So realistically how many games would it take for a full NCAA football playoff?

Question

Would it start as a round of 64/32/16/or 8. What are your thoughts and what should be the qualifications for the spots. Would this finally eliminate the strength of schedule discrepancy? Is this what NCAAF needs. how long would the playoff take?

Answer 1

Here is my playoff system. I believe it is the most sound and could still encompass all the bowl games, etc. Big money would be more widely spread and more tv ads, etc. would add to more profits for everyone. That's why the BCS is in...the almighty dollar...so here is what I believe is fair and would work for all:

There are 12 conferences in the NCAA. So the 12 conference champions should be automatically in the playoffs. Then to make it an even bracket, there should be 4 wildcard teams that are the 4 highest BCS ranked teams that weren't conference champions. So the final total would be 16 teams. 8 game 1st round, 4 game 2nd round, 2 game semi-final, and 1 game national championship. The BCS points system could still be used as the way to rank them and the match ups would go as follows:

1st play off games (8 games):
1) 1 vs 12
2) 2 vs 11
3) 3 vs 10
4) 4 vs 9
5) 5 vs 8
6) 6 vs 7
7) wild card #1 vs wild card #3
8) wild card #2 vs wild card #4

2nd round Playoff (4 games):
1) [1 vs 12] vs [wildcard #2 vs #4]
2) [2 vs 11] vs [wildcard #1 vs #3]
3) [3 vs 10] vs [6 vs 7]
4) [4 vs 9] vs [5 vs 8]

Semi-Final Playoff Games (2 games):
1) {[1 vs 12] vs [wildcard #2 vs #4]} vs {[4 vs 9] vs [5 vs 8]}
2) {[2 vs 11] vs [wlidcard #1 vs #3]} vs {[3 vs 10] vs [6 vs 7]}

Final:
Semi-Final Game 1 winner VS Semi-Final Game 2 winner

The bowls could still sponsor each playoff game and there could still be big money going to all the conferences. Let alone ticket sales, etc.

Answer 2

Still use the BSC rankings to get the top 8. Then on the first weekend 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5. that's 4 games on weekend 1 and you could use 4 of the existing bowl games to play these. Weekend 2 would see the winners of week 1 play so that is 2 games for weekend 2 (again 2 more existing bowl games). And then for week 3 is championship week where the winners of week 2 play for the title (alternate which bowl game is the championship game just like they do now). They already have about a 4 week lay over between the end of the season and the bowl games in early January so my plan would not extend the season at all.

Answer 3

realistically i think you're talking 8 maybe 16. people need to realize this isnt basketball. people get hit out on the field. you need to give players time to rest.

i say just use the bowl games as the first round of the playoff. the four major bowl games. keep the BCS system to find out what teams will be playing. that way both sides are happy and keep the bowl games so the presidents are happy as well.

then when the 4 bowl games are over that leaves 4 teams remaining. have them play one another(2 games) then have the winners play the title game.

realistically what i have just said is adding just one more game.

no small conference teams or non BCS conferences will get invited. because that will just take a spot or two away from other schools that can possibly win it all.

Answer 4

Take a look at the D2 football playoff system. It really works and they have a modified bracket system. This is what D1 should adopt. In the D2 system they take the top 6 team from 4 different regions and have a bracket system just like the D1 basketball bracket but smaller. This is what the NCAA football D1 programs should adopt.

Answer 5

I don't think you can rig it the same as basketball, chiefly because of the sport's sheer physicality. Also, by the end of the year, you pretty much know the difference between the men and boys. The drop-off in team quality is substantial once you get past the #5 or #6 ranking.

I think an 8 team playoff is ample. Maybe even 4.

Answer 6

Playoff would take too long, and the major colleges & conferences have all said that it will basically never happen.

The best would be for the bowl games to go back to their traditions (Rose bowl = Pac 10 Vs. Big Ten, etc.)

After all the regular bowls are played on Jan. 1 - then the polls and computers combine to match up the #1 and #2 teams, who will play on Jan 7th for the undisputed & non-arguable National Title.

Answer 7

if you mean everybody...no less than 128, I would think. (Basketball has two tourneys of 64/65 each?).
We'd start now and finish in late January? 7 weeks!!
128/64/32/16/8/4/2/1!!

It will never happen.

Answer 8

Just do an "And 1" game & you got it. No disputes, no b***ching, DONE DEAL!! Rotate the "And 1" game every year to a different bowl, kinda like they do now, to keep the BCS happy. Keeps the integrity of the bowls, but gives the fans a "true" National Champion.

Answer 9

3 weeks. The top two teams play the two wild cards in the first week, then you have another week of play before the championship.

Answer 10

8 teams maybe 16