The College Football Playoff selection committee avoided controversy and created a bracket that is as equitable as any of us could have hoped for, thanks to a 56-yard field goal that won the game as time ran out in the ACC Conference Championship.
Do I need to pick nits? I do, of course. Fortunately, however, the committee chose to reward Southern Methodist for reaching their conference championship game rather than penalize them for their defeat. The idea of honoring a club that lost three games without reaching its conference championship game over another so-called Power 4 team with ten wins seemed like a horrible precedent to create, as I argued late last week. After Clemson’s clutch kick, the argument was irrelevant.
But the question remains: Would the committee have been so kind to SMU if they hadn’t rallied to tie the game after falling behind 17 points? I’m intrigued by the committee chair’s admission that they discussed SMU’s defeats to ranked teams against Alabama’s losses to unranked teams. The same is true of nearly selecting a nine-win SEC squad over an 11-win ACC team. For supporters of football programs outside of the two biggest conferences, it can be a little upsetting.
The unintended consequence of selecting Alabama over SMU would have been to completely stop the conference championship games. If the danger isn’t worth the return, why participate? Thankfully, we were able to avoid that situation.
I want to know if the CFP is just intended to reward the wealthy and influential in the sport. I don’t request that it troll. In order to attract interest in the game outside of their typically dominated markets, every other league or organization that has extended their postseason has done so. Take a look at how MLB’s wild card expansion has increased local TV ratings for more clubs that have a chance to qualify for the postseason.
However, the evidence thus far suggests that this committee will continue to bolster the SEC’s and the Big Ten’s authority and reputation. Increasing the number of teams from four to twelve did not increase college football’s overall fan base.
How often did you hear about the renowned SEC schedule if you watched the selection show? Although I am well aware that it is challenging, every big conference’s road conference games are also challenging. Consider performing at night in Morgantown, Blacksburg, West Virginia, or Louisville, Kentucky. November at Boston College? When it’s chilly, their turf is concrete. One of the greatest home-field advantages in the entire sport belongs to Utah. Going undetected is challenging at conferences other than the SEC.
The SEC football programs spend the most money, and considering how much each program spends, they would never want to think they aren’t the greatest. Its quantity of first-round NFL draft selections also speaks for itself. However, having the top players does not necessarily translate into having the best squad. The great thing about football is that on any given Saturday, you can outschedule and outcoach a squad that is quicker and more physically fit.
The 2025 season will be the last year this structure is used before the CFP people decide whether to leave it the same, make it smaller (which is improbable), or make it larger (which is quite likely) beginning with the 2026 season. Everyone benefits financially from more games.
Conference guarantees will be the main problem if the playoffs are extended to 16 rounds. The Big Ten and SEC will each want four spots. That’s clearly unfair, but those two conferences have clout, and I sincerely hope they are justified. It should be earned if it were fair. At the conclusion of the season, assign 12 of the 16 spots to conferences depending on their strength of record.
The 16-team playoff, for example, would have looked like this under my plan: the SEC would have received at least four spots (Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama); the Big Ten three slots (Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State); the ACC two slots (Clemson, SMU); the Big 12 one slot (Arizona State); the Mountain West one slot (Boise State); and the AAC one slot (Army).
Based on rankings, Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, and Ole Miss would be the four remaining at-large invitations. The discussion between Ole Miss and South Carolina would have probably been intense, and the Gamecocks might have won if they had paid more attention.
The first round of the 16-team playoff would look like this:
- 1. Oregon vs. 16. Army
- 2. Georgia vs. 15. Clemson
- 3. Texas vs. 14. Ole Miss
- 4. Penn State vs. 13. Miami
- 5. Notre Dame vs. 12. Arizona State
- 6. Ohio State vs. 11. Alabama
- 7. Tennessee vs. 10. SMU
- 8. Indiana vs. 9. Boise State
It’s clear that this is imminent when you consider how amazing this slate looks at 16 teams. A 16-team playoff might finally put an end to most of the complaints we’ve had for decades, provided the conference guarantees are founded on merit.
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