Pat Forde just posted a new take on playoff structure

[Lord McBuckethead]

Summary 16 teams.
All power 5 go to 14 teams. ND goes to ACC
All independents either join a conf or your pretty much out.
1st 10 playoff teams would be division winners of the power 5.
5 teams from smaller conferences, they play their conf championships on Thanksgiving.
1 team at large.
Round of 16 play first sat of Dec.
Round of 8 play two weeks later.
Round of 4 New Year's.
Finals the following week.

Only adds one potential game for two teams.
First round of playoffs a home game for the higher seeded team on campus.
2nd round on campus.
All things will be settled on the field.
Cons- no all out conference champ, unless the two division winners played during the season. Tie breaker.
Round robin scheduling. Maybe less reliance on strength of schedule.

[Pinto]

I read the article and like the concept. One of the better plans I've seen. Of course I think you should have 132 D1 teams. 16 teams in 16 conferences. 16 champs. Problem solved.

[DogsofAnarchy]

Sounds like a plan. Coach JWS said this was coming 20 years ago. Why put off till tomorrow what we can do today!! Let’s do it!! While we at it, tell Pattie to find a way to split MSU and OM and Bama and AU and get them in separate divisions.

[Covercorner2]

Summary 16 teams.
All power 5 go to 14 teams. ND goes to ACC
All independents either join a conf or your pretty much out.
1st 10 playoff teams would be division winners of the power 5.
5 teams from smaller conferences, they play their conf championships on Thanksgiving.
1 team at large.
Round of 16 play first sat of Dec.
Round of 8 play two weeks later.
Round of 4 New Year's.
Finals the following week.

Only adds one potential game for two teams.
First round of playoffs a home game for the higher seeded team on campus.
2nd round on campus.
All things will be settled on the field.
Cons- no all out conference champ, unless the two division winners played during the season. Tie breaker.
Round robin scheduling. Maybe less reliance on strength of schedule.

That would suck for teams in strong divisions... like the SEC West.

For instance, we would probably have been left out in 2014 in that scenario.

[Liverpooldawg]

Nope. That demeans the Power 5 Conferences. We don?t get to crown a champ. 8 teams: take the Power 5 champs, the committee picks two at large and the best Group of Five champion. To be eligible a group of 5 team has to play at least three Power 5 teams. No way a team who played a schedule like UCF should ever be considered.

Either that or the Power 5 should just break away.

[Lord McBuckethead]

That would suck for teams in strong divisions... like the SEC West.

For instance, we would probably have been left out in 2014 in that scenario.

What do you mean, we were left out anyway.

[RocketDawg]

So he says independents should have to join a conference or they're essentially out. But then he says to act like Notre Dame is in the ACC. Why not require them to join a conference too? They're nothing special (and I have nothing against them).

[ShotgunDawg]

I read the article and like the concept. One of the better plans I've seen. Of course I think you should have 132 D1 teams. 16 teams in 16 conferences. 16 champs. Problem solved.

Would destroy current conferences and TV deals to do it your way.

I like Forde’s plan

[Covercorner2]

What do you mean, we were left out anyway.

Yea. We were left out of a 4 team playoff. But if we were left out of a 16 team playoff that year and instead 5 Group of 5 teams were let in, I would be pissed.

We were ranked 10th after the first weekend in December, yet would've been left out of a 16 team playoff.

[Apoplectic]

Summary 16 teams.
All power 5 go to 14 teams. ND goes to ACC
All independents either join a conf or your pretty much out.
1st 10 playoff teams would be division winners of the power 5.
5 teams from smaller conferences, they play their conf championships on Thanksgiving.
1 team at large.
Round of 16 play first sat of Dec.
Round of 8 play two weeks later.
Round of 4 New Year's.
Finals the following week.

Only adds one potential game for two teams.
First round of playoffs a home game for the higher seeded team on campus.
2nd round on campus.
All things will be settled on the field.
Cons- no all out conference champ, unless the two division winners played during the season. Tie breaker.
Round robin scheduling. Maybe less reliance on strength of schedule.

I hate it and think it is ridiculous to split more P5 money with the have-nots. 1st rd Clemson vs Troy?? Yes right!

I think the four is best but if G5 and media are going to whine and get their way then 8 should be max. Make the G5 crown a champ then take 5 conf champs plus two at large. Play first round before Xmas and final four as now.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I am still in the camp if you don't win your division, you already lost your chance to play in the playoff, but I also see the rare instance like Bama only losing 1 game and losing the division. So...there is that.

[msstate7]

Growing up, I always wanted a playoff. Now that we have a playoff, I miss the bowls pre-bcs. Seems like when there could be a champion voted in from any of the big bowls, they all had more meaning. Hell, even the lesser bowls were better bc there were less of them. Maybe it is just nostalgia

[curmudgeon]

Here's my plan.

I think 16 is the right number.

The American needs to add Air Force, Army, Navy, Fresno State, Boise State, BYU and San Diego State and go to an Eastern/Western configuration. Notre Dame can remain independent to make this work.

1. BCS-type computer rankings.
2. Current Power 5 + New American conference get automatic bids. (6 spots)
3. If a champion from the MAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA or Mountain West end their season in the top 25 of rankings, then they get an automatic bid.
4. Next 10 (or 9 if Group of 4 conferences have a Top 25) teams in rankings get remaining bids.
5. Top 4 Conference champions are guaranteed top 4 seeds.
6. First round games are on campus.
7. Quarterfinals and Semifinals rotate amongst current New Years 6 bowl games, with higher seed determining placement
8. National Championship Game is bid on and rotates

Using the old BCS formula, this is what the playoffs would have looked like this year.

Top four seeds:
No. 1 Clemson (ACC Champion)
No. 2 Georgia (SEC Champion)
No. 3 Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
No. 4 Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)

Other first round hosts:
No. 5 Alabama
No. 6 Wisconsin
No. 7 USC (Pac 12 Champion)
No. 8 Auburn

Other bids:
No. 9 Central Florida (American Champion)
No. 10 Penn State
No. 11 Miami
No. 12 Washington
No. 13 TCU
No. 14 Notre Dame
No. 15 Stanford
No. 16 Michigan State

First Four Out: LSU, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Northwestern
Highest Non-Auto Conference team: Florida Atlantic (No. 26, just missed)

First Round Matchups
Michigan State at Clemson
Stanford at Georgia
Notre Dame at Oklahoma
TCU at Ohio State
Washington at Alabama
Miami at Wisconsin
Penn State at USC
UCF at Auburn

Assuming seeds held except Penn State and UCF, who actually won their games against those exact teams

Quarterfinals:
Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. Penn State
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Central Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Alabama

Semifinals:
Sugar Bowl: Clemson/UCF vs. Ohio State/Alabama
Rose Bowl: Georgia/PSU vs. Wisconsin/Oklahoma

[kojak]

Here's my plan.

I think 16 is the right number.

The American needs to add Air Force, Army, Navy, Fresno State, Boise State, BYU and San Diego State and go to an Eastern/Western configuration. Notre Dame can remain independent to make this work.

1. BCS-type computer rankings.
2. Current Power 5 + New American conference get automatic bids. (6 spots)
3. If a champion from the MAC, Sun Belt, Conference USA or Mountain West end their season in the top 25 of rankings, then they get an automatic bid.
4. Next 10 (or 9 if Group of 4 conferences have a Top 25) teams in rankings get remaining bids.
5. Top 4 Conference champions are guaranteed top 4 seeds.
6. First round games are on campus.
7. Quarterfinals and Semifinals rotate amongst current New Years 6 bowl games, with higher seed determining placement
8. National Championship Game is bid on and rotates

Using the old BCS formula, this is what the playoffs would have looked like this year.

Top four seeds:
No. 1 Clemson (ACC Champion)
No. 2 Georgia (SEC Champion)
No. 3 Oklahoma (Big 12 Champion)
No. 4 Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)

Other first round hosts:
No. 5 Alabama
No. 6 Wisconsin
No. 7 USC (Pac 12 Champion)
No. 8 Auburn

Other bids:
No. 9 Central Florida (American Champion)
No. 10 Penn State
No. 11 Miami
No. 12 Washington
No. 13 TCU
No. 14 Notre Dame
No. 15 Stanford
No. 16 Michigan State

First Four Out: LSU, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Northwestern
Highest Non-Auto Conference team: Florida Atlantic (No. 26, just missed)

First Round Matchups
Michigan State at Clemson
Stanford at Georgia
Notre Dame at Oklahoma
TCU at Ohio State
Washington at Alabama
Miami at Wisconsin
Penn State at USC
UCF at Auburn

Assuming seeds held except Penn State and UCF, who actually won their games against those exact teams

Quarterfinals:
Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. Penn State
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Central Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Alabama

Semifinals:
Sugar Bowl: Clemson/UCF vs. Ohio State/Alabama
Rose Bowl: Georgia/PSU vs. Wisconsin/Oklahoma






It?s so good, which is why it will never happen.

[Cooterpoot]

It’s a terrible plan. You don’t reward teams simply for winning their conferences when said conferences are terrible and they play nobody.

[Bama_Dawg]

Dude, I wrote this back in '09...

https://msudawg.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/my-take-on-the-bcs/

[Johnson85]

Summary 16 teams.
All power 5 go to 14 teams. ND goes to ACC
All independents either join a conf or your pretty much out.
1st 10 playoff teams would be division winners of the power 5.
5 teams from smaller conferences, they play their conf championships on Thanksgiving.
1 team at large.
Round of 16 play first sat of Dec.
Round of 8 play two weeks later.
Round of 4 New Year's.
Finals the following week.

Only adds one potential game for two teams.
First round of playoffs a home game for the higher seeded team on campus.
2nd round on campus.
All things will be settled on the field.
Cons- no all out conference champ, unless the two division winners played during the season. Tie breaker.
Round robin scheduling. Maybe less reliance on strength of schedule.

Fords plan essentially creates 15 separate conferences, with winning the SecW confernence given the same weight as winning a group of 5 conference. No thanks.

[RiverCityDawg]

I hate the idea of 16 teams in. College football is great because the regular season is so important. Putting a bunch of division winners and 3/4 loss teams in a playoff would make at least half the regular season games completely meaningless. Sure, the 16 team playoff would be fun, but the other 3 months would suffer greatly. It would completely change the sport.

Why are people trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist? Do we need Notre Dame, Stanford and Michigan State in the playoff this year to verify we get the "true" national champion? This system works. Let it be and enjoy it.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I remember an internet message board post I made in 1983 about how a playoff was needed.

[Bully13]

I hate the idea of 16 teams in. College football is great because the regular season is so important. Putting a bunch of division winners and 3/4 loss teams in a playoff would make at least half the regular season games completely meaningless. Sure, the 16 team playoff would be fun, but the other 3 months would suffer greatly. It would completely change the sport.

Why are people trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist? Do we need Notre Dame, Stanford and Michigan State in the playoff this year to verify we get the "true" national champion? This system works. Let it be and enjoy it.

This. 16 teams would destroy the greatest regular season in all of sports.

[Hound_Dawg]

IMO, 16 teams is too many. Destroys the importance of the regular season. I think an 8 team playoff strikes the right balance. Five P5 Conference Champs, three at large bids determined by the old school BCS computer system (extra weight added to algorithm for undefeated G5 teams - max of one G5 bid). Play the first round in December the week after the conference championships, and everything else stays the same.

[BigEasyDawg]

8 teams: 5 major conf. champs/ 2 at large/ highest ranked non power 5

Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. USC
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Central Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Alabama

Rose Bowl: Peach/Cotton winner
Sugar Bowl: Orange/Fiesta winner

Only team in the top 8 left out would have been Auburn and they lost to UCF anyway.

[MStateDawg]

Of course I think you should have 132 D1 teams. 16 teams in 16 conferences. 16 champs. Problem solved.

FYI, 16x16=256.

[ShotgunDawg]

I look at everyone of these proposals through the lens of how it would help Mississippi State in their current predicament of being a top 13-20 type program that has no chance of making the playoff due to their schedule and division. With that in mind, I would want more than 1 at large spot in the playoff and this only allows for 1. Under this system, you are argue that Mississippi State should get out of the SEC and go to an easier conference where making the playoff every year would be likely. Nobody wants that though

[PMDawg]

2958

[Liverpooldawg]

Fords plan essentially creates 15 separate conferences, with winning the SecW confernence given the same weight as winning a group of 5 conference. No thanks.

Yep. Terrible plan.

[ShotgunDawg]

I look at everyone of these proposals through the lens of how it would help Mississippi State in their current predicament of being a top 13-20 type program that has no chance of making the playoff due to their schedule and division. With that in mind, I would want more than 1 at large spot in the playoff and this only allows for 1. Under this system, you are argue that Mississippi State should get out of the SEC and go to an easier conference where making the playoff every year would be likely. Nobody wants that though

Need a floating number of at large bids depending on the G5 teams being in the top 25

[parabrave]

It’s a terrible plan. You don’t reward teams simply for winning their conferences when said conferences are terrible and they play nobody.

The CFP is designed to have the 4 best teams in the playoffs, not the 4 best conference champions. And it is working.

[Apoplectic]

Need a floating number of at large bids depending on the G5 teams being in the top 25

just because memphis beats tcun and goes 8-5 shouldn't give them a spot as the top G5.

[Dawgface]

8 teams: 5 major conf. champs/ 2 at large/ highest ranked non power 5

Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. USC
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Central Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Alabama

Rose Bowl: Peach/Cotton winner
Sugar Bowl: Orange/Fiesta winner

Only team in the top 8 left out would have been Auburn and they lost to UCF anyway.

This has probably the best chance of getting approved anytime soon.

[ckDOG]

That would suck for teams in strong divisions... like the SEC West.

For instance, we would probably have been left out in 2014 in that scenario.

Don?t get your point. Teams in strong divisions will always have a shitty road to the playoff. Remember we were 6-2 when we won the division in 98. 6-2 can get you into the playoffs in this format whereas a very low chance with a 4 team format (even assuming 6-2 gets you to the sec champ). MSU is probably going to have to win the division and conference championship with 1 loss (maybe 2 in a freak year) to get into the current format.

We?d have a realistic chance in that proposal at least. Downside would be devaluing regular season performance and no excitement of sec champ game. Would that really change life much as an MSU fan? All the downside would be answered in the playoffs and would also provide excitement. I?d be very willing to give this format a shot.

[CarolinaDawgs]

8 teams. 5 Conf Champs and 3 at large.

The only thing that hurts them is that they use those rankings from the CFP every tuesday so religiously it would be hard for them to go away from it. They would really have to only have a committee make a decision for the 3 at large, which would be a discussion after the 1st week of december. this adds less anticipation and $$ from the show every Tuesday from week 7 on.

[CarolinaDawgs]

8 teams: 5 major conf. champs/ 2 at large/ highest ranked non power 5

Peach Bowl: Georgia vs. USC
Cotton Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Central Florida
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Alabama

Rose Bowl: Peach/Cotton winner
Sugar Bowl: Orange/Fiesta winner

Only team in the top 8 left out would have been Auburn and they lost to UCF anyway.

Your hindsight looks 20/20, but there is no way in hell Auburn wouldve gotten left out of an 8team playoff this year.

[Johnson85]

I hate the idea of 16 teams in. College football is great because the regular season is so important. Putting a bunch of division winners and 3/4 loss teams in a playoff would make at least half the regular season games completely meaningless. Sure, the 16 team playoff would be fun, but the other 3 months would suffer greatly. It would completely change the sport.

Why are people trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist? Do we need Notre Dame, Stanford and Michigan State in the playoff this year to verify we get the "true" national champion? This system works. Let it be and enjoy it.

We didn't even need this system. Whatever complaints you have about the BCS, there was never a team with an argument that it should be the national champion that was left out of the top four of the rankings. They should have just kept the BCS and used the top 4 teams to fill the playoffs, with the semifinal matchups only changed from the seeds to prevent rematches from the regular season.

[TUSK]

Not to “one up” any of you guys, or the article’s author, but that plan has been around since the mid to late 90s (pre BCS, I believe)...

[Schultzy]

Def like it but it will still be based on holding vs not holding and the same two will play for it all.

[MarcoRubio]

This. 16 teams would destroy the greatest regular season in all of sports.

College football is great because the whole season is the playoffs. If you expand it too far, you?ll have teams sitting players like the NFL if they?ve clinched.

My simple playoff solution: 6 teams.
-3 vs 6
-4 vs 5
1 & 2 get first round bye?s. (This gives incentive to ensure teams don?t take games off)

1 vs winner of 4/5
2 vs winner of 3/6

If you don?t make it into the top 6, tough, you shouldn?t have lost. This should be the end of playoff expansion. This will leave the ?every game counts? aspect intact.