(05-18-2019 07:26 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(05-18-2019 04:17 PM)bullet Wrote:  The reason for a guaranteed slot for the P5 becomes clear when looking at a longer period.

First, I don't think a bunch of P5 champs missing the playoffs is a "reason" to have autobids for P5 champs any more than Notre Dame or UCF or Boise missing the playoffs a bunch of times would be a reason to give them autobids. If you aren't good enough, you don't deserve a playoff spot, whether you are a P5 champ or not.

That said, i disagree with the concept of taking a longer view when that view takes us in to times when the power structure of the conferences and the structure of the playoffs is different from now: I don't think it is a coincidence that (a) once one of the AQ conferences, the Big East, loses its AQ status and (b) the system changes from a two-team playoff to a four-team playoff that © the number of P5 champs that miss under straight 8 goes from very frequent to almost never.

Bottom line is that a "P5" did not exist until 2013, so it makes no sense to talk about P5 conferences missing the playoffs before then.

As demographics shift and the money gap grows what is P5 today won't necessarily be the same in 10 to 15 years. It may shrink again from an AQ6 to P5, to A4 or even less.