re: 8-team playoffs - based on rankings

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It just needs to have a team from each conference.

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The biggest issue is the current format of divisions in college football.

Both the Big 10 and ACC had very lopsided conference title games this year. Only the Big 12, in all fairness, does it in a manner that prevents this from occurring (the SEC has had the benefit of at least 1-2 really good teams in both divisions most years). Imagine a playoff with 9-3 Northwestern (record presumes the win), 9-3 Washington, and 8-4 Pitt along with Alabama/Georgia and Oklahoma/Texas. In a 6 team playoff, we presume ND gets in.

Alabama and Georgia would have played for the title in the Big 12 format as well, so nothing changes there. In that scenario, ND is in the playoffs with two teams they beat. Michigan, who beat Northwestern, sits at home because they were in the same division a Ohio State.

Right now any "conf champ only" scenario would need serious division balancing or Big 12 title format adoption - until that occurs, conf champ requirements are a bad idea.