College Football 2012 Season

[-Jrabbit]

...and many people (including the media) where already discussing the likelihood of a rematch even before kickoff, let alone after the game ended.

Put it this way; let's say a conference title game features a pair of undefeated teams--Michigan/Wisky, or LSU/Georgia, or Oregon/USC, what have you. The loser of that game would almost certainly end up in the top 4--in fact, they would almost certainly end up exactly at #4, setting up a match with #1, the team that had just beaten them.

So why play the game in the first place?

Because at the time you play the game, you don't know that Texas A&M/Boise/Missouri/whoever will puke under pressure.

You have to play the schedule.

[Imran Siddiqui]

No. Especially since it happened this year anyway. But I would propose conference Champions only to avoid that. I think that would increase the value of the regular season knowing if you don't win your conference, no chance for you. And I think with a 4 team playoff, that's three games that will help you forgot about that other team that didn't win their division. Bubble teams that don't make march madness whine but after a few rounds of play, everyone forgets them.

Most importantly, I miss New Years day when a few of the games meant something. Two playoff games that day would make me plan to spend my day in front of the TV, like when I was younger.

I can agree with the sentiment. I would much rather have 4 conference champions face off and no at-large. At least that way you can kind of make it like a battle of conference champions - though I'd prefer it like European Soccer, where the playoffs crown a different champion than the team that wins the season (the one with the best record). Though it still would devalue the regular season somewhat as out of conference games wouldn't mean as much as they do now.

Though lets remember, the BCS is, indeed, a playoff. It just has the top 2 teams.

And lets be honest, even with a 4 game playoff, they aren't going to put them on the same day. One will likely be at 8 PM on New Years, the 2nd will be on 8 PM on January 2nd and then the "Championship" will be a week after.

[ColdWizard]

Because at the time you play the game, you don't know that Texas A&M/Boise/Missouri/whoever Oklahoma St. will puke under pressure.

You have to play the schedule.

[rah]

And lets be honest, even with a 4 game playoff, they aren't going to put them on the same day. One will likely be at 8 PM on New Years, the 2nd will be on 8 PM on January 2nd and then the "Championship" will be a week after.

I could see (and prefer) a 3 PM and a 8 PM game on New Years but you're probably right.

[Guynemer]

That's why I like conference winners only to qualify. It makes those conference games a heck of a lot more important and minimizes rematches.

That will never happen.

[Guynemer]

Because at the time you play the game, you don't know that Texas A&M/Boise/Missouri/whoever will puke under pressure.

You have to play the schedule.

I was talking specifically about the last game of the regular season/conference championships.

[rah]

That will never happen.

While I respect your opinion, I think it's not that far of a long shot.

[Tupac Shakur]

It's not going to happen. No one in a position of power wants to see a team like 2011 Wisconsin (a two-loss, #10 conference champion) taking up a spot in a four-team playoff. They're also never going to effectively bar Notre Dame from the playoff by limiting it to conference champs.

[Guynemer]

I personally wouldn't have been that upset by Wisky being in it, if only because their two loses redefined the word "fluky", but I agree with your broader point.

Now the any-champ-in-the-Top-6-is-automatically-in wouldn't be terrible (or the same thing with a 6-team playoff, with any top ten champ), but those sorts of nuanced plans will never fly with a) today's sports media, or b) sports fans in general.

[Tupac Shakur]

I personally wouldn't have been that upset by Wisky being in it

I would've. I'm still pissed that a two-loss LSU team won the national championship.

[-Jrabbit]

Really? It doesn't show.

[Tupac Shakur]

I added the mad smilie to show how super serious I was.

[rah]

It's not going to happen. No one in a position of power wants to see a team like 2011 Wisconsin (a two-loss, #10 conference champion) taking up a spot in a four-team playoff. They're also never going to effectively bar Notre Dame from the playoff by limiting it to conference champs.

If it's a four team playoff, every conference winner wouldn't be automatically qualified.
And maybe if this was in place ND might have to join a damn conference. I have no problem forcing that decision on them.

[H Tower]

112 days until the season kicks off.

Thursday August 30th.
UTSA at South Alabama
Massachusetts at Connecticut
South Carolina at Vanderbilt
UCLA at Rice
Louisiana Tech at Texas A&M
Northern Colorado at Utah
UCF at Akron
Eastern Michigan at Ball State
Southeast Missouri State at Central Michigan Tickets
Towson at Kent State
Minnesota at UNLV
McNeese State at Middle Tennessee
Sacramento State at New Mexico State
Southern Utah at Utah State
Eastern Washington at Idaho

South Carolina at Vandy looks like the best game. The Big Ten Network will probably carry Minnesota at UNLV. Only 112 days away

[Tupac Shakur]

If it's a four team playoff, every conference winner wouldn't be automatically qualified.

Wisconsin was the fourth highest-rated conference champion last year. They would've been in if a four-team playoff limited to conference champions had been in place last year.

And maybe if this was in place ND might have to join a damn conference. I have no problem forcing that decision on them.

No one care about your opinion. The people whose opinions matter (university presidents and conference commissioners) aren't going to force Notre Dame into a conference.

[rah]

No one care about your opinion.

Hmmm, this is an internet forum where everyone expresses their OPINIONs.

The people whose opinions matter (university presidents and conference commissioners) aren't going to force Notre Dame into a conference.

Sounds like an opinion to me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think he was speaking on opinions that actually will be weighed in decision making in a playoff.

[rah]

Since he can't possibly know that for sure, I think it still counts as an opinion.

[Tupac Shakur]

In my opinion, this tangent is completely irrelevant.

[Tupac Shakur]

SB Nation and Spencer Hall join my long-standing crusade to introduce relegation to college football.

Relegation: Why College Football Needs To Embrace Cannibalism

Changes that increase the importance of the regular season...

[Ming]

Changes that will never happen....

[-Jrabbit]

I've been a fan of relegation in major league baseball (which is disinclined to level the spending field like the NFL and NBA), which has both spending and talent disparities, plus a stupidly long regular season. So yeah, I can see it being an effective tool in NCAA football. I've always liked the concept.

But I agree that it's pretty difficult to see it happening anytime soon.


[Full disclosure: I did not know the term "relegation" until just now. But I've always thought it was the coolest thing about the English league system.]

[H Tower]

On April 28th.

There's still a lot to work out. This may get done, but it might not. SEC teams are hoping to play at "neutral" site games in the first round in Florida, or New Orleans. The Big Ten wants true home games, which might lead to a game being played outdoors in Ann Arbor in December. Who gets the advantage/disadvantage? Everyone is still looking out for themselves. I don't think that everyone would even agree to a one team per conference rule.

I thank all of you for proving my point.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I've been a fan of relegation in major league baseball (which is disinclined to level the spending field like the NFL and NBA), which has both spending and talent disparities, plus a stupidly long regular season. So yeah, I can see it being an effective tool in NCAA football. I've always liked the concept.

But I agree that it's pretty difficult to see it happening anytime soon.


[Full disclosure: I did not know the term "relegation" until just now. But I've always thought it was the coolest thing about the English league system.]

MLB is the WORST league to introduce relegation. For one, just about all the minor league teams are owned by a major league one. Therefore the only way it'd work is if you'd have two leagues with 15 teams - which is ridiculously small in modern US sports.

But that college football relegation plan is like the best thing ever!

[H Tower]

Relegation works in the EPL because they play a balanced schedule. I wouldn't call college football scheduling balanced.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Read the article - what he's calling for is some minor conferences to be the "relagation partner" to the major conferences. The conferences have balanced schedules inside the conference structure

[H Tower]

Read the article - what he's calling for is some minor conferences to be the "relagation partner" to the major conferences. The conferences have balanced schedules inside the conference structure

No, college football doesn't have balanced schedules, even within the conference. The Big Ten has 12 teams, but plays only 8 conference games. Illinois doesn't play Michigan State or Nebraska, two of the better teams from last year. Nebraska doesn't play either Illinois or Indiana, the two worst teams from last year.

EPL plays home and home every team plays each other twice. College Football isn't even close to that.

[-Jrabbit]

MLB is the WORST league to introduce relegation.

I'm not saying it wouldn't require massive reorganization. The same is true for college football.
But let's not hijack the thread over a side point.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well this is interesting:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...year-bowl-game

Big 12 vs. SEC champs starting in 2014, a la Pac-12 vs. Big 10 champs in the Rose Bowl. Big East has approached ACC to propose a similar championship matchup (I doubt the ACC will approve - though Boise has re-affirmed its committment to Big East). An opt out if the champ is selected for the new 4 team playoff they are discussing.

[H Tower]

No, college football doesn't have balanced schedules, even within the conference. The Big Ten has 12 teams, but plays only 8 conference games. Illinois doesn't play Michigan State or Nebraska, two of the better teams from last year. Nebraska doesn't play either Illinois or Indiana, the two worst teams from last year.

EPL plays home and home every team plays each other twice. College Football isn't even close to that.

Northwestern's 2015-16 schedule has been released. They miss out on playing Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State. Northwestern fans are already hoping for a trip to the Big Ten title game that year. So much for balanced conference schedules.