A Real Playoff

[The Gipper]

I know this is not Browns, but it is football. Here is how I think a college football playoff should look and not this BCS BS:

Take the winners of each of the 11 FBS conferences plus 5 wild cards and put them in a 16 team seeded bracket, just like they do for NCAA hoops. Some of the following is speculation about conference winners:

 

Conference winners: ACC: Ga. Tech; Big East: Cincinnatti; Big 12: Texas; Big Ten: Ohio St.; Conf.USA: Houston; MAC: Central Michigan; Pac 10: Oregon; Sun Belt: Troy; WAC: Boise St.; SEC: Florida; Mountain West: TCU;

 

Wild Cards (chosen by a committee of 1, me as was the seeding): Alabama, Pitt, Iowa, Oregon St. Va. Tech

 

Bracket:

 

1 Florida

16 Troy _________

 

8 Ohio St.

9 Ga. Tech _________

 

5 Cincinnati

12 Pitt __________

 

13 Oregon St.

4 TCU ___________

 

3 Alabama

14 Houston ____________

 

6 Boise St.

11 Va. Tech ___________

 

7 Oregon

10 Iowa _____________

 

15 Central Mich.

2 Texas __________

 

 

Play around with this if you like. Carry it on out to its conclusion. This would be far more interesting and entertaining that the one game they play now.

[blowe]

Bracket:

 

1 Florida

16 Troy 1 Florida

 

8 Ohio St.

9 Ga. Tech 8 Ohio St. 1 Florida

 

5 Cincinnati

12 Pitt 5 Cincinnati 5 Cincinnati 1 Florida

 

13 Oregon St.

4 TCU 13 Oregon St.

 

3 Alabama

14 Houston 3 Alabama

 

6 Boise St.

11 Va. Tech 11 Va. Tech 3 Alabama 2 Texas

7 Oregon

10 Iowa 7 Oregon 2 Texas

 

15 Central Mich.

2 Texas 2 Texas

 

And my winner is.........Texas, who I feel will beat Florida/Alabama in the real national championship this year.

 

I have Oregon St (under rated football team) beating TCU in an upset. I also have VA. Tech over Boise in an upset. Gotta love Boise St. for the trick plays and david vs goliath bowl games, but not this time.

[Zombo]

I know this is not Browns, but it is football. Here is how I think a college football playoff should look and not this BCS BS:

Take the winners of each of the 11 FBS conferences plus 5 wild cards and put them in a 16 team seeded bracket, just like they do for NCAA hoops. Some of the following is speculation about conference winners:

 

Conference winners: ACC: Ga. Tech; Big East: Cincinnatti; Big 12: Texas; Big Ten: Ohio St.; Conf.USA: Houston; MAC: Central Michigan; Pac 10: Oregon; Sun Belt: Troy; WAC: Boise St.; SEC: Florida; Mountain West: TCU;

 

Wild Cards (chosen by a committee of 1, me as was the seeding): Alabama, Pitt, Iowa, Oregon St. Va. Tech

 

Bracket:

 

1 Florida

16 Troy _________

 

8 Ohio St.

9 Ga. Tech _________

 

5 Cincinnati

12 Pitt __________

 

13 Oregon St.

4 TCU ___________

 

3 Alabama

14 Houston ____________

 

6 Boise St.

11 Va. Tech ___________

 

7 Oregon

10 Iowa _____________

 

15 Central Mich.

2 Texas __________

 

 

Play around with this if you like. Carry it on out to its conclusion. This would be far more interesting and entertaining that the one game they play now.

 

 

Curious how your committee of one passed up #10 Penn State for lower-ranked Pitt, Oregon St. and Virginia Tech ... didn't want to take three teams from one conference?

 

Zombo

[Thaak]

I know this is not Browns, but it is football. Here is how I think a college football playoff should look and not this BCS BS:

Take the winners of each of the 11 FBS conferences plus 5 wild cards and put them in a 16 team seeded bracket, just like they do for NCAA hoops. Some of the following is speculation about conference winners:

 

Conference winners: ACC: Ga. Tech; Big East: Cincinnatti; Big 12: Texas; Big Ten: Ohio St.; Conf.USA: Houston; MAC: Central Michigan; Pac 10: Oregon; Sun Belt: Troy; WAC: Boise St.; SEC: Florida; Mountain West: TCU;

 

Wild Cards (chosen by a committee of 1, me as was the seeding): Alabama, Pitt, Iowa, Oregon St. Va. Tech

 

Bracket:

 

1 Florida

16 Troy _________

 

8 Ohio St.

9 Ga. Tech _________

 

5 Cincinnati

12 Pitt __________

 

13 Oregon St.

4 TCU ___________

 

3 Alabama

14 Houston ____________

 

6 Boise St.

11 Va. Tech ___________

 

7 Oregon

10 Iowa _____________

 

15 Central Mich.

2 Texas __________

 

 

Play around with this if you like. Carry it on out to its conclusion. This would be far more interesting and entertaining that the one game they play now.

 

I have absolutely zero problem with the seeding and wildcards being chosen via the BCS formula. What that means is, that mid-major conferences that have really good teams, would still get those teams in the playoffs as wildcards should they be ranked high enough.

 

I always thought that the winner of a conference should get in the playoffs. Even if they are ranked below 16th overall (kinda like Houston was for awhile). I have no problem with your conference winners as you've written them down (although Clemson, Nebraska, East Carolina, & Ohio still have conference championship games they could win and Cincinatti still has to beat Pitt) but lets take a look at who the BCS wildcards would be:

 

You are assuming Alabama loses to Florida in the SEC championship game, and only loses one spot in the seeding (rankings). Additionally, lets assume that two teams from the same conference cannot play none another in a first round game (which would preclude BCS 8 Ohio State vs. 9 Iowa) so we'd move the lower ranking of the pairing down 1, and the #7 seed would play Iowa. I don't know why you have Cincinatti and Pitt playing one another again in the playoffs a week after playing what is essentially the Big East championship game.

 

1 Florida (SEC)

16 Troy (Sun Belt)

 

8 Ohio State (Big Ten)

9 Georgia Tech (ACC)

 

5 Alabama (wild card)

12 Virginia Tech (wild card)

 

13 LSU (wild card)

4 Cincinatti (Big East)

 

3 TCU (Mountain West)

14 Houston (Conference USA)

 

6 Boise State (WAC)

11 Penn State (wild card)

 

7 Oregon (PAC 10)

10 Iowa (wild card)

 

15 Central Michigan (MAC)

2 Texas (Big 12)

 

The only major differences are Pitt and Oregon State would be replaced by LSU and Penn State.

 

The lower end of the seeding might change should any of the underdogs win the conference championship games.

 

Another option, would be that the conferences with championships all have their games included as a playoff game, which would move the playoffs back a week and not completely take over the holidays, and then you could still have your new year bowl games.

[Thaak]

My round 2 from my seeding and contenders would be...

 

Florida

Ohio State

 

Alabama

Cincinatti

 

TCU

Boise State

 

Oregon

Texas

 

My round 3 from my seeding and contenders would be...

 

Florida

Cincinatti

 

TCU

Texas

 

My championship game from my seeding and contenders would be...

 

Cincinatti

TCU

 

My champion would be

 

Cincinatti

[blowe]

My champion would be

 

Cincinatti

 

Interesting....my brother goes to uC so naturally I'm a fan (bandwagon or not, whatever). You really think they could beat Florida? Cincinatti's offense could definitely hang in there, but their defense at times can be downright awful. I just don't see it happening...I like the thought of it though. Go Bearcats!

[The Gipper]

Curious how your committee of one passed up #10 Penn State for lower-ranked Pitt, Oregon St. and Virginia Tech ... didn't want to take three teams from one conference?

 

Zombo

 

Yea, that was pretty much it. I figured that since they lost to both OSU and Iowa they could stay on the sidelines. Of course, also note that I had Cinci playing Pitt in the playoffs. Do not Cinci and Pitt in fact play this weekend? Loser of Ala/Fla. could also receive a lower seed.

[The Gipper]

I have absolutely zero problem with the seeding and wildcards being chosen via the BCS formula. What that means is, that mid-major conferences that have really good teams, would still get those teams in the playoffs as wildcards should they be ranked high enough.

 

I always thought that the winner of a conference should get in the playoffs. Even if they are ranked below 16th overall (kinda like Houston was for awhile). I have no problem with your conference winners as you've written them down (although Clemson, Nebraska, East Carolina, & Ohio still have conference championship games they could win and Cincinatti still has to beat Pitt) but lets take a look at who the BCS wildcards would be:

 

You are assuming Alabama loses to Florida in the SEC championship game, and only loses one spot in the seeding (rankings). Additionally, lets assume that two teams from the same conference cannot play none another in a first round game (which would preclude BCS 8 Ohio State vs. 9 Iowa) so we'd move the lower ranking of the pairing down 1, and the #7 seed would play Iowa. I don't know why you have Cincinatti and Pitt playing one another again in the playoffs a week after playing what is essentially the Big East championship game.

 

1 Florida (SEC)

16 Troy (Sun Belt)

 

8 Ohio State (Big Ten)

9 Georgia Tech (ACC)

 

5 Alabama (wild card)

12 Virginia Tech (wild card)

 

13 LSU (wild card)

4 Cincinatti (Big East)

 

3 TCU (Mountain West)

14 Houston (Conference USA)

 

6 Boise State (WAC)

11 Penn State (wild card)

 

7 Oregon (PAC 10)

10 Iowa (wild card)

 

15 Central Michigan (MAC)

2 Texas (Big 12)

 

The only major differences are Pitt and Oregon State would be replaced by LSU and Penn State.

 

The lower end of the seeding might change should any of the underdogs win the conference championship games.

 

Another option, would be that the conferences with championships all have their games included as a playoff game, which would move the playoffs back a week and not completely take over the holidays, and then you could still have your new year bowl games.

 

Or, the better option is that these conferences like the SEC quit ducking each other and play at least a 9 or 10 game conference schedule.

[Thaak]

Yea, that was pretty much it. I figured that since they lost to both OSU and Iowa they could stay on the sidelines. Of course, also note that I had Cinci playing Pitt in the playoffs. Do not Cinci and Pitt in fact play this weekend? Loser of Ala/Fla. could also receive a lower seed.

 

Yes they do. See my above post.

 

I also think that Florida would lose more in seeding/ranking in a loss to Alabama, than Alabama would lose in a loss to Florida.

 

It is even conceivable, that Alabama would stay ahead of #5 Cincinatti in a loss, while Florida would drop below Boise State in a loss.

 

It is even conceivable that we might see an Alabama/Florida national championship should Alabama and Texas both lose their respective conference championship games.

 

[The Gipper]

I have absolutely zero problem with the seeding and wildcards being chosen via the BCS formula. What that means is, that mid-major conferences that have really good teams, would still get those teams in the playoffs as wildcards should they be ranked high enough.

 

I always thought that the winner of a conference should get in the playoffs. Even if they are ranked below 16th overall (kinda like Houston was for awhile). I have no problem with your conference winners as you've written them down (although Clemson, Nebraska, East Carolina, & Ohio still have conference championship games they could win and Cincinatti still has to beat Pitt) but lets take a look at who the BCS wildcards would be:

 

You are assuming Alabama loses to Florida in the SEC championship game, and only loses one spot in the seeding (rankings). Additionally, lets assume that two teams from the same conference cannot play none another in a first round game (which would preclude BCS 8 Ohio State vs. 9 Iowa) so we'd move the lower ranking of the pairing down 1, and the #7 seed would play Iowa. I don't know why you have Cincinatti and Pitt playing one another again in the playoffs a week after playing what is essentially the Big East championship game.

 

1 Florida (SEC)

16 Troy (Sun Belt)

 

8 Ohio State (Big Ten)

9 Georgia Tech (ACC)

 

5 Alabama (wild card)

12 Virginia Tech (wild card)

 

13 LSU (wild card)

4 Cincinatti (Big East)

 

3 TCU (Mountain West)

14 Houston (Conference USA)

 

6 Boise State (WAC)

11 Penn State (wild card)

 

7 Oregon (PAC 10)

10 Iowa (wild card)

 

15 Central Michigan (MAC)

2 Texas (Big 12)

 

The only major differences are Pitt and Oregon State would be replaced by LSU and Penn State.

 

The lower end of the seeding might change should any of the underdogs win the conference championship games.

 

Another option, would be that the conferences with championships all have their games included as a playoff game, which would move the playoffs back a week and not completely take over the holidays, and then you could still have your new year bowl games.

 

 

Also, I didn't put LSU and Penn St. in because I was essentially of the opinion that since there were only 5 wildcard spots that only one of those should go to any particular conference. (and I had Alabama and Iowa already in from the SEC and Big Ten) That of course is probably faulty thinking. The best teams should be picked as WCs, but I was just trying to be egalitarian.

[The Gipper]

Yes they do. See my above post.

 

I also think that Florida would lose more in seeding/ranking in a loss to Alabama, than Alabama would lose in a loss to Florida.

 

It is even conceivable, that Alabama would stay ahead of #5 Cincinatti in a loss, while Florida would drop below Boise State in a loss.

 

It is even conceivable that we might see an Alabama/Florida national championship should Alabama and Texas both lose their respective conference championship games.

 

No way, if Alabama lost to Florida, obviously Florida would be in. If Texas also lost, then the likelihood of a Cincinnati or TCU getting into the title game occurs.

 

[Thaak]

An interesting exercise along these veins, is to figure out how the landscape of seeding and contestants might change should an underdog win in one of the conference championships. Where even with the win, they wouldn’t move up to the top 16, and so you’d end up with more than three (Troy, Houston, and Central Michigan) who are not ranked in the top 16 (Troy and Central Michigan aren’t even in the top 25). Clemson and Nebraska are the only two who may move into the top 25, and Eastern Carolina and Ohio are unlikely to be ranked in the top 25 even with a conference championship.

 

So lets take a look at how the landscape changes should Clemson, Eastern Carolina, Alabama, Ohio, Pitt, and Nebraska win.

 

Clemson (27) plays Georgia Tech (10) for the ACC title…a loss would drop Georgia Tech probably at least 10 spots to #20 and raises Clemson to maybe #19 overall. Clemson in at Seed #12, and Georgia Tech out completely.

 

Nebraska (less than 42) plays Texas (2) for the Big 12 title… a loss would drop Texas probably at least 6 to 8 spots to #10 and raises Nebraska to maybe #25 overall.

Nebraska in at Seed #13, and Texas plays Ohio State

 

Ohio (less than 42) plays Central Michigan (28) for the MAC title… a loss would drop Central Michigan out of the playoffs and Ohio would still probably be out of the top 25, but be the #16 seed (moving Troy up to the #14 seed.)

 

Eastern Carolina (less than 42) plays Houston (18) for the Conference USA title… a loss would drop Houston out of the top 25 and Eastern Carolina would vie for the #16/#15 seed with Ohio.

 

Alabama (3) plays Florida (1) for the SEC title… a loss would drop Florida down to 4th seed, and Alabama would be the #1 seed.

 

Pitt (15) plays Cincinatti (5) for the Big East title… a loss would drop Cincinatti down to 11th or 12th rank (if not out of the playoffs entirely) and Pitt would take 13th seed.

 

So things would look like

 

1 Alabama (1)

16 Ohio (less than 25)

 

8 Penn State (8)

9 Virginia Tech (9)

 

5 Oregon (5)

12 Cincinatti (12)

 

4 Florida (4)

13 Pitt (13)

 

14 Troy (less than 25)

3 Boise State (3)

 

11 LSU (11)

6 Ohio State (6)

 

10 Texas (10)

7 Iowa (7)

 

15 Eastern Carolina (less than 25)

2 TCU (2)

 

[The Gipper]

I would personally kind of like to see the Conference Championships go by the wayside. Make all these Conferences play a 10 game conference schedule or a complete round robin in their league if the league is less than 11 members. I believe in most cases that would determine a true championship in a conferences. If there is a tie, then the conference would have to develop a tiebreaker to determine their league championship. Obviously head to head would/could/should be a tiebreaker. In the major conference a team that ties for the league title but loses the tiebreaker is more than likely going to get a wild card spot. The other thing this would do is to eliminate all the cupcakes on teams schedules. They could only have 2 or at most 3 non conference games.

With many teams having to schedule traditional rivals that are non-conference, such as say, Clemson/South Carolina, Georgia/Ga. Tech, Florida/Fla. State, Iowa/Iowa St. etc. etc. this would do away with most of those unpalatable Florida vs. College of Charleston, or Florida vs. Florida Atlantic, or Florida vs. Florida International (OH, I'm sorry, does it sound like I am picking on UF for their cupcake scheduling? Why? I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing).

( I personally think that Florida could get bit on their cupcake filled, sugar bloated asses in this game vs. Alabama)

[Thaak]

An interesting exercise along these veins, is to figure out how the landscape of seeding and contestants might change should an underdog win in one of the conference championships. Where even with the win, they wouldn’t move up to the top 16, and so you’d end up with more than three (Troy, Houston, and Central Michigan) who are not ranked in the top 16 (Troy and Central Michigan aren’t even in the top 25). Clemson and Nebraska are the only two who may move into the top 25, and Eastern Carolina and Ohio are unlikely to be ranked in the top 25 even with a conference championship.

 

So lets take a look at how the landscape changes should Clemson, Eastern Carolina, Alabama, Ohio, Pitt, and Nebraska win.

 

Clemson (27) plays Georgia Tech (10) for the ACC title…a loss would drop Georgia Tech probably at least 10 spots to #20 and raises Clemson to maybe #19 overall. Clemson in at Seed #12, and Georgia Tech out completely.

 

Nebraska (less than 42) plays Texas (2) for the Big 12 title… a loss would drop Texas probably at least 6 to 8 spots to #10 and raises Nebraska to maybe #25 overall.

Nebraska in at Seed #13, and Texas plays Ohio State

 

Ohio (less than 42) plays Central Michigan (28) for the MAC title… a loss would drop Central Michigan out of the playoffs and Ohio would still probably be out of the top 25, but be the #16 seed (moving Troy up to the #14 seed.)

 

Eastern Carolina (less than 42) plays Houston (18) for the Conference USA title… a loss would drop Houston out of the top 25 and Eastern Carolina would vie for the #16/#15 seed with Ohio.

 

Alabama (3) plays Florida (1) for the SEC title… a loss would drop Florida down to 4th seed, and Alabama would be the #1 seed.

 

Pitt (15) plays Cincinatti (5) for the Big East title… a loss would drop Cincinatti down to 11th or 12th rank (if not out of the playoffs entirely) and Pitt would take 13th seed.

 

So things would look like

 

1 Alabama (1)

16 Ohio (less than 25)

 

8 Penn State (8)

9 Virginia Tech (9)

 

5 Oregon (5)

12 Cincinatti (12)

 

4 Florida (4)

13 Pitt (13)

 

14 Troy (less than 25)

3 Boise State (3)

 

11 LSU (11)

6 Ohio State (6)

 

10 Texas (10)

7 Iowa (7)

 

15 Eastern Carolina (less than 25)

2 TCU (2)

 

To make matters even more interesting... Oregon and Oregon State play this weekend as well. The winner gets the Rose Bowl, so essentially the PAC 10 championship game.

 

Whichever loses will be out of my above playoff picture as well, so that brings in BYU.

 

[Thaak]

I would personally kind of like to see the Conference Championships go by the wayside. Make all these Conferences play a 10 game conference schedule or a complete round robin in their league if the league is less than 11 members. I believe in most cases that would determine a true championship in a conferences. If there is a tie, then the conference would have to develop a tiebreaker to determine their league championship. Obviously head to head would/could/should be a tiebreaker. In the major conference a team that ties for the league title but loses the tiebreaker is more than likely going to get a wild card spot. The other thing this would do is to eliminate all the cupcakes on teams schedules. They could only have 2 or at most 3 non conference games.

With many teams having to schedule traditional rivals that are non-conference, such as say, Clemson/South Carolina, Georgia/Ga. Tech, Florida/Fla. State, Iowa/Iowa St. etc. etc. this would do away with most of those unpalatable Florida vs. College of Charleston, or Florida vs. Florida Atlantic, or Florida vs. Florida International (OH, I'm sorry, does it sound like I am picking on UF for their cupcake scheduling? Why? I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing).

( I personally think that Florida could get bit on their cupcake filled, sugar bloated asses in this game vs. Alabama)

 

Or every conference gets to have a championship game regardless of whether they have 12 teams or not.

 

I agree on playing all the conference opponents you can. If you have 11 other teams in your conference, then you have 11 conference games. Means one or two non-conference games total. Give them one powder-puff if they really want (but if they schedule a DII or FCS team, they get docked BCS ranking points) and one non-conference game for every team rotates. So each conference always plays another conference and it would rotate every 11 years. And you must play the team that was in the same conference ranking as you from the last season. So in other words, next year, the winner of the Oregon St./Oregon game would play Ohio State. The loser would play Iowa. For two conferences that don't have an equal number of teams, that's where the independent games go. Some team will just have the bite the bullet and play Notre Dame, Army or Navy.

 

This will ensure that Mountain West, WAC, MAC, Sun Belt, & Conference USA will get shots at opponents from the Big East, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 10, SEC, & ACC every few years. Besides, I think the Mountain West is becoming quite competitive with BYU, Utah, and TCU becoming perennial good teams against the BCS 6.

[Thaak]

You keep talking about the SEC (especially Florida) playing powder puffs and avoiding conference games.

 

What about the Big 12? I mean the North Division of the Big 12 is way underpowered compared to the South Division. Its a travesty that Nebraska (or anyone else from the North) would get a shot at a BCS Bowl just for winning the Big 12, when they play crap teams in their division. Meanwhile the South is all beating each other up.

[The Gipper]

You keep talking about the SEC (especially Florida) playing powder puffs and avoiding conference games.

 

What about the Big 12? I mean the North Division of the Big 12 is way underpowered compared to the South Division. Its a travesty that Nebraska (or anyone else from the North) would get a shot at a BCS Bowl just for winning the Big 12, when they play crap teams in their division. Meanwhile the South is all beating each other up.

 

 

Well, in my ideal scenario, there would be no Big 12 north and south. There would just be the Big 12. And those 12 teams would have to play at least 10 conference games. So your point wouldn't matter. (except, of course, in today's situation, it does, and it sucks as you point out.)