I've wanted a college football playoff for a long time. One of the main reasons is that I would like to see what some of these teams like TCU, Boise State and Utah could do in a scenario where they are really playing for something against another top team. And many years there is one or two teams on the outside looking in.
I also am in the crowd of not wanting to hurt the regular season. I know the LSU at Alabama 'Game of the Century' was eventually rendered meaningless, so it doesn't really matter what you do, there is no way to make every game matter. The thing I really care about is protecting the tradition of the regular season. Bragging rights in college football are important, and if you have a 16-team playoff the bragging rights between Auburn and Georgia fans won't mean as much. The fact is, when you know you have two or three mulligans a year, not every game is crucial...and it takes some of the luster off each game.
So, I've always been for a 4-team or 6-team playoff. But when I think about what I'd really like to see - as a fan - it's an 8-team playoff. Think about two weeks after the conference championship games having a Saturday full of playoff games. Wow. Usually that Saturday is made up of two or three worthless bowl games. As far as sports go, there isn't much going on that day. But slot a college football playoff game at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 and it just became one of, if not the best sports day of the year. Can you imagine it?
If it were up to me, I'd just say the top 4 conference champions (as long as they are ranked in the top 8) would get home field advantage in the 1st round. That way there is still an importance on winning your conference, and in turn, the regular season. Then I'd take the top 4 rated at-large teams to go on the road (use a formula like BCS or a selection committee, it doesn't matter). If there were only 3 conference champions in the top 8, then the highest rated at-large team would host a game as the 4 seed and you'd have 5 at-large teams.
Then I'd play the semifinals on New Year's Day, and I'd have cities bid to host those games. I wouldn't use the bowl games, what's the use? If Dallas or Atlanta or Detroit wants to host them so be it - highest bidder gets it. Then do the same thing for the national championship which is played 10 days - 2 weeks from then.
As far as all the bowl games, you'd still play them...why wouldn't you? People will still watch or not watch depending on their interest level for the teams involved. And I'd say the teams that lose in the 1st round should go on to play in bowl games (like they had never played in the playoffs).
If this sounds like too much (possibly playing 16 games), then I would suggest going back to 11 games. Then you'd be playing 15 games max, which is only one more than currently, and you'd have two byes during the regular season instead of one. And I've been saying this for a couple of years, but I think it would be cool if there were an optional 12th game vs. a FCS school in one of the two weeks leading up to Week 1 (or Labor Day Weekend). That game would count per se, just not towards bowl eligibility. It would act as a preseason game (that would count towards your record and stat book) and rake in some additional dough for the home team and FCS school. Plus, it would make sure Week 1 had better games and not have FCS opponents scattered through team's schedules throughout the year.
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