This is how I think you realistically fix the CFP and bowl season (making bowls mean something again).

[NEWDAYVOL]

Reduce the bowls down to 30. That is still plenty of bowls and takes us back to about what we had in 2006. Just keep the 30 best and most prestigious bowls.

All bowl games will be part of 2 16 team playoff tournaments.

To get into the postseason you must have an end season ranking by the playoff committee within the top 32 (after Championship games are played). There will be no conference champion auto bids, and no confusing finagling to force a G5 into the post season. G5s will have to earn their spot in the top 32 just like everyone else (which will happen every year – so they will still be a part of the post season and have a shot at a NC). Simply the best and most deserving top 32 teams (ranked 1-32) will play in a post / bowl season.

The top 16 teams (1-16) will play for a National Championship. This will still be the most exclusive postseason in sports. Even in MLB’s 12 team postseason that is still 40% of it’s teams making the playoffs. So, this, in no way makes the regular season “meaningless”.

Teams 17-32 will play in an NIT-like postseason tournament that will be a lot more fun for programs, players, and fans than what we have now. This also keeps many of the decent bowls alive while now making them mean much more than they did. EDIT: Maybe these games are played on college campuses (and we get rid of the bowls that would have had these games)? I think that would still work. ESPN still gets actual games to air (they just wouldn't technically be bowls).

So what does this do:

- Allows more quality teams in the playoffs.
- Eliminates the current system of half of college football making a bowl game where we have 5-7 (record) teams playing in a “postseason”.
- Reduces the total amount of teams making a "postseason" to 32. So bowls will now mean something. This takes the value/prestige of making a bowl all the way back to 1980.
- While we go back to 1980 on the value of making a bowl....we only go back to 2006 in the number of bowls played. So we are not totally blowing up all of the bowls we have now and we still have a healthy bowl season for TV and such. We are only dropping roughly the bottom 6 bowls.
- No more 24th ranked G5s taking the place of an 11th ranked P4. This is the most egregious flaw in the system now. Even though we eliminate this we still give plenty of G5s the chance to play in the post season and a NC (if they are good enough - like Boise last year).

 

[madbamahater]

If the college football playoff continues, which it is here to stay, several changes need to be made.

Using the current bowl system should be an option at least in some capacity. I think conferences need to have smaller divisional groups and the winner of the division moves on to play at neutral sites (the bowls) to advance. Do away with the conference championship games. Just think it needs to be structured like ALL OTHER SPORTS, except the NCAA basketball tournament which is corrupt and a popularity contest mainly.

 

[Fan4TN]

Like it. Great thoughts. Send this to Sankey!

 

[SaintLouisVol]

I'd love it if only because it means more college football, but I don't see the 17-32 getting the support needed to finance it. The logistics of football are nothing like the logistics of basketball. Would enough people really watch the 27 versus the 28th ranked team play just because it was some kind of "tournament?"

 

[Hunerwadel]

Reduce the bowls down to 30. That is still plenty of bowls and takes us back to about what we had in 2006. Just keep the 30 best and most prestigious bowls.

All bowl games will be part of 2 16 team playoff tournaments.

To get into the postseason you must have an end season ranking by the playoff committee within the top 32 (after Championship games are played). There will be no conference champion auto bids, and no confusing finagling to force a G5 into the post season. G5s will have to earn their spot in the top 32 just like everyone else (which will happen every year – so they will still be a part of the post season and have a shot at a NC). Simply the best and most deserving top 32 teams (ranked 1-32) will play in a post / bowl season.

The top 16 teams (1-16) will play for a National Championship. This will still be the most exclusive postseason in sports. Even in MLB’s 12 team postseason that is still 40% of it’s teams making the playoffs. So, this, in no way makes the regular season “meaningless”.

Teams 17-32 will play in an NIT-like postseason tournament that will be a lot more fun for programs, players, and fans than what we have now. This also keeps many of the decent bowls alive while now making them mean much more than they did.

So what does this do:

- Allows more quality teams in the playoffs.
- Eliminates the current system of half of college football making a bowl game where we have 5-7 (record) teams playing in a “postseason”.
- Reduces the total amount of teams making a "postseason" to 32. So bowls will now mean something. This takes the value/prestige of making a bowl all the way back to 1980.
- While we go back to 1980 on the value of making a bowl....we only go back to 2006 in the number of bowls played. So we are not totally blowing up all of the bowls we have now and we still have a healthy bowl season for TV and such. We are only dropping roughly the bottom 6 bowls.
- No more 24th ranked G5s taking the place of an 11th ranked P4. This is the most egregious flaw in the system now. Even though we eliminate this we still give plenty of G5s the chance to play in the post season and a NC (if they are good enough - like Boise last year).

No doubt having something tangible to play for is the key. I mentioned in an earlier post that the non playoff bowls seem like being awarded a participation trophy. Or worse. An award for coming up short.

 

[bamawriter]

Reduce the bowls down to 30. That is still plenty of bowls and takes us back to about what we had in 2006. Just keep the 30 best and most prestigious bowls.

All bowl games will be part of 2 16 team playoff tournaments.

To get into the postseason you must have an end season ranking by the playoff committee within the top 32 (after Championship games are played). There will be no conference champion auto bids, and no confusing finagling to force a G5 into the post season. G5s will have to earn their spot in the top 32 just like everyone else (which will happen every year – so they will still be a part of the post season and have a shot at a NC). Simply the best and most deserving top 32 teams (ranked 1-32) will play in a post / bowl season.

The top 16 teams (1-16) will play for a National Championship. This will still be the most exclusive postseason in sports. Even in MLB’s 12 team postseason that is still 40% of it’s teams making the playoffs. So, this, in no way makes the regular season “meaningless”.

Teams 17-32 will play in an NIT-like postseason tournament that will be a lot more fun for programs, players, and fans than what we have now. This also keeps many of the decent bowls alive while now making them mean much more than they did.

So what does this do:

- Allows more quality teams in the playoffs.
- Eliminates the current system of half of college football making a bowl game where we have 5-7 (record) teams playing in a “postseason”.
- Reduces the total amount of teams making a "postseason" to 32. So bowls will now mean something. This takes the value/prestige of making a bowl all the way back to 1980.
- While we go back to 1980 on the value of making a bowl....we only go back to 2006 in the number of bowls played. So we are not totally blowing up all of the bowls we have now and we still have a healthy bowl season for TV and such. We are only dropping roughly the bottom 6 bowls.
- No more 24th ranked G5s taking the place of an 11th ranked P4. This is the most egregious flaw in the system now. Even though we eliminate this we still give plenty of G5s the chance to play in the post season and a NC (if they are good enough - like Boise last year).

If you've got the disposable income to travel to multiple games for the sake of determining if your team is the 17th best in the country, then good for you.

 

[a vol n tears]

If the college football playoff continues, which it is here to stay, several changes need to be made.

Using the current bowl system should be an option at least in some capacity. I think conferences need to have smaller divisional groups and the winner of the division moves on to play at neutral sites (the bowls) to advance. Do away with the conference championship games. Just think it needs to be structured like ALL OTHER SPORTS, except the NCAA basketball tournament which is corrupt and a popularity contest mainly.

Not condemning you but your statement to “Do away with conference championship games” is one of my biggest complaints about the CFP system. Winning your conference championship should be the ultimate goal for every athletic team in every conference. Regular seasons are being watered down now and will only be lessened as the playoffs expand. Conference expansion happened so they could have conference championship games. Now playoffs have 12 teams and the big P4 don’t even have to play for a conference title to make it. Give me the BCS where the Power 4 conference champs play for the title.
Of course its all about the money. Its all about the money, not about who is the best.
They have run a psyop on fans convincing them that being the 12th, soon to expand, rated team is great. Just spend more money and you can be better. More games, more sponsors, more advertising, higher prices to pay for the products.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

If you've got the disposable income to travel to multiple games for the sake of determining if your team is the 17th best in the country, then good for you.

I really don’t know how fans can afford to do it now. Notre Dame played 4 CFP games last year. That’s not cheap. I honestly think the top 4 seeds get screwed by being placed at bowl sites instead of their on campus stadiums.

 

[cwbytruckers]

i like the idea but i prefer a more ncaa basketball format. Four 8 team brackets leading to the final four. team 1 through 32. This would bring more excitement and more tv viewers. MONEY is the name of the game in these sports and this would bring in a ton.

 

[uncle chewii]

Nah. I'll pass. If they aren't going to go by rankings but a mix of conference champions then you will always leave someone out. I say take the conference champs (if you are wanting to give each conference a chance) then take the highest ranked teams after that and rankings be done like the old BCS computer system so the Human emotion element of oh it's Alabama and they play such and such vs it's ND and they don't play anyone out of the equation. Rankings should be based on w/l, sos, opponents sos, opponents w/l, plus a few stat related equations maybe like percentage of loss/win score.

 

[give_him 6]

I like it! My biggest question for this format would be how do you prevent teams in the 17-32 bracket from opting out?

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Bowls are like dial up internet and landlines. A relic of the past that appeal to fewer and fewer people esch year....

 

[SaintLouisVol]

I really don’t know how fans can afford to do it now. Notre Dame played 4 CFP games last year. That’s not cheap. I honestly think the top 4 seeds get screwed by being placed at bowl sites instead of their on campus stadiums.

Live attendance is not a consideration with sports planning these days. The ROI is in the television and marketing.

 

[backdoorcutvol]

Take the three top ranked team from each P4 conference leave playoffs at 12 teams, if Notre Dame want I join a conference. G5 take their top 12 teams and they can have their own playoff. Tiebreaker rules need to be universal for every conference.
On another note conferences are too big, every team should have to play each other to get a true winner, eliminate conference championship games.

 

[DonDiego]

I'd just as soon keep it simple--16 team playoff. #1 plays #16, #2 plays #15, etc. Neutral fields, no byes, no automatic bids for conference champions. Integrate the bowls into all the playoff games and do what you want with the rest. The Amurcan Way.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

Reduce the bowls down to 30. That is still plenty of bowls and takes us back to about what we had in 2006. Just keep the 30 best and most prestigious bowls.

All bowl games will be part of 2 16 team playoff tournaments.

To get into the postseason you must have an end season ranking by the playoff committee within the top 32 (after Championship games are played). There will be no conference champion auto bids, and no confusing finagling to force a G5 into the post season. G5s will have to earn their spot in the top 32 just like everyone else (which will happen every year – so they will still be a part of the post season and have a shot at a NC). Simply the best and most deserving top 32 teams (ranked 1-32) will play in a post / bowl season.

The top 16 teams (1-16) will play for a National Championship. This will still be the most exclusive postseason in sports. Even in MLB’s 12 team postseason that is still 40% of it’s teams making the playoffs. So, this, in no way makes the regular season “meaningless”.

Teams 17-32 will play in an NIT-like postseason tournament that will be a lot more fun for programs, players, and fans than what we have now. This also keeps many of the decent bowls alive while now making them mean much more than they did.

So what does this do:

- Allows more quality teams in the playoffs.
- Eliminates the current system of half of college football making a bowl game where we have 5-7 (record) teams playing in a “postseason”.
- Reduces the total amount of teams making a "postseason" to 32. So bowls will now mean something. This takes the value/prestige of making a bowl all the way back to 1980.
- While we go back to 1980 on the value of making a bowl....we only go back to 2006 in the number of bowls played. So we are not totally blowing up all of the bowls we have now and we still have a healthy bowl season for TV and such. We are only dropping roughly the bottom 6 bowls.
- No more 24th ranked G5s taking the place of an 11th ranked P4. This is the most egregious flaw in the system now. Even though we eliminate this we still give plenty of G5s the chance to play in the post season and a NC (if they are good enough - like Boise last year).

The bowls don't mean anything, nor will they.

 

[marvin616]

8 team playoff. Tournament of champions. The 8 best conference champions. If you can't win your conference, you can't win a natty. Go back to old bowl alliances for first round as close as possible, SEC v ACC Sugar Bowl etc. Then national semis and championship like the final four. Doesn't need to be any bigger than that.

*Edit to state that ND has been taken into account. It's on them to figure out how to fit into the system, not the other way around. They're not special and they know exactly what they're doing being "independent". Army & Navy have a more legitimate claim to that status than a private religious university.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Reduce the bowls down to 30. That is still plenty of bowls and takes us back to about what we had in 2006. Just keep the 30 best and most prestigious bowls.

All bowl games will be part of 2 16 team playoff tournaments.

To get into the postseason you must have an end season ranking by the playoff committee within the top 32 (after Championship games are played). There will be no conference champion auto bids, and no confusing finagling to force a G5 into the post season. G5s will have to earn their spot in the top 32 just like everyone else (which will happen every year – so they will still be a part of the post season and have a shot at a NC). Simply the best and most deserving top 32 teams (ranked 1-32) will play in a post / bowl season.

The top 16 teams (1-16) will play for a National Championship. This will still be the most exclusive postseason in sports. Even in MLB’s 12 team postseason that is still 40% of it’s teams making the playoffs. So, this, in no way makes the regular season “meaningless”.

Teams 17-32 will play in an NIT-like postseason tournament that will be a lot more fun for programs, players, and fans than what we have now. This also keeps many of the decent bowls alive while now making them mean much more than they did.

So what does this do:

- Allows more quality teams in the playoffs.
- Eliminates the current system of half of college football making a bowl game where we have 5-7 (record) teams playing in a “postseason”.
- Reduces the total amount of teams making a "postseason" to 32. So bowls will now mean something. This takes the value/prestige of making a bowl all the way back to 1980.
- While we go back to 1980 on the value of making a bowl....we only go back to 2006 in the number of bowls played. So we are not totally blowing up all of the bowls we have now and we still have a healthy bowl season for TV and such. We are only dropping roughly the bottom 6 bowls.
- No more 24th ranked G5s taking the place of an 11th ranked P4. This is the most egregious flaw in the system now. Even though we eliminate this we still give plenty of G5s the chance to play in the post season and a NC (if they are good enough - like Boise last year).

You lose ESPN immediately with "reduce the amount of bowls" which reads "take money out of your wallet" as long as those bowls are profitable.

Stop thinking about the post season as: we need to have something that sorts out the best teams in the country.

We need to have holiday season football entertainment which you watch and during which you are exposed to numerous ads.

It's entertainment, not a science project to get right.

 

[NEWDAYVOL]

I like it! My biggest question for this format would be how do you prevent teams in the 17-32 bracket from opting out?

That's a good question. I guess you can't. If one opts out you just go to number 33. With only 32 teams even playing a bowl I think teams would be more inclined not to opt out since it would then be more of a privilege to go.

 

[MissionRidgeVol]

There are too many bowls. The bottom 20 bowls or so are money laundering schemes for the sponsors. But who tells them they can't exist? Probably have to threaten them with RICO changes. HA

 

[NEWDAYVOL]

If you've got the disposable income to travel to multiple games for the sake of determining if your team is the 17th best in the country, then good for you.

I see what you are saying. That's a good point. Maybe seeds 17-32 play on campus at least for the first and second round. That would be pretty cool actually. Then we either get rid of the bowls who would have hosted those games or we let those bowl committees still organize them on college campuses. You can technically play the "Taxslayer Bowl" anywhere. These wouldn't be the most prestigious bowls anyway. Or again, maybe you just get it down to the biggest 15 bowls for the top 16, and the whole 17-32 tourney is played on college campuses.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I don’t care about the CFP or bowl games. We need to fix the SEC Championship Game, and winning an SEC Championship is the item on my wish list.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Take the confernce champioship games do away with them and make them playoff games.. neutral site

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Live attendance is not a consideration with sports planning these days. The ROI is in the television and marketing.

I agree, hopefully people will realize that one of the biggest attractions to college football and how it differentiates itself from professional football is the pageantry and traditions .

 

[RDU VOL#14]

8 team playoff. Tournament of champions. The 8 best conference champions. If you can't win your conference, you can't win a natty. Go back to old bowl alliances for first round as close as possible, SEC v ACC Sugar Bowl etc. Then national semis and championship like the final four. Doesn't need to be any bigger than that.

*Edit to state that ND has been taken into account. It's on them to figure out how to fit into the system, not the other way around. They're not special and they know exactly what they're doing being "independent". Army & Navy have a more legitimate claim to that status than a private religious university.

Didn’t 4 teams finish 7-1 in the SEC this season?