College playoff should be changed to TWO teams picked by a panel, not the polls

[lucustookis]

It never ends. Incredibly, people beat their heads against a wall continuously and at the very same time, ask themselves why their heads are hurting. 4 teams in a playoff is to much. 6 teams and 8 teams are also, to much. College football got it right when they took who decides to get in the playoffs out of the AP and Coaches polls hands. But, they should have simply gone to 2 teams instead of four. The average human brain immediately jumps to "six teams or eight teams" needed to prevent this controversy. See sentence number two above. Whether it's 4, or 6, or 8, or 12, do you really think the average fan will be happy or without controversy if their team in the next one left out? The answer is NO. See the NCAA tournaments expansion to 68. It never ends. That will never end REGARDLESS of how many teams are picked to play in a playoff. Therefore, pick the two best teams by a panel.

If this were the case, there would be little controversy this year. There would be Bama and Clemson and we would be done with it. Sure, there are going to be some upset fans like Washington, Michigan, OSU, and Penn State, but again, if the field is expanded to eight teams, then you have teams 9 through 11 raising he%%. Therefore, there are two goals and these are, attempt to pick the best two teams with a panel like we do now with 4 teams (this will never be a perfect science) and the second critical goal is attempting to make the bowl games meaningful. Remember this, with each and every expansion of teams added to the playoff, you weaken bowl meaning and the controversy who is left out never ends.

Only my opinions......

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

Good post. Whoever is first team left out will be mad, regardless of # teams in.

I say just have SEC and ACC champion play every season for NC.

 

[hokiemtc]

You can't do two teams, because it will almost always be an SEC team vs an established media darling. And most years (does not include this year with Bama), those are NOT the teams that deserve to be there. Don't forget, Clemson wasn't even ranked #2 THIS year until the very final poll...OSU was.

The whole reason for the playoff to begin with is that the dumbasses that somehow get chosen to pick the teams don't watch and/or know anything about football. The current committee is the most clueless one yet...ignoring head-to-head results and conference titles in their zealous effort to promote brand name teams that aren't worthy.

 

[Hoos19NC]

I would like to see it go to an 8 team playoff.....Power5 Conference Champion's auto bid with 3 wild card teams.

 

[Hokiepoke]

8 teams: 5 conference champions, plus 3 at large bids. The 3 bids can be used for situations where a team believed to be better lost in it's championship games in an upset (KSU losing to aTm a few years ago), or where a conference clearly has two of the best teams in all of college football (LSU and Bama a couple a years ago), and where school outside of Power 5 has an undefeated team (Utah, WMU - take your pick). This way, no one whines about being left out.

Now, who selects these teams? Someone who knows a thing or two about football, not Condaleeza Rices of the worlds.

 

[Hoos19NC]

8 teams: 5 conference champions, plus 3 at large bids. The 3 bids can be used for situations where a team believed to be better lost in it's championship games in an upset (KSU losing to aTm a few years ago), or where a conference clearly has two of the best teams in all of college football (LSU and Bama a couple a years ago), and where school outside of Power 5 has an undefeated team (Utah, WMU - take your pick). This way, no one whines about being left out.

Now, who selects these teams? Someone who knows a thing or two about football, not Condaleeza Rices of the worlds.

I think the posters on this board should make the choices......well....maybe not HR, VT and Bama can't go every year.

 

[1bburgfan]

Blacksburg High vs Blacksburg High my choices

 

[hokiemtc]

8 teams: TIER 1: Power 5 champs and highest ranked undefeated Group of 5 team. TIER 2: highest ranked for everyone else not already included (2 per league max...can be a second Group of 5 team if they're ranked high enough)...and DITCH all of these stupid corrupt and clueless committees. Conference titles don't matter? Head-to-head results don't matter? In what f'n committee clown world do conference titles and head-to-head results not matter?

For this year (before bowls were played, and using AP only since apparently no coach / school can competently fill out a ballot):

1) Alabama
2) Clemson
3) Washington
4) Penn State
5) Oklahoma
6) Western Michigan
7) Ohio State
8) USC

#1 vs #8
#2 vs #7
#3 vs #6
#4 vs #5

Of these 8, the only team that went on to prove themselves a fraud is Ohio State. Western Michigan, as expected, ended up being a little bit outgunned. That leaves 6 pretty good teams playing some pretty good games to win the trophy.

 

[swmrappell]

8 teams: TIER 1: Power 5 champs and highest ranked undefeated Group of 5 team. TIER 2: highest ranked for everyone else not already included (2 per league max...can be a second Group of 5 team if they're ranked high enough)...and DITCH all of these stupid corrupt and clueless committees. Conference titles don't matter? Head-to-head results don't matter? In what f'n committee clown world do conference titles and head-to-head results not matter?

For this year (before bowls were played, and using AP only since apparently no coach / school can competently fill out a ballot):

1) Alabama
2) Clemson
3) Washington
4) Penn State
5) Oklahoma
6) Western Michigan
7) Ohio State
8) USC

#1 vs #8
#2 vs #7
#3 vs #6
#4 vs #5

Of these 8, the only team that went on to prove themselves a fraud is Ohio State. Western Michigan, as expected, ended up being a little bit outgunned. That leaves 6 pretty good teams playing some pretty good games to win the trophy.

I like the 8-team format. That would create a three-week championship series which fits well within the current bowl season. In fact - you could play the earlier bowl games as they are without impact and not lose revenue for the teams not competing for the championship. Expanding not reducing the pool of contenders is the way to go.