AAC should thank Tulane and Tulsa for being great schools, but cut them loose. No desire to see some conference teams trying to build, fight for recruits and the go play in front of crowds under 10 thousand. Stay at 10. We need Ucf, USF, Cincinnati, Houston, temple on our schedule every year, not just every 2( except Houston, I know) . Develop good annual games with decent atmosphere and create something of a rivalry. It would also increase our strength of schedule and attendance.The conference championship would always be a rematch, but Ucf Memphis was last year and it turned out ok. The two Ts would better fit in sun belt or cusa anyway. And if going to New Orleans is fun is your excuse, then go anyway . It would make the best of our tough situation; till expansion does or doesn’t come.

(11-17-2018 02:02 PM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(11-17-2018 01:01 PM)memtigbb Wrote:  

(11-17-2018 08:55 AM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 08:50 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  Most likely change is the CFP expanding from 4 to 8 if two P5 conferences get shut out of the playoffs again, even more likely if 3 P5 conferences get left out. Here's how this year.... It only takes UGA to beat AL in the SEC championships. That gets both UGA & AL (a one lost AL won't be left out) in the playoffs, Clemson & ND. That leaves the B1G, B12 & PAC out in the cold - and they will not stand for that, even if the current contracts & bowls run for several more years - it will change. his is really the only thing the AAC can effectively do - and it has nothing to do with the AAC directly - it will be done based upon a majority of the P5 being left out.

I really don't think it's that dead set that if Alabama loses to Georgia they are still in. Especially if Michigan beats Ohio state and wins the big 10. How do you leave out a 12-1 Michigan team who's only lost was by 7 to fellow playoff team Notre Dame? The committee set themselves up for this debacle two years ago and then again last year when they let Ohio St. and Alabama in without winning their conference.

So you are saying they wouldn't take a 1 loss Alabama team? You know there is no chance that they would leave out a 1 loss Alabama team right?

Again how do you leave out a 1 loss Michigan team who won the Big 10 and only loss to Notre Dame by 7? The committee has set themselves up for a disaster if Georgia beats Alabama and Mich and Notre Dame win out.

Committee didn't set them set up for disaster at all, imo. And it's not a debacle. Controversy is good. We are talking about the teams on this thread, the debate will be all over sports radio, pods, ESPN . . . for weeks. Disaster would be apathy, which is not the case here.

The real problem would be if they only had 3 truly deserving teams. 5 teams for a 4 team playoff brings forth debate and attention.

(11-16-2018 08:18 PM)memphisike Wrote:  Be prepared to lose CFU, shows what a tough OOC will do, I'm hearing the BIG or ACC
We need to play a tough OOC, most other members play a tough schedule
Get rid of the CUPCAKES

Well there's the confusion then. We're talking UCF and you're talking CFU. Two different teams.

(11-17-2018 02:12 PM)Mimi Wrote:  They set themselves up for some controversy but hardly disaster.

Four team playoff still preserves the regular season. And allows for really good teams that don’t win conference to still be considered one of the four best in the nation. Nothing wrong with that. If Northwestern upsets Michigan or Ohio State are they really more deserving for playoff than a 12-1 Alabama? Or Oklahoma etc...

If the answer is yes because regardless they won their conference, so be it. But surely we recognize that is not the sole arbiter of how good a team is I hope. I’ve waffles on this and think winning conference is a factor but just a factor. Unless we want to turn college football into college basketball. And while maybe an 8 team playoff wouldn’t do that, the sport is so much fun now.

The game is fun - no doubt. But the playoff system is different from the game. The CFP is exhausting and not fun. That argument is the same one they used for years with the BCS ruse.

I also disagree that the 4-team playoff preserves the regular season. I've heard the committee make this argument and it just doesn't fly. How is UCF's undefeated season "preserved"? Or how was the regular season preserved last year when Alabama didn't even make the SEC conf champ game, but made the playoffs? Preserving the regular season means valuing teams that win the games in their conference. The current 4-team playoff has shown that they will not always do that.

(11-17-2018 01:01 PM)memtigbb Wrote:  

(11-17-2018 08:55 AM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(11-16-2018 08:50 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  Most likely change is the CFP expanding from 4 to 8 if two P5 conferences get shut out of the playoffs again, even more likely if 3 P5 conferences get left out. Here's how this year.... It only takes UGA to beat AL in the SEC championships. That gets both UGA & AL (a one lost AL won't be left out) in the playoffs, Clemson & ND. That leaves the B1G, B12 & PAC out in the cold - and they will not stand for that, even if the current contracts & bowls run for several more years - it will change. And that't the point the AAC & the G5 have nothing to do with it - because the P5 will never make a change based upon AAC performance merit (the P5 are in the business of actually systematically minimizing/marginalizing the AAC & the G5). So to the OP's premise posed, the AAC should attempt to benefit itself to the exclusion of the G4 when that expansion takes place, effectively becoming what Aresco is pushing - the P6. This is really the only thing the AAC can effectively do - and it has nothing to do with the AAC directly - it will be done based upon a majority of the P5 being left out.

I really don't think it's that dead set that if Alabama loses to Georgia they are still in. Especially if Michigan beats Ohio state and wins the big 10. How do you leave out a 12-1 Michigan team who's only lost was by 7 to fellow playoff team Notre Dame? The committee set themselves up for this debacle two years ago and then again last year when they let Ohio St. and Alabama in without winning their conference.

So you are saying they wouldn't take a 1 loss Alabama team? You know there is no chance that they would leave out a 1 loss Alabama team right?

Michigan would have a better resume and be a conference champ.

Need something like this to upset the apple cart and get change in the CFP structure.

(11-17-2018 09:04 AM)Tigers2B1 Wrote:  UConn would never accept a basketball only invite. I agree on ECU. ECU does nothing for basketball in is historically bad there. They were invited for football and now they suck there too. But sadly, I believe the AAC is now stuck with them. The others have shown they will not accept in AAC invite.

Memphis should focus on itself and get ready for the next realignment after the big 12 break up. I believe their TV rights, the grant of rights, contract expires in 2025 so the dominoes will begin to fall a year or two before that I suspect.

When the BIG XII explodes, watch to see if only (4) 16-team leagues remain. PAC, BIG, ACC, SEC. This would settle the 4-team playoff problem. UT is the wildcard and only reason there is a P5. It is all about the benjamins.

I wouldn't mind seeing ECU go bye, but I don't know what the replacement solution is. I don't think they are deserving of a full share, all-sports membership. But there's not a ready replacement in the geographic fit - for all sports. I mean Army is as good in football (better currently) as ECU, and just as bad in basketball. And they would add more tv value than ECU. So I guess that would be an option. But they tried CUSA once upon a time and backed out of it because it hurt them competitively. The other options are all out west - BYU, Boise, SDSU, Nevada - and that's just too tough for "all sports". I'm not a fan of creating more football vs. non-football members. UConn. They deserve to stay in. But if they ever try to go BEast in other sports, you boot them.

I would be interested in exploring an alliance with the MWC. I wouldn't go all the way to merging for a super conference - but something close. A scheduling alliance where we rotate through their league in a certain number of games each year in all sports. I also think you might be able to leverage this in tv negotiations. Come up with tv event marketing names for weekend games scheduled inter-conference. Maybe even use it for football bowl negotiations.

Even go so far as to explore a MWC-AAC inter-conference football championship game. Maybe that's a tier-one bowl opportunity that would allow us to create our own "Access Slot". Maybe that sets you up for a seat in the CFP down the road. Maybe in order for the NCAA to approve, it would have to replace the 2 existing conference champ games. It could still be a financial winner if tv agrees (increases payout) and you set it up for better attendance. Probably not, but worth looking into.

The other thing I would consider is squeezing political and legal representation to start putting pressure on the P5 and CFP. I hate to politicize and litigate sports, but it might be necessary to force change. I know the P5 threatens to break off and do their own thing, so you have to tread carefully. But I believe it was Orrin Hatch who started making threats against the BCS on behalf of Utah. Next thing you know, Utah got the first BCS bowl. And a few years later, Utah got invited to the Pac. Even if you don't go full nuclear with public threats, you need to do more than what is currently happening. You can't just keep playing along like you're glad to get the scraps you get. Then go "Golly, gee. Maybe this CFP thing isn't quite as fair as my P5 counterparts promised me it would be". And token media pressure - "Well, it's just sad that UCF won't make the playoffs - but aren't these other P5 schools great!" - is not enough to force change.

(11-19-2018 05:03 PM)Tiger87 Wrote:  I wouldn't mind seeing ECU go bye, but I don't know what the replacement solution is. I don't think they are deserving of a full share, all-sports membership. But there's not a ready replacement in the geographic fit - for all sports. I mean Army is as good in football (better currently) as ECU, and just as bad in basketball. And they would add more tv value than ECU. So I guess that would be an option. But they tried CUSA once upon a time and backed out of it because it hurt them competitively. The other options are all out west - BYU, Boise, SDSU, Nevada - and that's just too tough for "all sports". I'm not a fan of creating more football vs. non-football members. UConn. They deserve to stay in. But if they ever try to go BEast in other sports, you boot them.

I would be interested in exploring an alliance with the MWC. I wouldn't go all the way to merging for a super conference - but something close. A scheduling alliance where we rotate through their league in a certain number of games each year in all sports. I also think you might be able to leverage this in tv negotiations. Come up with tv event marketing names for weekend games scheduled inter-conference. Maybe even use it for football bowl negotiations.

Even go so far as to explore a MWC-AAC inter-conference football championship game. Maybe that's a tier-one bowl opportunity that would allow us to create our own "Access Slot". Maybe that sets you up for a seat in the CFP down the road. Maybe in order for the NCAA to approve, it would have to replace the 2 existing conference champ games. It could still be a financial winner if tv agrees (increases payout) and you set it up for better attendance. Probably not, but worth looking into.

The other thing I would consider is squeezing political and legal representation to start putting pressure on the P5 and CFP. I hate to politicize and litigate sports, but it might be necessary to force change. I know the P5 threatens to break off and do their own thing, so you have to tread carefully. But I believe it was Orrin Hatch who started making threats against the BCS on behalf of Utah. Next thing you know, Utah got the first BCS bowl. And a few years later, Utah got invited to the Pac. Even if you don't go full nuclear with public threats, you need to do more than what is currently happening. You can't just keep playing along like you're glad to get the scraps you get. Then go "Golly, gee. Maybe this CFP thing isn't quite as fair as my P5 counterparts promised me it would be". And token media pressure - "Well, it's just sad that UCF won't make the playoffs - but aren't these other P5 schools great!" - is not enough to force change.

I’m not sure about the other, but the last paragraph option of political pressure and I would go as far as to include legal action merits consideration. The media- primarily ESPN has played a huge part of this. Now with the Fox breakup or spin off, ESPN has even more influence. I would like to see the numbers of total $ paid per watcher for P5 games vs G5 games and breakout the American conference on its own.

Not a legal mind, but I know competition is being hindered by main TV rights buyers to the UNFAIR detrimental effect on the American conference.

Not sure how the G5 schools can sue when they all agreed to the deal in June of 2012. http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...nning-2014

"The 11 conference commissioners watched on Tuesday afternoon as Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick presented their proposal to a board of 12 university presidents at the Dupont Circle Hotel. In less than three hours, the group agreed upon a postseason that college football fans have been clamoring for years."

(11-19-2018 05:46 PM)Tigx Wrote:  Not sure how the G5 schools can sue when they all agreed to the deal in June of 2012. http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...nning-2014

"The 11 conference commissioners watched on Tuesday afternoon as Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick presented their proposal to a board of 12 university presidents at the Dupont Circle Hotel. In less than three hours, the group agreed upon a postseason that college football fans have been clamoring for years."

Antitrust... Although the powers that be CLAIM that it's possible for a G5 school to make the playoff, that is not the case (and will never be the case with the four-team format).

(11-19-2018 05:56 PM)aardWolf Wrote:  

(11-19-2018 05:46 PM)Tigx Wrote:  Not sure how the G5 schools can sue when they all agreed to the deal in June of 2012. http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...nning-2014

"The 11 conference commissioners watched on Tuesday afternoon as Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick presented their proposal to a board of 12 university presidents at the Dupont Circle Hotel. In less than three hours, the group agreed upon a postseason that college football fans have been clamoring for years."

Antitrust... Although the powers that be CLAIM that it's possible for a G5 school to make the playoff, that is not the case (and will never be the case with the four-team format).

Please. All of the at the time 11 conference commissioners - including our guy Aresco who was quoted in the ESPN story I attached saying how great he thought it was - had their input listened to and then voted for this deal.

Stupidity is hardly a valid reason for winning a lawsuit.

You ain't gettin the milk unless you buy the cow.

The AAC needs to seek loans, possibly sponsorships, to start their own TV network, like the rest of the Power 5 conferences. This way we have a chance to see all Memphis games and other AAC games. This would bring more money from other TV networks, like ESPN, because they'd have to compete against the ratings of the AAC Network.

As for expansion, I'd go with Boise State. They seem to have a consistent good programs. And, I'd go find someone in the Big 12 territory. This way, Houston, SMU, Boise State, etc. can be in the West. And, Memphis can be in either division.

(11-19-2018 05:56 PM)aardWolf Wrote:  

(11-19-2018 05:46 PM)Tigx Wrote:  Not sure how the G5 schools can sue when they all agreed to the deal in June of 2012. http://www.espn.com/college-football/sto...nning-2014

"The 11 conference commissioners watched on Tuesday afternoon as Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick presented their proposal to a board of 12 university presidents at the Dupont Circle Hotel. In less than three hours, the group agreed upon a postseason that college football fans have been clamoring for years."

Antitrust... Although the powers that be CLAIM that it's possible for a G5 school to make the playoff, that is not the case (and will never be the case with the four-team format).

That's what I was thinking. Evidence in the case could be ucf's last year.