(01-11-2018 10:49 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Strongly, strongly opposed and think very small chance we do not finish out the 12 year contract.

With that said, if we get 8 teams at some point, I think people are looking at the Group of 5 spot wrong. People are arguing for and against a guarenteed spot, but I think there will be something in the middle. The most likely outcome in my view would be they would have the highest Group of 5 champion (or possibly independent) in if they are either ranked above a power 5 conference champ or are in top 12/14. That's basically what the BCS did, and I think would be similar here. They are not going to put the Group of 5 champ in if they are a 2 loss team barely in the top 25 (like Boise State the first year of the CFP).

There's also the question of how they deal with independents and I have not seen a lot of talk on that. If the Group of 5 and Power 5 conferences have a spot they can get, while not being in the top 8, then independents would be the only teams without that possibility and, if fact, would probably have to make top 5/6 or so most years to account for other teams below them getting in. Notre Dame is going to either push hard for no auto-bids at all (so they can get in at #8) or want to be included in one. While appeasing Notre Dame is not absolutely necessary, they have a seat at the table here and contrary to popular belief, the rest the conferences really are not pushing the Irish into a conference (outside their own, they would rather Notre Dame be independent than play in a rival conference). I see three ways they could handle this.

1. Independents are guarenteed a spot in if in top 8. The logic here is that independents cannot win or lose a conference and thus if they are in the top 8 (the teams that would be in if we ignored conference championships), they should be in. Unlike others, they could neither get in ranked less than 8 and never be left out if in the top 8.

2. Independents and Group of 5 share a spot. They might or might not have the same rules for getting it (maybe independents have to be in top 10 to take, while Group of 5 could be top 14).

3. No compromise from the other powers and independents treated as just an at large. Mostly likely, especially if highest Group of 5 champ given a way in, this would effectively mean independents would probably have to be in the top 6 or so most years to get in. I don't really think this would push the Irish anywhere, but they would push against it strongly.

The question has already been answered about ND/Independents.

All the P5 champs plus the highest ranking G5. If Notre Dame is rated higher than the next two P5 runner ups then ND gets a playoff berth.