2025 College Football Playoffs

[IrishSteelhead]

With NIL running rampant, why can’t bowls follow suit?


Eliminate all tie-ins

Bowls get teams through bids, and bids alone.


Let bowls offer monster bids to ND, Texas, etc. and the programs can shop for the best offer/deal. Screw qualifying records even.

Northwestern didn’t get any offers? Sorry, better luck next year.


This would 100% make non-CFP bowls compelling again.


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[ND88]

Am I the only one not impressed by Georgia? I think they could lose to Alabama (and Alabama is very mediocre) if they decide to overlook this game because they perceive themselves as auto-locked into the CFP.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Am I the only one not impressed by Georgia? I think they could lose to Alabama (and Alabama is very mediocre) if they decide to overlook this game because they perceive themselves as auto-locked into the CFP.

Ga is playing for a bye. They aren’t overlooking anything.

 

[ND88]

Ga is playing for a bye. They aren’t overlooking anything.

I still think this notion that GA is just going to blowout Alabama is overcooked.

 

[T-Boone]

Didn’t want to take an L to ND

Interesting that it is even possible to organise. I would figure the committee would ignore the result otherwise others would do it.

 

[TorontoGold]

College age guys with the rest of their life to be home for the holidays vs college age guys on a week long trip to Florida with their boys

That definitely isn’t tough


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Amen. Honestly doesn't even need to be Florida, you can make the best of a trip no matter where it is.

(Depressed now that I'll only ever experience this when it's living through my kids and their travel teams)

 

[thekid33]

Interesting that it is even possible to organise. I would figure the committee would ignore the result otherwise others would do it.

I thought you couldn't even play a 13th regular season game unless it was at Hawaii?

Is that a myth?

 

[T Town Tommy]

I still think this notion that GA is just going to blowout Alabama is overcooked.

I expect it to be like their past games. A four quarter battle till the end.

 

[Huntr]

I thought you couldn't even play a 13th regular season game unless it was at Hawaii?

Is that a myth?

Can't play a 13th game in the continental US or in a foreign country.

 

[NDWarrior]

I think we need a tie in or regular 3-4 game schedule against the SEC. It’s the only conference that the worldwide leader will not devalue after we go 13-3 against them over 4 years. We need to take advantage of the “beat SEC team, you’re amazing; lose to SEC team, it’s just tough competition” perception. We were set up for a bit of that this year, but Arkansas lost all their close games. Add a win against Tennessee or Mizzou and we’re probably in.

Yeah, geez, if anything there are a bunch of stories out about how the big time P4 teams are going to shy away from playing late August and September tough OOC games so that they don't risk missing making the 12-team CFP field. That's ridiculous!

Open up the field to 16 and encourage, if not force, all top conferences/teams to set up a healthy amount of OOC games since that's the way to drive comparison which can also be just as helpful as hurtful.

Eliminate the CCGs. I just don't see the purpose. IMO, conferences are more about TV rights and common interests protection, and having a decent set of assured competitive matchups.
And besides, who wants to see GA potentially play 'bama three times in one season... Boring!

The drama should be in season and in both key P4 matchups and in historic rivalry (conference and traditional ones) games.

Then the 2nd playoff season begins where all play right off the bat, and again, where the top 4 seeds play the bottom 4 seeds as rewards for being top ranked.

Conferences can still order their teams' standings via the normal tie-breaker mechanisms used now for CCG qualifiers.

It would be a much better and exciting CFP system.

 

[dang227]

Georgia hasn’t looked like world beaters when I have watched them. Don’t see that game being a blowout.

 

[NDWarrior]

Interesting that it is even possible to organise. I would figure the committee would ignore the result otherwise others would do it.

To my point below, teams, especially playoff bubble teams crave in-season competitive matchups. And there should be a lot more of them and screw the CCGs.

At this point, SEC and BIG10 teams have a number of top conference teams that are fairly tested but in many cases are not playing enough of the top teams in their conference in a given season (I know that can be kind of random) so having more challenging OOC games legitimizes if a team is truly a contender or not.

I mean does anyone know how really good Ole Miss, Miami, and Oregon really are pre playoffs and as at-large playoff entrants (not unlike ND's annual situation)? Not really, and the playoffs will provide that litmus test, but why not have more in-season litmus tests?

After all, if you're hiding in season and you're not competitive, you're only gonna get boat raced in the playoffs anyway which is bad for everyone all the way round.

You can keep playing the best teams to see how good you are and you live with the consequences if you're not a good team, and take those results and go out and get better via coaching, development, recruiting and NIL/portal... Exactly what ND has been doing.

ND's issue tho' is that as much as we want the litmus test games, right now, not in a conference, we're not getting as many as we would like, and as I stated, many P4 teams are reconsidering even playing the OOC games, like ND would be, so that they can coast into the playoffs.

Now that CFB has moved into a more expansive playoff system, it's time to update the in-season process and quit allowing teams to hide.
The system is broken for what the P4 teams are ultimately desiring to achieve, a competitive season AND competitive playoffs.

 

[Rudy89]

ND is looking less likely to get in. This week it was evident that the CFP was going to ensure Bama didn’t get left out two years in a row. Whether they were “encouraged” via back channels no one will ever know but come on…

Honestly, why spend all this money for travel/lodging to Grapevine, TX if we’re basically getting the AP poll? Get rid of the committee and go to all the metrics (SP+, FEI, Sagarin, Etc) that already leave out the biases of the polls?

IF ND gets left out, I’d be fine w/ them taking the rest of the year off and declining a bowl invite. No one gives two shits about the non-CFP bowls other than sponsors & media. ND & most teams would likely incur a net loss after factoring in travel. The players get paid now so they‘re not going to miss out on a free Fossil Watch or a PS5. Nobody attends the games other than corporate dolts & family members of players. Any draft eligible player will justifiably opt out. The remaining starters would be susceptible to injury in what amounts to an exhibition game that just happens to count in their final record. Zero sense.

I hear what you’re saying about the bowl. Winning the Pop Tarts Bowl gains us the bare minimum & losing just leads people to go “LOL you wanted to be on the playoffs you can’t even win the Pop Tarts Bowl!” but in the flip side it’s more practices for our boys that will be there next year including our RS-Freshman QB. Also iirc the payout for the Pop Tarts bowl is very lucrative so I can understand why ND may still accept a bowl bid.

 

[Irish#1]

Fuck you
the players have a right to say no

Uncalled for dude.

 

[Irish#1]

Is there any chance ND gets a bowl game against a pretty good SEC team like Texas or Vandy? That would be of most interest to me. BYU is of little interest in comparison. I just want ND to have a chance to VIOLATE an SEC team.

If we get left out, I would love to play BYU. I imagine MF would have this team ready to make a statement.

 

[Irish#1]

I still think this notion that GA is just going to blowout Alabama is overcooked.

Is everyone expecting a blowout? Most I’ve heard is “If UGA blows out Bama”. I expect it will be 10 point or less game.

 

[DCDomer]

The saddest indicator of where CFB is at right now is that I'm afraid of a bowl game because it puts eyes on all the lesser-known players on the roster who could become program-changing targets in the portal for other programs.

 

[NDWarrior]

Is there any chance ND gets a bowl game against a pretty good SEC team like Texas or Vandy? That would be of most interest to me. BYU is of little interest in comparison. I just want ND to have a chance to VIOLATE an SEC team.

Agreed, Vandy or Texas would be much better and competitive. Let's do it (if we don't make the playoffs).

 

[stlnd01]

To my point below, teams, especially playoff bubble teams crave in-season competitive matchups. And there should be a lot more of them and screw the CCGs.

At this point, SEC and BIG10 teams have a number of top conference teams that are fairly tested but in many cases are not playing enough of the top teams in their conference in a given season (I know that can be kind of random) so having more challenging OOC games legitimizes if a team is truly a contender or not.

I mean does anyone know how really good Ole Miss, Miami, and Oregon really are pre playoffs and as at-large playoff entrants (not unlike ND's annual situation)? Not really, and the playoffs will provide that litmus test, but why not have more in-season litmus tests?

I’d add A&M, who lost to Texas and beat us by one point in an early-season game that was by far the worst performance by our defense all season. After that their only good win was Mizzou. But they were a lock going into Texas. Now they don’t even have to play a CCG and they’ll probably be the five seed.

But at least they had the stones to travel for a top five OOC game. Unlike Ole Miss or Oregon or Indiana. Ill give them that.

 

[Kingbish01]

Georgia hasn’t looked like world beaters when I have watched them. Don’t see that game being a blowout.

UGA definitely isn't as good as years past. In the first matchup neither team scored from middle of the 3rd on. I see it being a similar slugfest with UGA up 3 to 6 late and scoring to put them up 10/13 for the win. But I think ND would be in great shape if they could win by 17+ that happens and a 10-3 Bama is #10 behind ND!

LFG

 

[Bane]

Am I the only one not impressed by Georgia? I think they could lose to Alabama (and Alabama is very mediocre) if they decide to overlook this game because they perceive themselves as auto-locked into the CFP.

I mean, no, I'm not impressed by UGA but I'm far less impressed by Alabama (sorry TTT). That said, Bama has had Kirby's number so who knows.

Ga is playing for a bye. They aren’t overlooking anything.

And Kirby is maybe one of the last coaches in American who gives a shit about the conference title. Kirby absolutely wants to win the SEC. Kirby is an alum and that shit means something to him.

 

[NDFAN2008]

I think the trump card could be it’s be hard leaving out a Freeman led ND team. If this was Brian Kelly’s and team I guranteee we would be out already.

 

[Irishcop]

View attachment 3061461

I absolutely can not wait for BYU to get rolled by Texas Tech again

 

[DCDomer]

Here's what I'm going with after watching approximately 1,300 youtube videos.

1. BYU lose (not a nail biter but not a blowout, stay at #11)
2. Boise State dog walk UNLV (a nice SOR data point for us)
3. Virginia beat Duke (cannot allow for the possibility of no ACC team being in - sympathy vote for Miami)

I think Bama is irrelevant. They've rigged it for them. (Unless they get absolutely baptized which wont happen)

 

[IrishEyesAreSmiling]

Okay gut feeling - do we make the playoff yes or no. Let say Georgia, Texas Tech and Virginia win

 

[Dizzyphil]

Okay gut feeling - do we make the playoff yes or no. Let say Georgia, Texas Tech and Virginia win

No.. it's a committee 'thing'

 

[nsisk157]

I kind of love this. Clark Lea vibe

(sorry if this was posted)

 

[stlnd01]

Okay gut feeling - do we make the playoff yes or no. Let say Georgia, Texas Tech and Virginia win

In that case, yes. But watch this be the first weekend in at least a month that the favorites do not prevail.

 

[thekid33]

Okay gut feeling - do we make the playoff yes or no. Let say Georgia, Texas Tech and Virginia win

Yes

 

[Bane]

Okay gut feeling - do we make the playoff yes or no. Let say Georgia, Texas Tech and Virginia win

My gut says yes so long as the results turn our way. I know that sounds obvious but I don't buy the vast conspiracy to squeeze out ND at the last moment. We'll know early on Saturday. If BYU wins the rest of the day doesn't really matter.