A 24-team FBS playoff instead of the bowls

[Quaoarsking]

Imagine if we have no more postseason, no conference championship games, no meaningless bowls, just straight to the 24-team playoff the week after Thanksgiving. No break, no opt-outs, no coaches leaving early (except maybe Brian Kelly still would), no teams canceling due to "COVID" a couple hours before kickoff because a couple starters won't play, just 23 awesome, meaningful games that every team desperately wants to win.

I've never really supported this in the past, but the past few years have really changed my mind. This would have been amazing to watch:


This format is the same as the FCS format, it's not one I just made up. Although actually the FCS just seeds 1-8 and lets the rest float for geographic convenience. The FBS could do that too, but it leads it open to shenanigans that I'd rather avoid.

These seeds are just the Selection Committee's rankings from the week after Thanksgiving. I would strongly prefer to change it to a TRANSPARENT (most important thing) and mathematically valid computer formula.

[Quaoarsking]

I think if you just show a skeptic the bracket and let them look over it, there's a good chance they'll change their mind, or at least move in that direction.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Bowls aren't going anywhere. Are we really going to cancel the entire bowl schedule because on average 3-4 kids per team opt out?

[msstate7]

Bowls aren't going anywhere. Are we really going to cancel the entire bowl schedule because on average 3-4 kids per team opt out?

Let the games be the bowl games in those locations

[Cowbell]

Let the games be the bowl games in those locations

Yes

[Catfish]

Let the games be the bowl games in those locations

Agreed

[Quaoarsking]

Let the games be the bowl games in those locations

It's asking a lot for a fanbase to travel to 5 neutral site games though, not to mention expense to haul all the players and equipment all over the country.

I suggest having campus sites for the first 3 rounds, and just neutral for the semifinals and championship.

[Extendedcab]

I agree also!

[Ifyouonlyknew]

So with a 24 team playoff & nothing else you're promoting not even finishing the regular season. At least now if there's a team 5-4 or 5-5 they're fighting for bowl eligibility. They have something to play for even if they opt out of the bowl game. If a team is 5-4 what motivation do I have to finish 8-4 or 7-5 if I'm not making the playoffs or bowl?

[Quaoarsking]

So with a 24 team playoff & nothing else you're promoting not even finishing the regular season. At least now if there's a team 5-4 or 5-5 they're fighting for bowl eligibility. They have something to play for even if they opt out of the bowl game. If a team is 5-4 what motivation do I have to finish 8-4 or 7-5 if I'm not making the playoffs or bowl?

Do you see players opting out today from 2-7 teams, or from 7-2 teams who've clinched a bowl but won't be in the playoffs?

I don't think you can ever stop people from making the decision they think is best for themselves, but at least this way you don't have a huge layoff between the regular season and postseason that makes it really easy and obvious for players and coaches to move around.

[Homedawg]

Too much money to cancel championship games. And 24 is way too many anyway. Not sure why there is this huge uproar about players opting out of a bowl game anyway.

[Quaoarsking]

Too much money to cancel championship games.

Even more money to make up for it under the current format.

And if the conferences insist on having meaningless conference championship games anyway, that's fine, but I'm trying to streamline the schedule, cut out meaningless games, and give players a break.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Do you see players opting out today from 2-7 teams, or from 7-2 teams who've clinched a bowl but won't be in the playoffs?

I don't think you can ever stop people from making the decision they think is best for themselves, but at least this way you don't have a huge layoff between the regular season and postseason that makes it really easy and obvious for players and coaches to move around.

Right now 100 teams have something to play for & a reward to end the season. You want to cut that ti 24 teams & think that's makes it better? We'll just agree to disagree.

[Quaoarsking]

Right now 100 teams have something to play for & a reward to end the season.

Do 100 teams view it that way? Apparently not.

The current system is fundamentally broken. It would work fine if everyone believed in it, but people don't.

ETA: I think what I'm trying to say is that the idea that bowl games are a "reward for the players" is outdated by decades. Players, coaches, schools, and fanbases don't see it that way anymore. Why keep sending the teams all over the country to play in empty stadiums in games the teams don't care whether or not they win?

Yes, some players care. Obviously the Texas Tech players cared about beating us this year. But as a whole, this 24-team format is a huge improvement as far as giving the players and fans interesting, exciting, and meaningful games.

[HoopsDawg]

Too much money to cancel championship games. And 24 is way too many anyway. Not sure why there is this huge uproar about players opting out of a bowl game anyway.

there shouldn't be conference championship games. you don't have them in high school and you don't have them in the NFL. But no one cares about what is best for college football. It's all about the money. And you are correct, the conf championship is big money for the SEC.

[maroonmania]

I am vehemently opposed to any college football playoff hat gives the deepest, most talent rich programs a bye. I am fine with an 8 or 16 team playoff.but not a 12 or 24. And needing 5 weeks of games to determine a champion (24 or 32) will just take too long to get done anyway. There are no byes in the NCAA basketball or baseball tournaments so I don't know why anyone decided it was some great idea to have them in the football tournament.

[HoopsDawg]

I am vehemently opposed to any college football playoff hat gives the deepest, most talent rich programs a bye. I am fine with an 8 or 16 team playoff.but not a 12 or 24. And needing 5 weeks of games to determine a champion (24 or 32) will just take too long to get done anyway. There are no byes in thr NCAA basketball or baseball tournaments so I don't know why anyone decided it was some great idea to have them in the football tournament.

I'm with you. I don't understand the 12 team proposal. I think it should be 16 teams and that should be the number for a long time. Of course there are a lot of things I don't agree with in college football right now.

[Quaoarsking]

I am vehemently opposed to any college football playoff hat gives the deepest, most talent rich programs a bye. I am fine with an 8 or 16 team playoff.but not a 12 or 24. And needing 5 weeks of games to determine a champion (24 or 32) will just take too long to get done anyway. There are no byes in thr NCAA basketball or baseball tournaments so I don't know why anyone decided it was some great idea to have them in the football tournament.

60 of the 68 teams get a bye into the Round of 64, and the other 8 have to play in 4 play-in games to get there.

As to your larger point, I would be fine with a 32-team playoff. You can add into the bracket:

• 22 Arkansas
• 23 Kentucky
• 24 Louisiana (moved from 22)
• 25 Texas A&M
• 26 Purdue
• 27 Wisconsin
• 28 UTSA (moved from 23)
• 29 Minnesota
• 30 Penn State
• 31 Appalachian State
• 32 Northern Illinois (moved from 24)

I just think that adding 8 more teams like to the championship bracket is a tougher sell. But hey, I won't object to it if that's what it takes to make it happen.

[maroonmania]

IMO those play in games aren't really part of the actual tournament. At the 64 team level nobody gets a bye. How about we just give the top 8 seeds in the baseball tournament a bye into the super regionals? That is one we might can actually take advantage of.

[HoopsDawg]

60 of the 68 teams get a bye into the Round of 64, and the other 8 have to play in 4 play-in games to get there.

.

An absurd analogy.