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‘Godfather’ of college football Roy Kramer weighs in on 12-team expanded playoff
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:14 am
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:14 am
Former SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer saw this day coming, and while it is exciting for college football, it changes the dynamic of the sport.
“Once the playoff decision was made, I think it was almost inevitable at some point it would expand because it became a mark of distinction to be a part of the playoff,” Kramer told DawgNation in a recent phone interview.
“I’m not sure there are more than four teams really worry of being national champions.”
Kramer is regarded as the “Godfather” of college football, uniting the sport to reach a consensus national champion through his ingenious Bowl Championship Series (BCS) plan.
The base of Kramer’s BCS — a bowl rotation — has been applied as the college football championship evolved from a two-team event (1998) to four (2014) and now 12 (2024).
But as Kramer points out, making college football more of a tournament sport doesn’t necessarily reward the best team.
“As you move it to 12, it becomes more like the basketball championship, and that is certainly a fine event,” Kramer said. “But you really are the tournament champion. Are you the best team in the country? Not necessarily.
“I thought with four, we narrowed it to a game that determined the national champion. Now that we’ve broadened it, we will have a national champion, but it will be the champion of that playoff.”
Kramer pointed out that, like the multi-tiered NFL playoffs, chances for the best teams to get upset increase.
" You will have a team worthy of being a national champion that will be upset because of the nature of sports,” Kramer said.
Kramer doesn’t deny the need for growth in the sport and notes the playoff expansion serves that purpose.
“I think more than revenue, it’s a need for access,” Kramer said. “You (currently) have four teams, so you automatically leave out one of the (power) five or Notre Dame.
“To have access to that playoff is a status symbol for a conference and their programs, and I think that’s largely where this comes from,” he said.
“There’s certainly additional revenue, but I think it was more about access to the stature of being in the playoff, so to speak.” LINK
“Once the playoff decision was made, I think it was almost inevitable at some point it would expand because it became a mark of distinction to be a part of the playoff,” Kramer told DawgNation in a recent phone interview.
“I’m not sure there are more than four teams really worry of being national champions.”
Kramer is regarded as the “Godfather” of college football, uniting the sport to reach a consensus national champion through his ingenious Bowl Championship Series (BCS) plan.
The base of Kramer’s BCS — a bowl rotation — has been applied as the college football championship evolved from a two-team event (1998) to four (2014) and now 12 (2024).
But as Kramer points out, making college football more of a tournament sport doesn’t necessarily reward the best team.
“As you move it to 12, it becomes more like the basketball championship, and that is certainly a fine event,” Kramer said. “But you really are the tournament champion. Are you the best team in the country? Not necessarily.
“I thought with four, we narrowed it to a game that determined the national champion. Now that we’ve broadened it, we will have a national champion, but it will be the champion of that playoff.”
Kramer pointed out that, like the multi-tiered NFL playoffs, chances for the best teams to get upset increase.
" You will have a team worthy of being a national champion that will be upset because of the nature of sports,” Kramer said.
Kramer doesn’t deny the need for growth in the sport and notes the playoff expansion serves that purpose.
“I think more than revenue, it’s a need for access,” Kramer said. “You (currently) have four teams, so you automatically leave out one of the (power) five or Notre Dame.
“To have access to that playoff is a status symbol for a conference and their programs, and I think that’s largely where this comes from,” he said.
“There’s certainly additional revenue, but I think it was more about access to the stature of being in the playoff, so to speak.” LINK
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Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:19 am to FlexDawg
Yep.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:21 am to FlexDawg
quote:
“I’m not sure there are more than four teams really worry of being national champions.”
Good thing that even in a 100 team playoff only one team wins the national championship then
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:22 am to FlexDawg
I agree with most everything he said. We will have a Tournament champion but not necessarily one of the best teams.
Four is the correct number for the CFP. Two or more losses and you don't belong in. As a Bama fan I want Bama in the playoffs, but with two losses we shouldn't be in.
Four is the correct number for the CFP. Two or more losses and you don't belong in. As a Bama fan I want Bama in the playoffs, but with two losses we shouldn't be in.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:23 am to FlexDawg
quote:
Kramer pointed out that, like the multi-tiered NFL playoffs, chances for the best teams to get upset increase.
duh. that's the point. protecting the Bamas, Georgias, Michigans, and Ohio States of the world is bullshite. if they really are the best teams in the nation, they shouldn't really worry about playing 1 extra post-season game if they make the top-4.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:26 am to finchmeister08
quote:
duh. that's the point. protecting the Bamas, Georgias, Michigans, and Ohio States of the world is bull shite. if they really are the best teams in the nation, they shouldn't really worry about playing 1 extra post-season game if they make the top-4.
This actually benefits those teams the most, they’ll be in the playoffs every year.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:26 am to finchmeister08
quote:
duh. that's the point. protecting the Bamas, Georgias, Michigans, and Ohio States of the world is bullshite. if they really are the best teams in the nation, they shouldn't really worry about playing 1 extra post-season game if they make the top-4.
This is a good side effect but for me the main thing is that I like seeing more matchups we don't usually see and see teams play in stadiums they don't usually visit.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:26 am to FlexDawg
I think the bye for the top 4 kind of eliminates a lot of the "tournament" factor in terms of "the best team might not win".
Football isn't baseball or basketball. In general, better teams win games on neutral fields. Especially when they have extensive prep time. The margins aren't nearly as small and "flukes" don't happen nearly as often (outside of road games, which wouldn't be included in this equation).
Ohio State/USC
Georgia/Penn State
Michigan/Tennessee
TCU/Alabama
All of those at neutral sites.......whoever wins may just be the better team? Now, will this give teams like Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State more wiggle room in the regular season to lose games? Absolutely. That is the biggest difference, IMHO, along with getting more conferences involved. A team like 2022 Alabama or 2018 Georgia is going to make the tournament and have a chance to win where before they would not.
Football isn't baseball or basketball. In general, better teams win games on neutral fields. Especially when they have extensive prep time. The margins aren't nearly as small and "flukes" don't happen nearly as often (outside of road games, which wouldn't be included in this equation).
Ohio State/USC
Georgia/Penn State
Michigan/Tennessee
TCU/Alabama
All of those at neutral sites.......whoever wins may just be the better team? Now, will this give teams like Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State more wiggle room in the regular season to lose games? Absolutely. That is the biggest difference, IMHO, along with getting more conferences involved. A team like 2022 Alabama or 2018 Georgia is going to make the tournament and have a chance to win where before they would not.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:29 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
I think the bye for the top 4 kind of eliminates a lot of the "tournament" factor in terms of "the best team might not win".
I agree, should have been 8 or 16 teams with no byes
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:29 am to FlexDawg
quote:
I’m not sure there are more than four teams really worry of being national champions.
Assumign that should be "worthy" he's exactly right and anyone with common sense can see the same. This is about money, plain and simple and nothing more.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:29 am to Dawgfanman
quote:
This actually benefits those teams the most, they’ll be in the playoffs every year.
and that's fine. but we need to quit acting like them playing 1 extra post-season game (if they're top-4) is "detrimental" to the sport. because it's not.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:30 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
I think the bye for the top 4 kind of eliminates a lot of the "tournament" factor in terms of "the best team might not win".
IDK about that. In 2017 Georgia and Bama were the two best teams
2017 Auburn beat them both, and they certainly would’ve made it despite 3 losses.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:30 am to FlexDawg
quote:
" You will have a team worthy of being a national champion that will be upset because of the nature of sports,” Kramer said.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:32 am to SummerOfGeorge
What is going to suck is Michigan hosting a first round game in December. Maybe the first chance a team ever gets to play in snow. 
ETA: I’d imagine the “Elite 8” would fall around or on Christmas so that the final 4 will still be on New Years.
ETA: I’d imagine the “Elite 8” would fall around or on Christmas so that the final 4 will still be on New Years.
This post was edited on 12/1/22 at 9:35 am
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:33 am to SummerOfGeorge
College Football is a 3 month sport. College basketball 5 months, the NFL 5 months, the nBA 8 months, MLB 8 months. Having a full 4-5 month sport is awesome.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:34 am to Dawgfanman
I think it hurts Bama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State.
Recruits can now pick other colleges knowing that 12 schools have the chance to play in the playoff.
There will be less players "opting out" of bowls.
From a fans perspective, there are now more games that mean something in December and January.
Recruits can now pick other colleges knowing that 12 schools have the chance to play in the playoff.
There will be less players "opting out" of bowls.
From a fans perspective, there are now more games that mean something in December and January.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:34 am to diddlydawg7
quote:
IDK about that. In 2017 Georgia and Bama were the two best teams
2017 Auburn beat them both, and they certainly would’ve made it despite 3 losses.
Do you think 2017 Auburn would have won 3 games away from Jordan Hare against Top 5 teams? I don't.
This post was edited on 12/1/22 at 9:35 am
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:35 am to FlexDawg
Totally agreed. Expansion is a terrible idea. But the sport is being screwed up a lot these days. I think we will all lament the now and before, a lot, later on.
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:36 am to FlexDawg
quote:
You will have a team worthy of being a national champion that will be upset because of the nature of sports,” Kramer said.
Oh boo frickin hoo
If the team gets upset then they weren’t worthy of winning the natty
Posted on 12/1/22 at 9:38 am to FlexDawg
Idk, big playoffs are fun to watch, but it’s definitely more about who can avoid getting upset the longest rather than finding “the best team”
This post was edited on 12/1/22 at 9:39 am
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