Running CFB playoff thread

[Roscablo]

So out of the 11 playoff games, there was one that was legitimately dramatic (Az. State-Texas), one competitive with a late decisive play (OSU-Texas), one kinda upset (ND-Georgia), and the rest blowouts. In the 10 NFL playoff games so far, there have been three wildly dramatic games decided in the last two minutes (Commies-Bucs, Bills-Ravens, Eagles-Rams), one big upset (Commies-Lions), and the rest snoozers or absolute blowouts. That really looks like random difference to me. And yet, I get more interest in the NFL playoffs as they go on, while the college playoff is eerily like its March Madness equivalent. I was more interest at the start than at the finish.
Is this me, or is it an experience endemic to college sports?

I think the problem with the college tournaments, both the new football format and basketball, is the scheduling is all over the place. Basketball has a little more of a sidenote with the fact that upsets can and do happen in the first rounds, plus there are all to wall games, so people really love that first weekend.

But other than New Year's Day, there was no way to know when games were going to be. Traditional Saturday to start, a Tuesday and Wednesday, a Thursday and Friday, and then a Monday. And it took a month. Basketball finishes on a Monday when no other tournament games are played on Mondays. But I guess it has always been that way so we are used to it, but it still is actually odd based on the rest of the schedule. Basketball wouldn't lose much if you did the Final Four on Thursday-Saturday I don't think, but they probably would never do it.

Football is stuck with the NFL, but I wonder if they could tweak it to make the final like a Thursday night before an NFL weekend? I think that would be better than a Monday. They also could say screw the New Year's Day thing, but that is probably way down the road.

Overall I really enjoyed the college football playoff. I'd change the seeding and who gets byes, but I don't think that ultimately impacted anything. It will only get better. People will figure out the weird schedules too, I think.

 

[Webster]

I'm more of a college football casual and I just think that playing a game Monday night after 2 straight days of NFL playoffs significantly dents my interest.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I think the problem with the college tournaments, both the new football format and basketball, is the scheduling is all over the place. Basketball has a little more of a sidenote with the fact that upsets can and do happen in the first rounds, plus there are all to wall games, so people really love that first weekend.

But other than New Year's Day, there was no way to know when games were going to be. Traditional Saturday to start, a Tuesday and Wednesday, a Thursday and Friday, and then a Monday. And it took a month. Basketball finishes on a Monday when no other tournament games are played on Mondays. But I guess it has always been that way so we are used to it, but it still is actually odd based on the rest of the schedule. Basketball wouldn't lose much if you did the Final Four on Thursday-Saturday I don't think, but they probably would never do it.

Football is stuck with the NFL, but I wonder if they could tweak it to make the final like a Thursday night before an NFL weekend? I think that would be better than a Monday. They also could say screw the New Year's Day thing, but that is probably way down the road.

Overall I really enjoyed the college football playoff. I'd change the seeding and who gets byes, but I don't think that ultimately impacted anything. It will only get better. People will figure out the weird schedules too, I think.

Until the mid-70s, 1976 I think, the Final Four was Thursday-Saturday,

 

[Batman]

She must be from Michigan.

 

[Big Circus]

 

[Cosmo]

They've already basically killed New Years, turning it into only three playoff games only. There used to be seven or eight games back in the day, and there was prestige in going to a "New Year's Day Bowl." Now there's no definition to what is a prestigious bowl. I don't think any non-playoff bowls can fit that bill any more. And when did the Peach all of a sudden become a great bowl? forking Jesus Chicken money buying love.

Example, 1993-94 season, my freshman year at VT.

January 1 had...
11 a.m. -- Hall of Fame Bowl (Tampa)
1 -- Citrus Bowl, Fiesta Bowl
1:30 -- Carquest Bowl (which eventually morphed into what the Pop Tarts Bowl is today)
4:30 -- Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl
8 -- Orange Bowl
8:30 -- Sugar Bowl

These being television products now, though, ESPN is loath to put one game against another. It wants all eyes on one game at once, which saps a bit of the joy from the whole thing. I loved being able to channel surf on NYD and watch a bunch of games. We're never going back.

As for the answer, I don't know. Nothing is realistic. With these bloated conferences, I'd be good to make sure that everyone plays eight league games and three non-conference games. Kill the cupcake game that everyone plays. Sure, that forks the FCS, but that can't be a consideration. The list of FCS teams beating a P4 team is pretty short of late -- Sac State over Stanford in '23, Southern Illinois over Northwestern in '22, none this year. Three non-conference games gives you a chance at one opponent at your level, one G5 game, and it leaves you with room to still have that traditional rivalry game, a la FSU-UF, GT-UGA, Clemson-Cocky, OU-OSU, etc. The conference championship games are still pretty necessary considering the bloat in these leagues, so those can't go.

Next, sorry Army-Navy, but you can't have a week to yourself any more. You can still ensure that they play at 3:30 eastern on the week after conference championship games, but the playoffs have to start that week as well. Two games on Friday, a nooner on Saturday leading into Army-Navy, then the nightcap afterward. Then you can have the quarterfinals the next week. The semifinals can be on New Year's Day, still and maybe you ensure the Rose is a permanent semifinal host, to appease the goddamn sunset crowd. Championship game is set for the following Friday night, leading into an NFL playoff weekend. If we had that in place this year, we'd be done by Jan. 10 and the title game wouldn't have been a total afterthought.

You can't compare college to the NFL. College is still far too regional, and you had a team from Ohio playing a team from Indiana last night, and the rest of the country probably only cared because they could bet on it.

 

[Batman]

 

[Della9250]

The Heisman has to move then also.

 

[Cosmo]

Push it to the Saturday before New Year's.

 

[playthrough]

The Heisman can be an email.

 

[Neutral Corner]

Well, now I understand the Alabama AD crying poor and begging for NIL money. A twenty million dollar payroll just won the National Championship. Wonder what the budget will be for next year's winner?

 

[playthrough]

Well, now I understand the Alabama AD crying poor and begging for NIL money. A twenty million dollar payroll just won the National Championship. Wonder what the budget will be for next year's winner?

Down the football food chain, Indiana's athletic department just laid off a dozen people because more money's gotta be freed up for players. I enjoyed this season as much as any other alum but can also recognize it was likely a unicorn, but now the department's gotta chase it and having it cost people careers makes me effing sick.