24-Team College Football Playoff

[greyhammer90]

Frankly, I find the whole argument both cloying and saccharine.

 

[Dale]

In the BCS, people cared about roughly 15 bowl games. It’s probably less but let’s just be generous to the Alamo Bowl. Plus conference championships is 20 games.

Right now - the argument is - people only care about the playoff which is 11 games. Plus conference championships is 15 games.

In a 24 team playoff, we wipe out conference championships and care about now the whole playoff - in theory - which is 23 games.

That is the all they care about. The crux of it entirely rests on the first round producing numbers and not just being a Week 3 Iowa vs Missouri game.

 

[IRISHbluehen]

While I certainly think there are a great deal of negatives to the 24 expansion, the idea that more money flowing into the sport is not positive is kinda silly to me. These schools and their BOTs and their boosters aren't going to continue pouring money into their programs if they are hemorrhaging money.

Everyone will work in their own self-interest, save no one. I don't doubt for a second that the Big Ten would lobby against us in an instant if one of their major brands was head-to-head with ND for a playoff spot. The amount of money we're talking about is too large to lose out on. You think that if ND takes a downturn in 2027 while breaking in a new QB and misses the playoffs/playoff payout that the same donors writing huge checks right now are going to want to keep forking over millions??

I get the argument that November will no longer have the same impact that it does now, but if it means we have a basically guaranteed shot to play for a championship in the next 5 years, I really do not care. Expansion might make the networks more money but it also takes their power away from them in terms of guarding their own special interests.

 

[Dale]

How many of these teams got token rankings and would never actually be ranked in a 24 team? 1/4 of the list? Reality will be those A&M, Washington appearances will sky rocket and most the last two columns nothing will change with their programs.

 

[greyhammer90]

While I certainly think there are a great deal of negatives to the 24 expansion, the idea that more money flowing into the sport is not positive is kinda silly to me. These schools and their BOTs and their boosters aren't going to continue pouring money into their programs if they are hemorrhaging money.

Everyone will work in their own self-interest, save no one. I don't doubt for a second that the Big Ten would lobby against us in an instant if one of their major brands was head-to-head with ND for a playoff spot. The amount of money we're talking about is too large to lose out on. You think that if ND takes a downturn in 2027 while breaking in a new QB and misses the playoffs/playoff payout that the same donors writing huge checks right now are going to want to keep forking over millions??

I get the argument that November will no longer have the same impact that it does now, but if it means we have a basically guaranteed shot to play for a championship in the next 5 years, I really do not care. Expansion might make the networks more money but it also takes their power away from them in terms of guarding their own special interests.

I never said I was against the sport making money. I'm just not going to cheer as the entire soul of the sport gets uprooted in a neverending quest to make more money next quarter. The sport is currently making more money than it ever has before. Do we think that if the suits make 15% more by creating a 24 team playoff that spending is going to level off to responsible levels and everything will be smooth sailing going forward?

 

[IRISHbluehen]

I never said I was against the sport making money. I'm just not going to cheer as the entire soul of the sport gets uprooted in a neverending quest to make more money next quarter. The sport is currently making more money than it ever has before. Do we think that if the suits make 15% more by creating a 24 team playoff that spending is going to level off to responsible levels and everything will be smooth sailing going forward?

I don't disagree in the slightest. But the soul of college football has been gone for several years now and will continue to become the NFL until the Power 4 breaks away from the NCAA and becomes its own entity. I just don't see another path at this point unfortunately.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Pete Sampson had a piece about this the other day with an interview with Bevacqua basically saying that A: yes he thinks it would get easier to schedule marquee nonconference games, and B: The playoff has become so central to the sport and how programs are run now that you have to make it easier for more teams to get in, unless you want the middle and lower-tier P4s (and everyone below that) to basically give up on football.
I don't like the 24-team playoff, but I understand the thinking.

Did I hear correctly that Bevacqua feigned concern about the Wake Forest, ISU & other mid-level teams of the world whose program would be in jeopardy if the CFP remained limited? I like Pete B a lot but that sounds like SEC fan justifying FCS opponents by claiming “those poor programs wouldn’t survive w/o the paydays they receive from playing our teams”. Please, no one gives a shit about the lower level teams other than their AD & their respective coaches/athletes just like zero administrators or fans @/of SEC programs give a shit about the survival of FCS teams.

 

[Dale]

Shocking stance



Let’s cater to making sure the Bret Bielema’s of the world keep getting extensions

 

[Dale]

Week before Labor Day - Week 1
- Flex scheduling, bowl qualifying, non CFP teams from year prior play in a kickoff game at sponsored bowl neutral sites. Power conference tie ins provides better cross conference data points
- CFP level teams can play each other, a tune up game or a take a traditional Week 0 bye

Thanksgiving Weekend - Week 14
- 14 weeks for 12 games is 2 bye weeks

December 5th 2026
- Bye

December 12th 2026 - Round of 16
- on campus

December 19th 2026 - Playoff Quarterfinals
- at traditional BCS/marquee bowl sites

January 1st - Playoff Semifinals
- at traditional BCS Bowl sites

January 8th 2027 - National Championship
- at a traditional BCS Bowl site
- season is over by NFL playoffs wildcard weekend as well as in line with academic calendar. Portal opens the following day.

I just fixed college football and there are no issues with any of it.

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Week before Labor Day - Week 1
- Flex scheduling, bowl qualifying, non CFP teams from year prior play in a kickoff game at sponsored bowl neutral sites. Power conference tie ins provides better cross conference data points
- CFP level teams can play each other, a tune up game or a take a traditional Week 0 bye

Thanksgiving Weekend - Week 14
- 14 weeks for 12 games is 2 bye weeks

December 5th 2026
- Bye

December 12th 2026 - Round of 16
- on campus

December 19th 2026 - Playoff Quarterfinals
- at traditional BCS/marquee bowl sites

January 1st - Playoff Semifinals
- at traditional BCS Bowl sites

January 8th 2027 - National Championship
- at a traditional BCS Bowl site
- season is over by NFL playoffs wildcard weekend as well as in line with academic calendar. Portal opens the following day.

I just fixed college football and there are no issues with any of it.

Not too shabby.

 

[BigOunce]

Frankly, I find the whole argument both cloying and saccharine.

 

[allenm5333]

Week before Labor Day - Week 1
- Flex scheduling, bowl qualifying, non CFP teams from year prior play in a kickoff game at sponsored bowl neutral sites. Power conference tie ins provides better cross conference data points
- CFP level teams can play each other, a tune up game or a take a traditional Week 0 bye

Thanksgiving Weekend - Week 14
- 14 weeks for 12 games is 2 bye weeks

December 5th 2026
- Bye

December 12th 2026 - Round of 16
- on campus

December 19th 2026 - Playoff Quarterfinals
- at traditional BCS/marquee bowl sites

January 1st - Playoff Semifinals
- at traditional BCS Bowl sites

January 8th 2027 - National Championship
- at a traditional BCS Bowl site
- season is over by NFL playoffs wildcard weekend as well as in line with academic calendar. Portal opens the following day.

I just fixed college football and there are no issues with any of it.

I like it but what about Army-Navy?

 

[Dale]

I like it but what about Army-Navy?

Thanksgiving weekend, they can be on CBS at noon but they don’t need their own week, unless they would like to play December 5th and hurt their playoff chances

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Thanksgiving weekend, they can be on CBS at noon but they don’t need their own week, unless they would like to play December 5th and hurt their playoff chances

Playoff chances

 

[mrmcgrail]

Army Navy to open the year as a stand alone Friday night or Sunday night game

 

[mrmcgrail]

And like Dale said if teams are missing money from the conference championship games take the old bcs tie in system and have almost like an opening bowl season with good out of conference games at neutral sites which brings in more money for the conferences

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Army Navy to open the year as a stand alone Friday night or Sunday night game

I know what I won't be watching. I'd honestly rather watch high school football than that.

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

And like Dale said if teams are missing money from the conference championship games take the old bcs tie in system and have almost like an opening bowl season with good out of conference games at neutral sites which brings in more money for the conferences

Who cares about the conferences?

 

[mrmcgrail]

The people making the decisions such as who would guess the conference commissioners

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

The people making the decisions such as who would guess the conference commissioners

The conferences are making money hand over fist with or without conference championship games, which are on their way out soon anyways. The conferences don't need special accommodations to ensure that the inevitable happens.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I like it but what about Army-Navy?

Protected by Executive Order.

 

[Dale]

Not the conferences per se I would worry about cancelling the championship money wise as much as the networks, in this proposal I am cancelling 40+ bowl or conference championship games. I am adding 4 playoff games. You would need have handful of those Week 1 games to do quite the number to have the trade off be worth it. But for reference, only 3 bowl games did a bigger number than the Week 0 Iowa State - Kansas State game this year.

 

[allenm5333]

Protected by Executive Order.

Yes. My question was where do they fit in said schedule. Need to give them a chance to play and be in tourney

 

[NDdomer2]

Isn't the biggest issue with ESPN that they control the rankings release and committee?

I've never understood how only one company can have rights to rankings.

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Yes. My question was where do they fit in said schedule. Need to give them a chance to play and be in tourney

Accommodating the Army-Navy scheduling shouldn't be a factor in anything. Nobody is forcing them to play halfway into the month of December. They can play whenever.

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Protected by Executive Order.

Because our dear leader loves and appreciates our service members so deeply despite his comments about them being losers and suckers. What a charade.

 

[allenm5333]

Accommodating the Army-Navy scheduling shouldn't be a factor in anything. Nobody is forcing them to play halfway into the month of December. They can play whenever.

I don’t even watch usually. But the executive order is real

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

I don’t even watch usually. But the executive order is real

Yeah I know it's real. But is it even enforceable/constitutional? And will the college football powers that be abide by it? If the money jeopardized by the EO is significant enough, I think we'll see a lawsuit on that soon.

 

[MeanGreenBeans]

Isn't the biggest issue with ESPN that they control the rankings release and committee?

I've never understood how only one company can have rights to rankings.

"Allegedly" (italics) control the rankings and the committee. It seemed like ND was on the brink of going nuclear after the Great Snub of 2025. Would've been a fun antitrust case to follow.

 

[allenm5333]

Yeah I know it's real. But is it even enforceable/constitutional? And will the college football powers that be abide by it? If the money jeopardized by the EO is significant enough, I think we'll see a lawsuit on that soon.

Man. What does our president do that is constitutional?