Shot.
Chaser.
Iowa State should be one of the great stories in the sport. Instead, it’s going to be washed away by the deluge of hot takes about which team should have been in the CFP instead of Notre Dame, and how 2020, the outlier of all college football season outliers, should be the impetus for another round of playoff expansion.
We are watching in real time what makes college football special slip away. Hell, in many quarters, you’ve got people actively working to make that happen. And it will, as long as there is more money in that.
Get The Picture 
I fear the ease with which policies/bylaws/rules were so easily changed will happen more and more. NASCAR like. Rules have to fit the outcome or more likely, the narrative. Deserving! Conference Champs! Nice Uniforms! FMWIS
LikeLiked by 3 people
This is what irritates me more than anything else. The conferences have too much power in the college football in some regards. I mostly speaking to how we all know the Big10 changed their rules to allow OSU into the CFP, but then they even changed their Covid-18 protocols to make sure OSU would have the maximum number of players eligible to play in the CFP semifinal.
The CFP should have made an example of the Big10 this year and not allowed OSU into the playoff, but that is a just a pipe dream.
LikeLike
The Huggies-Ovalteen-Doritos-Masengill Ford ran good today.
LikeLike
16 team playoff would be the best.
The bowl system, like amateurism, is just romanticism.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why is sixteen best? This year #4 in the CFP was nearly run out of the house. To think the next 12 teams have a chance is delusional. Besides, conference championship games, are de facto playoff games for ten teams. Change the title to “SEC CFP Playoff Game” and there’s your expanded playoff field.
LikeLiked by 5 people
16 allows you to get all P5 conference champions, all worthy G5 qualifiers, any worthy independents and teams that may not have won their conference but are obviously among the best.
Of course not all games will be competitive. Bama will bomb Coastal, etc., but it would be more fun for the fans, more money for the schools, players would have a reason to stick around and play a few more games.
It’d be great.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
I knew you’d be here. 😉
LikeLike
Oh I was waiting for it.
🙂
LikeLike
More to come, but I’ll probably wait until after the natty to drop it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a fan and I don’t think it would be more fun at all. I think it would be far less fun. In my opinion, it would suck. And I don’t think it motivates the players to stick around either. Most likely, it motivates more players to opt out. Of course I’m old. You kids get off my lawn!
LikeLiked by 8 people
Agree. Play the bowls then pick the top two to duke it out. (The devil in the details is how to pick the top two 😬) Until / unless the PAC 12 and Big 12 get themselves sorted out there is no real competition beyond the first 2 or 3 teams.
LikeLike
CBB called and said there was a way to make that better:
32, then 64.
And no one will give a fuck about the games until the tournament.
The idea that 1 vs. 16 is worth playing is dumb. Why does the 16th rated team have a claim on a national title exactly? What if 1’s star player goes out in a 54-0 thrashing of the ohio valley champion? Is that fair to them?
The idea of 2 and then 4 was that there may be more than 1 claimant after the conference championships. Rarely is the fourth team worthy, like this year. Any argument beyond 4 is absurd.
The playoff starts in august/September. You want in? Earn it. You feel slighted? Get on the bus and go play someone in September that matters. And keep doing it. That’s how psu and fsu and boise and byu did it.
LikeLiked by 7 people
I understand your perspective and that is fine.
But if their is no need to play OVC teams, then why do we put 2 of them on the regular season schedule every year?
Couldn’t we lose our star player against Austin Peay during the regular season?
LikeLike
I would have no problem with a set up that is like a nfl/english soccer hybrid.
32 teams. 16 per conference. 4 divisions. Playoffs.
Bottom two to four teams drop out for next season. Top 2 to 4 in lower division move up.
Subjectivity is gone.
LikeLike
And I’m not against this, I actually like it very much.
But doesn’t it seem a bit ridiculous to say that you favor completely reformatting all of college football into a English football-style relegation system, but maintain that a 16 team playoff is a bridge too far?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tough, but fair
LikeLike
I don’t see the inconsistency at all. Every team that makes my playoff would have earned it on the field.
LikeLike
It also seems odd that so many claim that a Clemson, lets say, never plays anybody, but then also say the regular season is a a playoff.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’ve won playoff games tho. Clemson has shown they belong.
Notre dame is who you should complain about on that front. A&M should have had that spot.
But no. 4 was never winning this thing anyway.
LikeLike
I think with our full compliment of players and Daniels at quarterback that we would have a chance of beating Bama or OSU.
And we are number 8.
We’d probably need Kirby to test positive for COVID so that Monken or Lanning or he’ll, even Cochran, was coaching the team to pull it off, but I believe we have the personnel.
LikeLike
True or not, we didn’t deserve a shot. I think the regular season should matter. You earn your spot. With seasons decided by expanded playoffs it’s essentially a season of exhibitions followed by a tournament.
Its ruined baseball. Its ruined college basketball. The nba is a joke. Everyone with a pulse gets in. At least the nfl builds in earned byes and home field advantage.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I don’t think you and most here have the same understanding of what “worthy” means.
LikeLike
Why is it delusional? Playoffs in any sport at any level have blowouts and then lower seeded teams that make runs.
LikeLike
Look for those that want the regular season to be special. Two teams got into playoff without winning their division and a third lost a championship game in conference that they aren’t even a member – AFTER the ACC canceled on the precious regular season games.
Those teams that passed the “eye” test
Bama
OSU
Notre Dame
The committee didn’t give UGA a sniff in 18.
And overlooked PSU in 16. A B1G champ.
This isn’t remotely objective- it’s how to justify the popular teams. The committee has no rules at which to adhere.
Start Confirmation bias below
LikeLiked by 2 people
What you have pointed out here is correct. The current system doesn’t hold the regular season sacrosanct. The BCS didn’t hold the regular season sacrosanct.
Furthermore, if you look at “making the regular season games important”, what importance was there to any of our games following the Florida loss? None.
But if there was an opportunity for an at large bid to a playoff, how much would those games have mattered? Lots!
A playoff actually adds meaning to more regular season games, in truth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well they were important enough for us to all watch them, were they not?
LikeLike
I’ll not go to the movie unless it’s going to be nominated for “Movie of the Year”. I’ll not have sex with that woman unless she’s voted one of the top four sexiest in America….” Crap like this is for hand-wringing Karens that overthink even entertainment. I
I watch the Dawgs because I love watching the Dawgs and College Football. I loved watching the Gators get curb stomped by Oklahoma.
For a lot of us, (and I hope most of us) it’s not wasted time to watch games that don’t have championship implications.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I disagree. I like that it is hard to make the playoff. I do think they could improve the method of choosing the four teams by going back to more of a BCS era process for the four teams that incorporates approval voting instead of the style polls used previously.
I don’t want it to be like other sports and definitely don’t want it to be more like the NFL. I think the non-traditional format is a feature of what makes college football great and not a flaw.
LikeLiked by 4 people
So sayeth La – Lafayette…..”we beat the Clones in Ames”.
LikeLike
We’ve been watching it slip away for about 20 years. But we’ve still got it, for now
That Texas A&M UNC game was fun to watch last night
LikeLiked by 2 people
As we watched the Iowa State players celebrate their win, my husband and I remarked that they were a prime example of what we missed about the college football, and bowl games in particular, of our youth. Those kids had not lost the pure joy and excitement playing and winning for each other and their university on a national stage against a non-rival. Then, everyone said UNC didn’t have a chance — too many opt-outs. Mack Brown said “hold my beer” while they played hard and smart, and the game was extremely tight until the last 1:35. The Tar Heels wanted that game and played like it. I think we saw it in our players despite what the media said pre-game. Not knowing who was going to be able to play until the day before messed with our chemistry, but the excitement for the defensive stops (see Azeez and Jordan Davis), along with the whole team celebrating Pod’s kick says our lack of enthusiasm was a bunch of hooey.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Win the SEC championship and your in. As a traditionalist that seems reasonable. Rarely are there ever more than four teams worthy. There will always be other conferences like the ACC and B10 that get in because Disney wants the maximum ratings possible. The ACC was so bad this year it will make it easier for the rigged committee ( yes I believe it’s rigged to generate maximum revenue) to exclude them if needed next year.
To get were we want to be Kirby has to beat Saban. Some here act like they have all the answers to do so. There is a long line of ex-Saban employees who are all 0 – forever against there former boss who would love to know how.
Kirby has problem#1 solved get equal talent. Now problem#2 is the next hurdle coaching them up. On offense I really believe Kirby has given control to Monken. The defense he’ll never give total control up and I’m OK with that. He knows how to coach defense. I’ll assume he makes solving the wheel route a priority too.
There is no team better set up right now to defeat Saban and help him ride off to retirement than UGA. Not saying it’s going to be easy. It’s just a fact no king reins forever and someone will knock him off. Kirby has the best chance to be that guy.
LikeLiked by 3 people
The arguments about what teams should be in the cfp miss the point that it isn’t a real playoff. It is a broadcast company’s property designed to generate ratings. ESPN set it up so that the Monday night at 9:00 pm broadcast has the maximum possible ratings.
It is no more a real playoff system than Dancing With The Stars is a real dance competition.
LikeLiked by 7 people
Say it louder for those in the back
LikeLike
One set of traditions I would be OK getting rid of are the conference bowl alignments. As a UGA fan I would love the opportunity to play more Pac 12 and Big XII instead of the same ACC, B10 teams over and over.
But big picture, if tie-ins went away with a 4 team playoff following the NY6 bowls I think it solves most problems.
The regular season and conference rankings still matter, as the NY6 bowls could only select from P5 conference game winners, the top 2 G5/independent/other schools, and the 5 highest ranked remaining teams. Seed and play.
Fewer opt-outs, top 10-15 matchups everywhere.
Select the top 4 teams after the NY6 bowls and then play for the national championship. You’re only adding 1 week to the season.
It’s not perfect, but better than most other options.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah Stew is actively working to kill everything special about CFB.
LikeLike
I like the 8 team idea. 5 conference champs, 2 at large, 1 GOF
LikeLiked by 3 people
There is already a 10 team playoff that makes the season very meaningful. It’s only for the P5 plus the stupid Notre Dame exception. This playoff expansion nonsense is about giving the Go5 a chair at the table. Why is this needed? They are not and do not play a P5 schedule. Use the bowls to create a 4 team Go5 championship if you must. If it’s entertaining and generates enough intere$t, then you’ll push the conversation to P5 expansion and re-alignment which is what makes more financial sense.
LikeLike
ed (@efs120) Tweeted:
@bomani_jones Maybe the only thing that’s changed from the 80s to now is Alabama spends more time at number 1 in the AP polls but it’s gonna be a handful of teams dominating at any given time. People have easy access to records showing this https://t.co/Dh4NVXptOn https://twitter.com/efs120/status/1345417923620433923?s=20
Maybe this will work?
LikeLike
Sorry, meant to put it below my comment below yours
LikeLike
I think this is all a perception issue because of Alabama. I saw a great tweet yesterday (no way I can find it again) that basically said the entire reason we are feeling this playoff fatigue is Alabama by showing the % of weeks they have been AP number one this past decade compared to the highest school in each of the previous decades. It was significantly higher, like on the ordet of 60% of the weeks compared to 25-35% for the most dominant team in each of the previous decades. If Bama was at a historical norm rather than what they have been, the “competitive balance” may not have seemed so out of whack. And if they were not so dominant, it clearly would have opened up opportunities for other SEC teams at a minimum.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ed (@efs120) Tweeted:
@bomani_jones Maybe the only thing that’s changed from the 80s to now is Alabama spends more time at number 1 in the AP polls but it’s gonna be a handful of teams dominating at any given time. People have easy access to records showing this https://t.co/Dh4NVXptOn https://twitter.com/efs120/status/1345417923620433923?s=20
LikeLike
I don’t know about anyone else but I watched the semi’s hoping to see good football. I didn’t. I saw poor officiating and what became unwatchable games. As in year’s past, the “hype” generated by the media has not even come close to the product on the field. Sure, there is drama talking abou 4-5-6 most years. But that is it. It was the same with the BCS on 2 or 3 most years.
Once expansion starts, it will continue — 6-8-12-16-26. Because it has to. The really interesting thing to watch for is if NIL increases parity or skews it even more to the blue bloods. If it is the latter, expanding the playoffs will only accelerate the unwatchable factor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m really confused here. For the folks wanting more than four, who was left out that you would put ahead of the Bama/tOSU winner?
LikeLike
The argument for more than 4 is due to Notre dame fatigue. Same sh—t and same result over and over. It’s basically a 3 team playoff when they make it.
LikeLike
I DGAS about the format but it would seem that the current selection process is an absolutely political, subjective and yes commercial process. The committee should set the criteria for selection and have one of the CPA firms independent IT divisions write a program to calculate it. If a team is in the top 4 they are in, not because they are ND, Ohio State, UGA or yes even Alabama. If you going to keep it, take the BS human factor of selection out of it, otherwise just let ESPN select them and cut out the BS middlemen.
LikeLike
So true, 69. The fact that the bowls, Power 5 teams and ESPN created a selection process through which Power 5 ADs are playing a huge role shows that the goal is to generate the most ratings friendly matchups.
LikeLike