Should the playoff system eliminate conference championships?

[FlabLoser]

If they're going to allow multiple teams from one conference (and they should if they're picking the top 4 teams), then teams that play a conference championship game are at a disadvantage to those lesser playoff teams that don't.

[CadaverDawg]

Either that or ALL conferences should have to have a Championship game IMO.

[Westdawg]

I know that it sure doesn't benefit the teams that have to play the extra game. That is one more time that they have to take a chance on players getting hurt, their O or D getting exposed. and one more week that they cannot focus on their next possible opponent(s) in the playoff.

[Westdawg]

Either that or ALL conferences should have to have a Championship game IMO.


now THAT i can get behind ! I have never understood why some conferences wouldn't have the championship game. I don't think the Big 12 teams should be as high up the pecking order because of this. I may be wrong, but i think they are the only non championship game, correct? we were basically the only one for a while, then the B12 had one, then lost members, and now doesn't while the PAC, B1G, and ACC have all added one, correct?

[ShotgunDawg]

I think you'll see all conferences have a championship game due to money. However, the bigger problem is that we all know that all conferences aren't created equal. The bigger issue is a more deserving SEC team, that doesn't win the SEC championship, getting left out in favor of a less deserving team from another conference.

[archdog]

All conferencea should have a conf championship game. I don't understand the 12 team rule on ccgames.

[DawgHouseUnited]

Either that or ALL conferences should have to have a Championship game IMO.

This.

[DLGDawg]

This pretty much sums it up IMO. The west winner will be facing Georgia more than likely. Georgia is solid. The west winner losing to them is definitely not "crazy talk".
If that were to happen, the "better to lose early than late" will kick in.

So the question is, would that kick the west winner out of the playoff?

Because going into that game, the west winner would be in the top 4 I would think.


I think you'll see all conferences have a championship game due to money. However, the bigger problem is that we all know that all conferences aren't created equal. The bigger issue is a more deserving SEC team, that doesn't win the SEC championship, getting left out in favor of a less deserving team from another conference.

[Goat Holder]

No. But you shouldn't be penalized for whatever happens in it. Just like basketball and baseball tournaments. Really the only reason those exist are to help somebody gain a bid and simply to hand out another trophy. Football ch'ips are there to determine a champ. That's it. If 2 undefeated teams are there, sure the winner may go to the playoff, but honestly they should both go, no matter the outcome.

[LC Dawg]

I would like to see the championship game eliminated but honestly, with these 12 & more team conferences, a championship game is a fairer way to determine a champion because each team doesn't play every team in their conference. If Georgia wins out we really only know that they are better than 2 West teams. That wouldn't bother us because a one loss MSU would probably be picked over a one loss Georgia but one day that could be reversed and we would be pissed. The Big 12 doesn't have this problem because there are actually only 10 teams in the conference and they all play each other.

[FlabLoser]

Conference championship are a fairer way to determine conference champions.

But having some teams play 13 games while everybody else plays 12 isn't a fair way to see national playoffs.

[MetEdDawg]

I think it has to eliminate it. Let's just say we lose on the road to Bama but win everything else. We sit at 11-1 with a road loss to a top 5 team. Are you telling me that we HAVE to beat another potentially Top 5 or 10 team in UGA in a neutral site conference championship game to verify we are a Top 4 team?? That's the logic the committee will have to potentially piece through and balance out when weighing who is the best.

But then think about our resume. We would have played 6 games against teams ranked in the Top 10 (2 at home, 3 on the road, one neutral site) when we played them. That's 50% of our schedule against Top 10 teams. Would anyone else have anything close to that resume except Auburn or Alabama?? No way and it's not even close.

But we lose 2 of those 6 games and we probably get the shaft and are out of the playoff. If the SEC wants to get the most number of teams from the conference in, I think it has to give serious consideration to doing away with the conference championship game.

[DLGDawg]

But then think about our resume. We would have played 6 games against teams ranked in the Top 10 (2 at home, 3 on the road, one neutral site) when we played them. That's 50% of our schedule against Top 10 teams. Would anyone else have that resume except Auburn??

Excellent point!!

[FlabLoser]

Good points.

And we are already getting pub for having the #1 SOS.

This season has been a long time coming. I've heard "State could be better this year, but their record can't show it due to the schedule" enough years in a row that I could puke. I've been sick & tired of not seeing a signature win because the rest of the SEC West has been too elite.

Not this year. We're finally up to the challenge. It is GLORIOUS to finally climb that mountain.

[Goat Holder]

The biggest issue here is playing 13 games instead of 12. That's one more game of wear/tear/injuries on your players. It's not like basketball and baseball. I still say it was criminal that LSU had to play Alabama again in 2011.

[LC Dawg]

If there is much controversy over the playoff selection this year we may soon move to an 8 team playoff which would have to push the conferences to eliminate their championship games.

[DawgPoundtheRock]

I expect that in the next 3 to 5 years we will have an 8 team playoff. This will add one more game to an already grueling schedule for SEC teams. At that point it may make sense to eliminate the championship game. however, eliminating the championship game almost creates 2 separate SEC leagues which then validates the argument for a 9 game SEC schedule. Personally, I like the championship game.

On another note, when we go to an 8 team playoff (if it were this year), would the SEC get 3 or 4 teams into the playoff? The rest of the college football world would scream SEC bias. Also, the 9 and 10 teams would bitch about being left out. It would be interesting to watch just to see which bubble teams mke it and which fold under the pressure.

[BulldogBear]

All conferencea should have a conf championship game. I don't understand the 12 team rule on ccgames.

Here's the logic behind it I think.

A ten school conference can reasonably be expected to play a round robin and the champion is whomever has the best record. This is the best way to determine a "true" champion anyway. It is then extremely unfair to subject what amounts to a true conference champion to have to play another team which it has already bested (notice I don't say beaten, they could have lost to them) in the regular season in round robin true champion conference play. It is natural for people to want a conference championship game, but really it's just for the sake of having one if you've already played a round robin. It doesn't really have a point. With 12, you can't be reasonably expected to play everyone, so you split, compete for the spot your division gets and then have a one game playoff. It's the next best thing to a round robin. So, no championship game for 10 or 8 school conferences. It's not fair to the conference champion, who has already won that championship on the field.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I think it's about money, not fairness. We've seen the number of games going up steadily over the years. Fifteen games is unbelievable, but we're lucky to have a coach who understands how to keep athletes in condition throughout the long season. I'm not worried about it, except the idea that losing the SECCG could knock us out of the playoff. So I agree with those who say that it shouldn't figure into the decision. But damnit, it will. How could it not? It'll be the freshest thing on every mind.

[FlabLoser]

I expect that in the next 3 to 5 years we will have an 8 team playoff. This will add one more game to an already grueling schedule for SEC teams. At that point it may make sense to eliminate the championship game. however, eliminating the championship game almost creates 2 separate SEC leagues which then validates the argument for a 9 game SEC schedule. Personally, I like the championship game.

On another note, when we go to an 8 team playoff (if it were this year), would the SEC get 3 or 4 teams into the playoff? The rest of the college football world would scream SEC bias. Also, the 9 and 10 teams would bitch about being left out. It would be interesting to watch just to see which bubble teams mke it and which fold under the pressure.


We could go to 6 teams, giving the 2 highest seeded conference champions a 1st round bye. Or something like that.

[Goat Holder]

On another note, when we go to an 8 team playoff (if it were this year), would the SEC get 3 or 4 teams into the playoff? The rest of the college football world would scream SEC bias. Also, the 9 and 10 teams would bitch about being left out. It would be interesting to watch just to see which bubble teams mke it and which fold under the pressure.

And they SHOULD. I see this argument all the time. Yeah, we all know that the SEC is the best, but that does NOT mean that the SEC should dominate a playoff. The only thing being the top conference guarantees you, is that your champion (or best team) will be guaranteed a spot. THAT'S ALL. In a 4 team playoff, there is no business for 2 teams from the same conference to get a spot 95% of the time. 2011 would be about the only time, and that is an anomaly.

The point is to crown a NATIONAL champion. You can't do that unless you allow teams from all over. Theoretically the SEC determines its qualifier in the regular season, then they represent the entire conference.

Who gives a f*ck about the theoretical 'best' teams on paper? You can find that out without even playing a game.

[DancingRabbit]

Good points.

And we are already getting pub for having the #1 SOS.

This season has been a long time coming. I've heard "State could be better this year, but their record can't show it due to the schedule" enough years in a row that I could puke. I've been sick & tired of not seeing a signature win because the rest of the SEC West has been too elite.

Not this year. We're finally up to the challenge. It is GLORIOUS to finally climb that mountain.

What's the source for the #1 SOS ? Sagarin has our SOS at #17. Thx

[Johnson85]

I expect that in the next 3 to 5 years we will have an 8 team playoff. This will add one more game to an already grueling schedule for SEC teams. At that point it may make sense to eliminate the championship game. however, eliminating the championship game almost creates 2 separate SEC leagues which then validates the argument for a 9 game SEC schedule. Personally, I like the championship game.

On another note, when we go to an 8 team playoff (if it were this year), would the SEC get 3 or 4 teams into the playoff? The rest of the college football world would scream SEC bias. Also, the 9 and 10 teams would bitch about being left out. It would be interesting to watch just to see which bubble teams mke it and which fold under the pressure.

They can bitch but they won't have a leg to stand on. Right now we are either going to leave out some major conference champions or we are going to leave out a team that has demonstrated itself to be one of the best four teams over the course of the season. An 11-1 Alabama team and an 11-1 Auburn team and an 11-1 Michigan State team would both have legitimate arguments to be in the playoff. Auburn would have beat UM at UM, K.State at Manhatten, and Bama at Bama, and also beat UGA. No other one loss team will have that type of resume as far as beating teams on the field. Michigan State will have a major conference championship and can argue that even though Auburn has a better resume, they failed to be the best team in their conference, and therefore it's no harm if they don't get a chance to prove themselves to be the best in the country.

With an 8 team playoff, you can have the Big 10, Pac 12, Big 12, SEC, and ACC champions and then 3 at large teams. If you aren't a conference champion and don't have a resume that would make people think you are a top 4 team, you really can't complain if you aren't allowed to compete for teh national championship.

[fishwater99]

Notre Dame is also not in a conference, so no chance to play that extra game. What do you do with them?

[MetEdDawg]

Notre Dame is also not in a conference, so no chance to play that extra game. What do you do with them?

The NCAA should announce that being a conference champion would weigh very heavily on the selection process. They need ND in a conference and I think saying this would be a way to finally get them to affiliate with one of the Power 5. Power 5 conference champions should get priority over a team like ND who doesn't have to play an extra game against a quality opponent and I think that would be enough to get them to finally stop being independent.

[Political Hack]

should be ten teams with 5 power 5 Conf champs and 5 at large. Then seed them 1-10.

[DistrictDawg92]

Either that or ALL conferences should have to have a Championship game IMO.

This all day, either all Power 5 conferences have a championship or none have a conference championship. If a team goes undefeated throughout the regular season in a power 5 conference, they should be in the playoff, period. IMO Conference championships should be looked at as an All-star game, and a reward, rather than a risk of losing the conference championship and not making the playoff. If you win the conference in the regular season, you should be the conference champion. Anything can happen in a conference championship game, including key injuries. It's just a disadvantage for the two teams in the conference championships(who proved themselves through a grueling 12 game schedule), because one of the two will lose.

[HailState39110]

The next step in this process is to get rid of 1 of the BCS conferences . The big 12 looks to be the most vulnerable because they only have 10 teams and Texas is an ass.

Next, go to 4 (16 team) super conferences (64 total teams that will break away from the FBS as we know it ) . The conference championship games will then turn into quarter final games with the winner of the each conference championship getting to compete in the 4 team playoff

[chef dixon]

If the tournament gets any bigger at all, you've got to scratch them. I'd like to one day see a 12 game regular season, a 2 week break, then a 16 team playoff. I guess you could still have some bowls.

[MaroonDawg25]

5 power conferences. So all the power conference champs get into an 8 team bracket and there are 3 wildcards. That way we have EVERY conference represented so they can get there @$$es handed to them by the SEC equally like every other conference we face...also there will be 3 wildcards for teams that may still have a good resume just couldn't cut it to the conference championship game or may be from a non power five conference.