http://espn.go.com/college-football/stor...off-expand

Just watch how fast that field gets expanded the first time a Big 10 team gets snubbed for two SEC teams.

"But with 76 teams playing in 39 bowl games this coming season, the "bowl experience" isn't what it used to be. It's like beating Tennessee or Texas -- everybody's doing it."

(05-23-2014 03:04 PM)FuzzyHasek Wrote:  "But with 76 teams playing in 39 bowl games this coming season, the "bowl experience" isn't what it used to be. It's like beating Tennessee or Texas -- everybody's doing it."

Using the UT horns as a punching bag, classic

I really wish they had a 16 team playoff. I think the most fair way would be take the top 16 ranked teams period regardless of conference.

The bowls have gotten ridiculous. I also wish instead of the bowls there was another 16 team NIT style tourny in place that gave auto bids to the P5 (if left out like happens ocationaly) or G5 champs and the best at large teams left out of the playoff. I think that gives everyone something meaningful to play for and about what they deserve.

They can't expand the playoff to 8 or 12 or 16 teams until they completely separate the wheat (P5) from the chaff (G5).

They know there's a lot more money to be made 12 years from now when the current system is over. They've got 12 years to get it set up like they want it before expanding the playoff.

(05-23-2014 03:55 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  They can't expand the playoff to 8 or 12 or 16 teams until they completely separate the wheat (P5) from the chaff (G5).

They know there's a lot more money to be made 12 years from now when the current system is over. They've got 12 years to get it set up like they want it before expanding the playoff.

We'll see in 12 years what happens. If the P5 conferences are view like semi-pro, then there will be a bit of waning of interest. The more the P5 head towards professionalism...the more the college fans look elsewhere.
What made go me more into college football was when the NFL players went on strike in the 90's and almost not much longer than that. The fact that millionaires are striking for playing a game is pretty preposterous and the prima donnas ruining the season/game for me. Just as the longshoremen went on strike the public didn't support them when they are making over 100k/year.
The more college athletes act like prima donnas and professionals, there will be a lesser fan turnout than what was seen before. Especially, with unionization on the horizon....that will really upset the whole college system and something that can be capitalized on by the G5 or FCS schools

The BCS was tweaked several times---including adding games---during its contract duration. Don't be surprised if the halfway point (6yrs) in the CFP agreement doesn't provide a convenient place to expand the current set up to 8 games. I think it will happen because the SEC is probably getting 2 schools a year in the playoff---thus, THREE power conferences (a majority) will usually be stuck sitting on the outside looking in at playoff time. Eight allows for every P5 conference to place its champ into the playoff. The tradeoff for a return to AQ conferences will be giving an AQ playoff spot for the top G5 champ. That still leaves 2 wildcard slots for the selection committee to determine. That's a system that everyone could live with for a long time (lol, or at least 6 years).

Mark jokes "How soon can we expect such growth to occur? The first time Alabama gets left out of the field?" in the article, but it's probably going to turn out to be true.

It won't grow to 16 that fast but definitely will be 8 before five years go by. The next separation is once they decide how much money will be given to the athletes. You will probably see most of MAC, Sun Belt and CUSA not being able to go along with the P5 and I expect even a few of the MWC and even some AAC might have to pass on it.
That will effectively gut the G5 groups to at most 20-24 schools that will pay like the P5 and could lead the way to even more separation

When the separation happens the AAC needs to be the sticky gum on the underside of the P5 shoe that you can't get out and just have to live with

(05-24-2014 08:29 AM)8BitPirate Wrote:  When the separation happens the AAC needs to be the sticky gum on the underside of the P5 shoe that you can't get out and just have to live with

Correct

If we can all pay the stipends and get just one spot in the playoff we will all be

When will the playoff expand beyond 4? The first time a G5 school sniffs at getting in. It LL scare the snot out of them.

The playoff will expand when the P5 can legally secure a guarantee of at least 80% of the revenue from the expansion. If it expands as a result of a split (and they buy out the G5 to do it), then they'll have accomplished that.

(05-25-2014 12:36 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  The playoff will expand when the P5 can legally secure a guarantee of at least 80% of the revenue from the expansion. If it expands as a result of a split (and they buy out the G5 to do it), then they'll have accomplished that.

I agree the market will have to bear an expansion to 8 teams.

If the market said 8 teams last time when negotiations were up I'm sure they would have already pressed on to 8.

The look-in on the 12 year agreement is at the half way point in 2020. However you've got to back that timeframe up to 2018 to give the networks and sponsors 2 years of advance notice. I can definitely see some excitement for an 8 team format by that point in time.

The only problem I see with going to 8 is that instead of having a 6 bowl system with 2 bowls hosting semifinals, you'll need to have an 8 bowl system with 4 bowls hosting quarterfinals. Then 2 national semifinals at neutral sites.

I still do not see conference autobids in the picture. I'm sure B1G coaches would love to have a playoff autobid but that isn't happening because of anti-trust reasons.

8 CFP bowls would be good because it would all but guarantee all undefeated and 1 loss G5 champions get a spot.

I don't think the playoff will ever forge on to 16 teams. Its just too logistically problematic.

As the system is now its 6 bowls/12 teams with 2 bowls a year hosting semifinals and a national championship game at a neutral site.

Move to an 8 team playoff and you could adjust to 8 bowls/16 teams with 4 bowls a year hosting quarterfinals, 2 national semifinals on a neutral site and a championship game on a neutral site.

With 16 teams what you would have to do is take the top 16, with every bowl hosting a first round game, 4 quarterfinal games a week later, 2 semifinal games a week after that and a championship game beyond it. I just don't know if that would work for the market and plus you have the issue of a G5 autobid which would be unfair to the P5 unless they had autobids as well.

I can see where an 8 team model could bring more cash and access for everyone without being problematic with regards to autobids.

(05-23-2014 02:45 PM)justin_sane15 Wrote:  Just watch how fast that field gets expanded the first time a Big 10 team gets snubbed for two SEC teams.

Far more likely that a B12 team gets snubbed due to that conference only having 10 teams, a lot less clout than the other conferences

So if you aren't in the P5 now, you'll never have a chance to win a NC?