NCAA Championship. They were a #8 seed, but you need to multiply that number by 4 to get their true ranking.

As long as there is an undefeated team who does not play until they lose or defeat the last undefeated team, the system is corrupt to the core.

Our institutions of higher learning are the core of this problem.

They continue to mix forced adult amateurism with big money.

[PokesFanatic]

You have one too many teams for a one game play in and an 8 bracket playoff . No 6 got left out here.

So I did. I thought it looked a bit off (Doh!)

Make that a 9 team bracket and everything still applies. Thanks for the heads-up.

[BigBadBen]

but the same can be said of rthe 66th plus teams in the NCAA Basketball tourney.

You cant include everyone. Thats just the way it goes.

Get rid of pre season polling and this wont be an issue, because posers will not take up room at the top in anticipation of a big season. Wait till week 6 when the seperation starts to show.

[legelegel]

but the same can be said of rthe 66th plus teams in the NCAA Basketball tourney.

You cant include everyone. Thats just the way it goes.

Get rid of pre season polling and this wont be an issue, because posers will not take up room at the top in anticipation of a big season. Wait till week 6 when the seperation starts to show.

That would be a good start. We should also stop the media from obtaining vote totals on the East Coast when the polls on the West Coast are still open.

[snuffy]

What do you tell an undefeated team who is number 9 in the BCS Rankings?

Another good question is what do you tell a undefeated Boise St. and Utah at the end of this season?

[legelegel]

Another good question is what do you tell a undefeated Boise St. and Utah at the end of this season?

That's my point exactly. We will never know how really good these teams are until the elitism is taken out of major college football.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Why do you think the NCAA football playoffs do not work?

Actually, I said it doesn't work in 1-AA, which I have evaluated in the past, I have not looked at DivII or Div III.

The last time I examined the 1-AA playoff, there were 4 teams from one conference and zero teams from 4 conferences, despite their records. It is not chosen "fairly" in that league, and consequently there is no reason to believe that it could ever be "fair" in 1-A.

IMO, the only thing that could ever be "fair" would be eight 12-team conferences, each with a conference championship, where each conference champion advances to a playoff, no exceptions. Win your conference or you're out.