2024 College Football Playoffs

[stpeteirish]

One thing that always made CFB exciting and fun was that teams just played in a bunch of different conferences, or in ND’s case traveled the country playing whoever. That made it different, thrilling, and created awesome bowl matchups.

With the old set up of conferences, was that you didn’t get the watered down schedules that CAN occur now with massive conferences. It also made winning your conference (even before CCGs) necessary to play in a top tier bowl game, and a chance at the NC. There were sometimes some ranking biases and sometimes teams were left out of consideration. However, the system we had worked to make the sport unique.

Now, with this 12 team bullshit, we have people arguing whether a 3 loss team deserves a shot at a Natty. I mean… think about that for a minute. Imagine going back in time to any season prior to this year that 3 loss teams that DID NOT make the CCG are making their case that they fucking deserve a chance to win a natty. Ludicrous.

Plenty of things to complain about with the four team playoff. We ain’t going back.

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

Plenty of things to complain about with the four team playoff. We ain’t going back.

Ironically we'd likely be in the 4 team playoff this year and have a good shot at winning.

 

[Irish du Nord]

BillingSley

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Ironically we'd likely be in the 4 team playoff this year and have a good shot at winning.

The first round game against 2024 Texas is a hell of a lot more manageable than what ND saw in 2018 and 2020.

 

[stpeteirish]

Quarterfinals will be assigned to venue associated with the previous conference tie in, I.e. Big Ten to Rose, Sec to Sugar, etc.
Top seed remaining gets to pick site for Semifinal. Semis are in Miami and Dallas.

 

[JadedDomer]

Can we all agree 12 teams is far more exciting? I mean there's so many situations/outcomes to discuss. I think 12 is too many, I think 10 is about right, but this is still awesome. Here I am trying to get the low down on Boise State...

 

[stlnd01]

Ironically we'd likely be in the 4 team playoff this year and have a good shot at winning.

Yep. We’d be either the 3 or 4 seed with Oregon/Penn State winner, Georgia/Texas winner and whichever loser looked better doing it.

 

[JadedDomer]

I honestly with they'd take this self important committee out of it and use the BCS standings now that we're at 12.

 

[RDU Irish]

Quarterfinals will be assigned to venue associated with the previous conference tie in, I.e. Big Ten to Rose, Sec to Sugar, etc.
Top seed remaining gets to pick site for Semifinal. Semis are in Miami and Dallas.

How do I like your reply for answering the question and puke on what they have for a solution? NCAAs you know where you team will end up in Sweet16 for example and can plan accordingly. Now you have 10 days instead of a month and a half to plan travel viability. If I know ND is headed to Rose Bowl for round two, I'm not making travel plans. Peach Bowl, I'm in and need to hold a room. If it is a 50/50 shot of advancing, I make plans. If it is a 50/50 to advance and then 1/4 shot of a feasible bowl site - wtf?

Lay out your bracket and locations ASAP by seed - people want to know.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

A four-team playoff with the P5 conferences felt stupid and it was all too subjective.

Now, in an effort to remove the subjectivity, they watered it down too much with the P4 auto-bids and these mega conferences, which yielded some pathetic SOS scenarios. They should honestly just stack the teams and rank them. Go ahead and stick with the auto-bids, but you don't have to make them the top 4 seeds. If Clemson wins the ACC, there's no way in hell they deserve to be the 4 seed. Same goes for Boise.

If they are adamant about the auto-bids, just guarantee them a spot. If Clemson is #19, and they beat #7 SMU, Clemson gets an auto bid at #12 or #11, depending on where the top G5 team is ranked. It's not that hard.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Maybe already said here: if Clemson beats SMU close, doesn't that likely push Alabama out of the twelve, and leave us, theoretically an easier road? (The is, both Clemson and SMU in)

 

[rikkitikki08]

Maybe already said here: if Clemson beats SMU close, doesn't that likely push Alabama out of the twelve, and leave us, theoretically an easier road? (The is, both Clemson and SMU in)

I would say that’s how the committee would have to view it. The committee has to factor in bama having 3 loses in that scenario

 

[NDRock]

Maybe already said here: if Clemson beats SMU close, doesn't that likely push Alabama out of the twelve, and leave us, theoretically an easier road? (The is, both Clemson and SMU in)

Yes. The committee has seemed to indicate they don’t want to punish teams harshly for making (and losing) their CCG. Will be interesting if that extends to teams like SMU or reserves for the Penn States and Georgias.

 

[GowerND11]

Can we all agree 12 teams is far more exciting? I mean there's so many situations/outcomes to discuss. I think 12 is too many, I think 10 is about right, but this is still awesome. Here I am trying to get the low down on Boise State...

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

 

[Blazers46]

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

I enjoy watching the 4 seed win NCAA tournaments. I’m sure I’d enjoy a non top 4 team win.

 

[bcole2]

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

I hear what you are saying, but is an 8 seed winning March Madness much different? They lost a bunch during the season to warrant an 8 seed, but if you get on a run, they deserve to win the whole thing and it still can be very exciting to watch.

 

[NDRock]

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

Sucked for the 10 teams in the last 30 years who went undefeated and never got a chance to play for a title. They didn’t find that amazing.

 

[Guyjin37]

Do it!

View attachment 3057136

I'll take it!
ND vs Alagama Eootbole!! Everybody's 33!!

Hmmmm AI has a biiiit more to go before it understands sports.

 

[UPMich_NDfan]

Quarterfinals will be assigned to venue associated with the previous conference tie in, I.e. Big Ten to Rose, Sec to Sugar, etc.
Top seed remaining gets to pick site for Semifinal. Semis are in Miami and Dallas.

so this means not much chance at the Rose Bowl?! Rose Bowl is a bucket list for me and I’ll only go if ND is in the game. I was crushed when the game got moved out of Rose Bowl to Jerry world during Covid.

 

[NDWarrior]

David Pollack says believe... David Pollack Names Unexpected Team That Can Win College Football Playoff

 

[NorthDakota]

I'm ready to be hurt again

 

[GowerND11]

I hear what you are saying, but is an 8 seed winning March Madness much different? They lost a bunch during the season to warrant an 8 seed, but if you get on a run, they deserve to win the whole thing and it still can be very exciting to watch.

I think comparing two VASTLY different sports, sports that have a massive difference in games played, is doing a disservice to CFB.

We all know March Madness is awesome. But I think basketball, especially college ball that has over 2 1/2 the amount of teams than in college football, lends itself to that type of system. I know I am yearning for things that will not exist again. I accept many will not share my views anymore. However, there is something special about bowl games, about having to win 11-12 games to have a chance, on campus regular season games, polls, and surprisingly computers (haha).

 

[BleedBlueGold]

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

My magic number for playoffs was always 8 (no byes).

The season for CFB is so short compared to CBB that regular season games have to matter. I agree that if they expand the field, it waters it down because it allows the possibility of a 3-loss team to get in. Losing 25% of your games should be an automatic disqualifier, regardless of circumstances.

Typically in recent CFB history, there's been 1 to 4 powerhouse teams. Rarely did it exceed 4. However with conference expansions, NIL, transfer portal, etc. the wealth of the sport seems to be diversifying among more teams, leveling the playing field a bit. Expanding the playoffs to allow more credible teams a shot at a title makes sense. However, there is a threshold of diminishing return. I'm willing to see how 12 plays out this year (although I have massive issues with the auto bye for conf champs...that needs to get fixed asap). My hunch is we'll see a top 8 advance more often than not and the rest will work itself out. May the best team win at that point. Talent, coaching, depth will all be tested. Let the cream rise.

 

[PolishDomer]

I don’t think it’s exciting. It’s watered down.

Even if a 12 seed makes a run and wins the natty, I’m going to feel very… hollow about it. What made CFB amazing was the fact that you HAVE to win games. There is no backdooring your way to a championship like other sports.

This is very silly...the other college football divisions have similar playoff formats..and it's worked fine for them...why not FBS? FCS, 2 and 3 have playoffs...

 

[GowerND11]

This is very silly...the other college football divisions have similar playoff formats..and it's worked fine for them...why not FBS? FCS, 2 and 3 have playoffs...

And over the last 10 years the winner of the FCS playoff has been no lower than 4.

Because FBS is different. It is literally in the name of the division. That has what made THIS division different, special, nutty, fun.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

This is very silly...the other college football divisions have similar playoff formats..and it's worked fine for them...why not FBS? FCS, 2 and 3 have playoffs...

For me, championships are the highest prize in a respective sport, only to be earned by the best teams competing against each other after having proved themselves worthy throughout a season.

What I can't stand about basketball is how I can follow a handful of teams all year long who are dominant, only to get beat in the second round of the Tourney because some bubble team got hot and hit a bunch of 3s that lead to an upset. When this happens, it inadvertently punishes the team who's merits suggest they're far better than that given day would suggest. Bye bye championship.

For some, the above scenario is exactly what makes it all so exciting. I agree; it is exciting. But is the goal to be entertained, or is it to ultimately crown the best team? TV execs have us all believing it's the former.

The only logical argument I've been able to tell myself is that it's okay to not view it in a vacuum. For example, crowning a conference champion rewards the merits of the regular season. Crowning a national champion rewards the merits of a tournament of champions in the post season. This is why I, myself, have backed away from the standard models and became okay with tournament expansion to 12 teams (although, I would've preferred only 8).

 

[Irish#1]

David Pollack says believe... David Pollack Names Unexpected Team That Can Win College Football Playoff

I posted this in the General Team Info thread, but this is why we should have a better than average shot at making a run.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

I posted this in the General Team Info thread, but this is why we should have a better than average shot at making a run.

Can someone with a better memory than me recall Jamie U's breakdown in the off season about championship caliber teams and the things they had in common? Blue chip ratio, top ranked offense, top ranked defense, etc. He did an analysis on all the champions in the 4-team playoff era and then compared it to ND to see which boxes they had checked and which ones still needed improvement. I wonder how ND stacks up this season. Also, given the parity trend in the sport, I wonder how these data points may change.

 

[Irish#1]

For me, championships are the highest prize in a respective sport, only to be earned by the best teams competing against each other after having proved themselves worthy throughout a season.

What I can't stand about basketball is how I can follow a handful of teams all year long who are dominant, only to get beat in the second round of the Tourney because some bubble team got hot and hit a bunch of 3s that lead to an upset. When this happens, it inadvertently punishes the team who's merits suggest they're far better than that given day would suggest. Bye bye championship.

For some, the above scenario is exactly what makes it all so exciting. I agree; it is exciting. But is the goal to be entertained, or is it to ultimately crown the best team? TV execs have us all believing it's the former.

The only logical argument I've been able to tell myself is that it's okay to not view it in a vacuum. For example, crowning a conference champion rewards the merits of the regular season. Crowning a national champion rewards the merits of a tournament of champions in the post season. This is why I, myself, have backed away from the standard models and became okay with tournament expansion to 12 teams (although, I would've preferred only 8).

You just described what makes the NCAA exciting and popular. Play better defense if you don't want to get beat.

IMO, I don't think you can compare the CFB playoffs to the NCAA tournament.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

You just described what makes the NCAA exciting and popular. Play better defense if you don't want to get beat.

IMO, I don't think you can compare the CFB playoffs to the NCAA tournament.

If we're really interested in crowning a true champion, why not play series of games like the NBA instead of a single-elimination tournament? (Asking rhetorically. I understand the logistical nightmare and how impractical it'd be.) We all know some random bubble team isn't winning a best-of-three series against a top team. Upsets happen on any given day. It doesn't mean much to me in terms of diminishing a team's strength. During the Tournament, it's purely an entertainment value add, nothing more. So again I ask, is the goal to be entertained? Or is it to crown the best team champion of a season? Or crown the best team champion of a given tournament? You're right, bball is different than football. Yet who wants to take bets that there will not be further expansion of the football playoffs in the future?