Who's up for December Delirium, a 32 team playoff?

#1

Arrested Devolopment

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#1
December Delirium (a la March Madness): a 32 team college football playoff through the month of December where the top 8 seeds get a bye. Games in first two rounds played on Friday night, all day Saturday, and showcase Sunday.

Pros: more excitement for a broader range of fans, zombie bowls now have relevance, more revenue for teams

Cons: logistics of travel, potential injuries, nothing gets done during December

Thoughts?

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#5
#5
Only issue with this is ESPN would be fighting themselves over viewership because people would be trying to watch the end of the NFL season as well. Also the NBA season and middle/end of NHL (idk I don’t watch hockey). On the other hand it would finally put a use to all the useless bowl games that no one watches and you would have more Cinderella stories. Also that’s a really good name.
 
#6
#6
Only issue with this is ESPN would be fighting themselves over viewership because people would be trying to watch the end of the NFL season as well. Also the NBA season and middle/end of NHL (idk I don’t watch hockey). On the other hand it would finally put a use to all the useless bowl games that no one watches and you would have more Cinderella stories. Also that’s a really good name.
That’s why there’s ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNNews, ESPN THE OCHO.
 
#8
#8
Ultimately, I think there needs to be a complete dis-connection with the bowl games - use the locations but just make them places where games will be played over the course of the playoffs.

No byes - start with 32 then eliminate half the teams each week over the course of 5 weeks. The first round could be on campus games at the top 16 seeded teams - then you use the traditional sites where bowls would be played for the remaining 15 games for the sake of a 'neutral location".

Yes, some bowls disappear but honestly it makes no sense for all the extra activities, as the teams and fans are not going to spend week after week at each of the sites. I think the bowls are on their way out anyway.

32 also allows for all conference champions to be in the mix. There are 10 conferences (yes, the PAC 10 is still a 3-team conference), so let each champion get an automatic bid - that leaves 22 at large which should be plenty to include every team that is in the top 25. Don't give the conference champion a bye but seed them like basketball does and let the seeding give the "best teams" the home field for the first round.

Call it "December Madness".
 
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#10
#10
It’s a struggle to find 12 worthy teams this year, and they’re going to find 20 more somewhere?

They’d have to go to a ten game schedule like D3 plays.

The point is not really to find worthy teams but include all worthy teams while allowing the G5 conferences to participate.
 
#13
#13
December Delirium (a la March Madness): a 32 team college football playoff through the month of December where the top 8 seeds get a bye. Games in first two rounds played on Friday night, all day Saturday, and showcase Sunday.

Pros: more excitement for a broader range of fans, zombie bowls now have relevance, more revenue for teams

Cons: logistics of travel, potential injuries, nothing gets done during December

Thoughts?

View attachment 701195

View attachment 701196View attachment 701197
Winner has to play 17 games.....never gonna happen
 
#14
#14
It’s a struggle to find 12 worthy teams this year, and they’re going to find 20 more somewhere?

Agree. 12 teams is at least 4 too many if we're talking about legitimate championship contenders.

This idea that CFB will produce some kind of March Madness deal with huge upsets and 'Cinderella stories' is just that - madness.
 
#16
#16
Ultimately, I think there needs to be a complete dis-connection with the bowl games - use the locations but just make them places where games will be played over the course of the playoffs.

No byes - start with 32 then eliminate half the teams each week over the course of 5 weeks. The first round could be on campus games at the top 16 seeded teams - then you use the traditional sites where bowls would be played for the remaining 15 games for the sake of a 'neutral location".

Yes, some bowls disappear but honestly it makes no sense for all the extra activities, as the teams and fans are not going to spend week after week at each of the sites. I think the bowls are on their way out anyway.

32 also allows for all conference champions to be in the mix. There are 10 conferences (yes, the PAC 10 is still a 3-team conference), so let each champion get an automatic bid - that leaves 22 at large which should be plenty to include every team that is in the top 25. Don't give the conference champion a bye but seed them like basketball does and let the seeding give the "best teams" the home field for the first round.

Call it "December Madness".
December Delirium®
 
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#17
#17
It should never go further than 16. The regular season means something now. Keep expanding and you just water down everything and increase injuries and wear and tear. Leave a good thing alone. GBO
 
#18
#18
It should never go further than 16. The regular season means something now. Keep expanding and you just water down everything and increase injuries and wear and tear. Leave a good thing alone. GBO
If we go to 32, it should be the SEC vs the next 16 highest ranked teams. That’s the only way I’d agree it’s a good idea.
 
#19
#19
It’s a struggle to find 12 worthy teams this year, and they’re going to find 20 more somewhere?

They’d have to go to a ten game schedule like D3 plays.
"Worthiness" is subjective and irrelevant if your favorite team is in the playoffs. Just like March Madness, there's always a chance a Cinderella team (South Carolina) outperforming and ruining a higher ranked team's season. And who wouldn't want to see teams like Notre Dame and Indiana get exposed early?
 
#20
#20
I really think 12 is fine. It’s roughly half of the Top 25 we have based the perception of the sport on. Even going to 12, you have to pick some teams that are real long shots.
I disagree 12 is enough because there are plenty of bubble teams like Ole Miss, AL, and South Carolina who could potentially beat teams ranked in the top 10, especially weak conference champions or those with low SOS. The expanded playoff would mainly benefit the SEC where good mid-tier teams could advance on merit.
 
#23
#23
"Worthiness" is subjective and irrelevant if your favorite team is in the playoffs. Just like March Madness, there's always a chance a Cinderella team (South Carolina) outperforming and ruining a higher ranked team's season. And who wouldn't want to see teams like Notre Dame and Indiana get exposed early?
March Madness works because there’s a lot more parity in basketball than in football. If this ever comes to pass, we’ll get to watch a whole lot of splatterings similar to Cincy-Bama in 2021 or UGA-TCU in 2022. And talk about devaluing the regular season. Two thirds of the SEC and half the Big Ten would be im the playoff every year. I don’t really care to see the likes of this year’s Mizzou team in the postseason, never mind that Alabama would still be a slam dunk playoff team under this model.
 
#25
#25
"Worthiness" is subjective and irrelevant if your favorite team is in the playoffs. Just like March Madness, there's always a chance a Cinderella team (South Carolina) outperforming and ruining a higher ranked team's season. And who wouldn't want to see teams like Notre Dame and Indiana get exposed early?
Basketball to football isn’t a good or fair comparison. Much easier to be competitive in basketball than football. Football requires more talent and depth and the physicality it inquires. FBO
 

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