NCAA Champioship Game

[stinkfish]

Aside from Harvard my favorite NCAA team is Florida. So I'm not going to be happy at all with the outcome of this game. I'm just hoping for a good one. I guess the only silver lining for me is that it's an all SEC championship.

[ArtieChokePhin]

The SEC is in bed with ESECPN.   The powers that be ensured it would be an Alabama/Georgia rematch because a game like that would send the viewer ratings through the roof. 

College football is changing big time and the SEC schools have all the money with the conference's TV deal.  It's basically going to come down to the SEC and Big Ten.  Everyone else will be left on the outside looking in. 

[stinkfish]

I would have loved a Michigan and Cincinnati championship just for the sake of making everyone in NCAA pull out their hair.

[CF DolFan]

The SEC is in bed with ESECPN.   The powers that be ensured it would be an Alabama/Georgia rematch because a game like that would send the viewer ratings through the roof. 

College football is changing big time and the SEC schools have all the money with the conference's TV deal.  It's basically going to come down to the SEC and Big Ten.  Everyone else will be left on the outside looking in. 

ESPN had nothng to do with Alabama and Georgia clearly being the best two teams.

[Spider-Dan]

College football is changing big time and the SEC schools have all the money with the conference's TV deal.  It's basically going to come down to the SEC and Big Ten.  Everyone else will be left on the outside looking in.

I remember hearing some rumors about a B1G PACC last year, but it seems to me that an 8-team playoff solves most of these problems (and keeps the Big XII relevant).

[Phishfan]

I don't think there are 8 teams a year with a realistic chance of winning the championship.

[Spider-Dan]

I don't think there are 8 teams a year with a realistic chance of winning the championship.

There is if it's an 8-team playoff.

Look at the NFL.  There have been seven Super Bowl champions who were Wild Card teams (most recently last year).  When you have single-game playoffs, plenty of teams can get hot and make a run.  March Madness is yet another example.

[Phishfan]

There is if it's an 8-team playoff.

Look at the NFL.  There have been seven Super Bowl champions who were Wild Card teams (most recently last year).  When you have single-game playoffs, plenty of teams can get hot and make a run.  March Madness is yet another example.

It widely known the talent gap in the NCAA is far greater than the NFL. The semifinals weren't even good games. Watering it down will make it worse.

I'm not even going going to comment on March Madness.  Too obvious of a difference.

[Spider-Dan]

Texas A&M finished the season ranked 25th.  Do you think they were that much better than Cincinnati?  Because the Aggies were able to beat Alabama.

It only takes one game, and the more games you add to the playoff, the more likely it is that a team "that doesn't have a realistic chance of winning the championship" can have a few good games and win.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Texas A&M finished the season ranked 25th.  Do you think they were that much better than Cincinnati?  Because the Aggies were able to beat Alabama.

It only takes one game, and the more games you add to the playoff, the more likely it is that a team "that doesn't have a realistic chance of winning the championship" can have a few good games and win.

Two different questions:

1. How realistic is it for the 8 seed to occasionally defeat the 1 seed.

2. How realistic is it for the 8 seed to defeat the 1 seed,then a week later defeat the 2 seed and then the 3 seed. 

Because unless you consider the second situation realistic then you can’t claim the 8 seed was robbed the chance of being the national champion.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Texas A&M finished the season ranked 25th.  Do you think they were that much better than Cincinnati?  Because the Aggies were able to beat Alabama.

It only takes one game, and the more games you add to the playoff, the more likely it is that a team "that doesn't have a realistic chance of winning the championship" can have a few good games and win.

Alabama would blow the doors off the Aggies if they met again.   Why do you think UGA beat Alabama?   At the college level, it's very hard to beat a good team twice.   The losing team can go back and study film and correct mistakes that are more difficult to see for the winning team.

Plus, if you had an eight team playoff, the SEC would be filling at least five of those spots.

[Dave Gray]

I would hope (and think) that a larger playoff pool would help spread the talent around a little more in the league.  16 teams would be sweet.  Mid-tier schools need something to shoot for.  You can have a great season and finish in the top 16....that would be important for a lot of schools just for experience and exposure.

[Spider-Dan]

Alabama would blow the doors off the Aggies if they met again.

BAL beat TEN in the 2020 playoffs after losing as a #1 seed in 2019.  Who cares?  You lose once and you're out.

Plus, if you had an eight team playoff, the SEC would be filling at least five of those spots.

The SEC would have no more than four, as 5 spots would likely be reserved for the Power 5 conference champions (of which the SEC is one) in an 8-team playoff.

But even if that wasn't the case: here are the number of SEC teams in the top 8 of Selection Sunday CFP ranking history...

2021: 3
2020: 3
2019: 2
2018: 2
2017: 3
2016: 1
2015: 1
2014: 2

The idea that there would ever be 5 SEC teams in an 8-team playoff is crazy.

[Spider-Dan]

Two different questions:

1. How realistic is it for the 8 seed to occasionally defeat the 1 seed.

2. How realistic is it for the 8 seed to defeat the 1 seed,then a week later defeat the 2 seed and then the 3 seed.  

Because unless you consider the second situation realistic then you can’t claim the 8 seed was robbed the chance of being the national champion.

There are ripple effects.  If the 8 seed beats the 1 seed, that opens the door for other lower seeds.  It certainly doesn't guarantee that the 2 seed is sure to win.

[Phishfan]

I would hope (and think) that a larger playoff pool would help spread the talent around a little more in the league.  16 teams would be sweet.  Mid-tier schools need something to shoot for.  You can have a great season and finish in the top 16....that would be important for a lot of schools just for experience and exposure.

Name Image Likeness is what will spread the talent pool. Only then can you see a practical expansion of the playoffs.