You think the SEC is hated now just think how bad it will be if this happens.

[Martianlander]

This is where I never understood why they moved away from the BCS formula. It wasn't perfect, but it at least took some of the subjective selection issues out of the final paring. If you took the 2 polls and the ESPN FPI (because, face it, ESPN would have found the way to include it) and ranked every team accordingly, there would be no question about where those 1 loss teams stood in relation to each other.

I agree. With all its critics, the BCS for the most part got it right. For years the sportswriters, etc. said that a loss in week eight shouldn't hurt you more than a loss in week one. The BCS formula took this into consideration, but when the results didn't turn out like the writers liked, it was a "terrible system".

[dawgs]

I agree. With all its critics, the BCS for the most part got it right. For years the sportswriters, etc. said that a loss in week eight shouldn't hurt you more than a loss in week one. The BCS formula took this into consideration, but when the results didn't turn out like the writers liked, it was a "terrible system".

Anytime you have that many 1 L teams competing for 1 or 2 spots in the natty, there’s lots of arguments for different 1 L teams. Going to 4 teams largely eliminates the best of those arguments because the teams with the best arguments are in and those that may end up outside the playoff have clearly weaker arguments than most of the 1 L teams that have made it. A lot of years there’s not even a 1 L team on the outside looking in with a reasonable argument. I used to want 8, but seeing 4 in practice, I feel like 4 is the right number.