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Are conference title games soon to pass? Ohio State rather than Big 10 winner

Posted on 12/4/16 at 11:57 am
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 11:57 am
Penn State sets a precedent that conference championships don't mean much in the bigger picture.
This post was edited on 12/4/16 at 12:03 pm
Posted by phil4bama
Emerald Coast of PCB
Member since Jul 2011
11454 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 12:09 pm to
Nope. The $$$ speak louder than the playoffs
Posted by mattloc
Alabama
Member since Sep 2012
4304 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 12:09 pm to
I like the committee's decision ...we could have been in a similar scenario last year if Ole Miss had won at Arkansas ....it sets a precedent that favors Alabama going forward
This post was edited on 12/4/16 at 12:12 pm
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 12:14 pm to
quote:

.it sets a precedent that favors Alabama going forward


Ironic that the LSU vs Alabama rematch is often cited as the impetus for the playoffs. A lot of people, including Ohio State fans, complain to this day about Alabama playing in that one despite not having won the conference.
Posted by East Coast Band
Member since Nov 2010
62721 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 1:04 pm to
If tOSU and PSU's resumes were completely reversed, where the Buckeyes played PSU's schedule and had same results, and vice versa, Ohio State would have still gotten in.
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 1:08 pm to
"You shouldn't play for a National Championship if you don't win your conference." — Urban Meyer, 2006
Posted by Cobrasize
Birmingham
Member since Jun 2013
49680 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 1:56 pm to
In my opinion, the only way they do away with championship games, is if they choose to go to an 8 team playoff.
Posted by phil4bama
Emerald Coast of PCB
Member since Jul 2011
11454 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 3:58 pm to
When, not if, we go to 8 teams in the playoffs, the most logical thing to do would be to get rid of the 12th game they approved a few years ago as most of them are just an excuse to schedule an FCS school and collect a check. Then the number of games remains the same but you aren't killing what is a de facto playoff game in many instances. One that generates much interest and a lot of money at least in the SEC. The rest of these conferences should be ashamed of theirs with the give-away ticket prices and empty stadia.
Posted by JustGetItRight
Member since Jan 2012
15712 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 4:26 pm to
You do realize another team rcently played for a NC without making the conference title game, right?
Posted by UASports23
Member since Nov 2009
24344 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 5:33 pm to
quote:

"You shouldn't play for a National Championship if you don't win your conference." — Urban Meyer, 2006



FWIW, ESPN interviewed him and he didn't really back down from that sentiment. He said that winning the conference is huge and something that they work for. It's the goal the team works forward and it should be a huge part of the CFP process. I thought he handled the interview perfectly.
Posted by 14&Counting
Eugene, OR
Member since Jul 2012
37585 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 5:57 pm to
Well sure it does. As long as they are in place the committee will place on emphasize on it but it's not THE deciding factor as we just saw with OSU
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 7:02 pm to
quote:

You do realize another team rcently played for a NC without making the conference title game, right?


In the first two playoffs, every team had won their conference title game except Oklahoma, whose conference already foregoes a title game, but without looking it up, I'm pretty sure that OU was recognized as being conference champions.

As I noted on the rant, this precedent paves the path for 2 teams from the same conference making the playoffs, so why have a conference game that kills the chances of one of those potential teams.

Also noted by another poster in that same thread....

"Teams risked injury, maybe to key players, and for what?
SEC- irrelevant. Alabama was going in.
ACC- risked missing out on the playoffs, if Clemson would have lost.
Pac 12- risked missing out on the playoffs, if Washington lost.
Big 10- irrelevant. Neither team got in, it was handed to Ohio St."
This post was edited on 12/4/16 at 7:20 pm
Posted by BamaDude06
GOATville20
Member since Jan 2007
3475 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 10:15 pm to
quote:

When, not if, we go to 8 teams in the playoffs, the most logical thing to do would be to get rid of the 12th game they approved a few years ago as most of them are just an excuse to schedule an FCS school and collect a check.


There will be 127 FBS teams next year. 119 are not going to give up the revenue their school makes from that 12th game just to let 8 teams have a playoff.
Posted by FairhopeTider
Fairhope, Alabama
Member since May 2012
20756 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 10:21 pm to
quote:

There will be 127 FBS teams next year. 119 are not going to give up the revenue their school makes from that 12th game just to let 8 teams have a playoff.


Bingo.

People really don't want to think about the ripple effect of issues an 8 Team Playoff would create. Its easy to say that it would make things easier but it would put a lot of stress on the current structure of college football. There's a reason why some of the best coaches in the game are against it.

We'll never have a perfect system so if anyone wants a nice, neat playoff system, then go watch the NFL.
Posted by Cobrasize
Birmingham
Member since Jun 2013
49680 posts
Posted on 12/4/16 at 10:26 pm to
quote:

There will be 127 FBS teams next year. 119 are not going to give up the revenue their school makes from that 12th game just to let 8 teams have a playoff.

Exactly, the 12th game is guaranteed revenue. The Championship game is a moneymaker but it isnt guaranteed.
If an 8team playoff happens, I see the championship game being done away with
Posted by Rocco Lampone
Raleigh, NC
Member since Nov 2010
3051 posts
Posted on 12/5/16 at 9:03 am to
I agree that this is the beginning of the end for the conference title games.

It may have started with Alabama getting in the BCS title game, but that was really completely different than Ohio State getting in this year. For Alabama, we had lost a very close/highly competitive game to the clear #1 team in the country (in a game that Alabama could have/should have won). This is different than losing to a 2-loss team that was never really in the playoff picture.

That being said, it is not really disputable that Ohio State appears to be one of the four best teams and I look forward to playing them, hopefully.
Posted by Triple Daves
ITP
Member since Sep 2016
5740 posts
Posted on 12/5/16 at 9:06 am to
I don't think they will ever go away completely. Conferences are too big now and they will want some sort of final game to determine the winner of the leagues.

My guess is any future discussion of expansion in the playoff will include P5 conference champions, making those games play-in games (like the basketball tournaments). So, you'll have the five P5 champions + 1 G5 + 2 wild cards.

Something along those lines.
Posted by JustGetItRight
Member since Jan 2012
15712 posts
Posted on 12/5/16 at 10:36 am to
quote:

My guess is any future discussion of expansion in the playoff will include P5 conference champions, making those games play-in games (like the basketball tournaments). So, you'll have the five P5 champions + 1 G5 + 2 wild cards.


Yep.

There's an added bonus to this - you'll be better off scheduling more meaningful OOC games because losing them won't lock you out of the playoffs if you win your conference and winning them will get you in if you don't win your conference.
Posted by phil4bama
Emerald Coast of PCB
Member since Jul 2011
11454 posts
Posted on 12/5/16 at 8:57 pm to
Then something's gotta give. I don't think the school presidents and others will allow student athletes to go to a 16 game potential schedule. I still say the 12th game will be a bargaining chip. The 4 higher seeds in the playoffs won't lose anything as it is almost a guarantee, if you expand to 8, round one will be on campus. A huge payday, sellout. The idea has been floated you use the additional TV revenue from the extra round to compensate schools for the lost 12th game revenue. I'm not sure the numbers work, but that is what has been proposed.

You could also envision a scenario where the end of the conference title game could lead to the breakup of some conferences. Why have divisions if you don't need them? and if you combine divisions as the SEC does in baseball and basketball, 14 teams becomes a bit cumbersome for scheduling, especially if it's not geographically compact. Why should Miami and Syracuse remain in the same conference if they never face each other and it doesn't benefit them over say, joining the SEC and B1G respectively? No conference title game almost dictates the dissolution of the mega-conferences. I'm not saying it would happen, but it would damn sure put some added pressure on some of them. You think West Virginia likes traveling halfway across the country to their nearest conference foe? And vice-versa? Suddenly, 8-10 members, especially the right ones from a TV perspective, is a lot more sensible. What if the SEC decided that Missou, Arkansas, Mississippi State and South Carolina just weren't bringing enough to the table to sustain their place? You're back to 10 schools, all in reasonable proximity, with most of the TV sets still accounted for, and the big time brand names intact and they can play each other almost every year. I could see any or all of the Big 5 splintering and/or realigning again. Be careful what you wish for, ESPN, you may get more than you bargained for.
This post was edited on 12/5/16 at 9:02 pm
Posted by Ol'DirtyCam
Madtown
Member since Jul 2013
1167 posts
Posted on 12/5/16 at 9:54 pm to
I still say this whole discussion is kinda silly if you break down the original post. It says "soon." Conference title games aren't going away "soon." The current 4 team playoff has 9 more years (not counting this year) of contractual obligations iirc. The 4 team model means that 12 games and a conference title game aren't goin anywhere anytime "soon." So start this thread if there is an opt out clause in 4-5 years or whatever. It's not going to happen anytime "soon." It's just not.
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