In Defense of Larger Conferences

Redwood Forrest · Nov 20, 2015

About a year ago, I wrote, "There's also been a lot of talk about how the Big 12 may have missed out on a playoff bid because it didn't have a conference championship game. I can't comprehend those complaints..."

Well, I understand it a little better now. But the situation also relates to scheduling under the league's round-robin format. And a point from the article linked to above still stands: there's not a good way to divide the 10 Big 12 teams into divisions as they stand now.

http://www.sports-central.org/sports/2015/11/16/in_defense_of_larger_conferences.php

I am taking the other view. This year the CG hurts more than it helps. If Alabama or Clemson lose, then Oklahoma and Notre Dame are in. So, we need to invite the teams BEFORE the champion ships games to be certain the CG does on penalize.

GrayTide · Nov 20, 2015

Still like the idea of eight 10 team conferences with everybody playing everybody every year. No championship game needed. Three out of conference games, no Independents. Eight conference champions seeded by the old BCS formula. Only the final two teams play 15 games. This is my purist opinion.

techster79 · Nov 20, 2015

GrayTide said:
Still like the idea of eight 10 team conferences with everybody playing everybody every year. No championship game needed. Three out of conference games, no Independents. Eight conference champions seeded by the old BCS formula. Only the final two teams play 15 games. This is my purist opinion.

What do you do with the other 48 teams?

BamaSC · Nov 20, 2015

GrayTide said:
Still like the idea of eight 10 team conferences with everybody playing everybody every year. No championship game needed. Three out of conference games, no Independents. Eight conference champions seeded by the old BCS formula. Only the final two teams play 15 games. This is my purist opinion.

I'd rather go with 6 12-team conferences with 2 at-large invites. The conferences would have championship games to avoid Big XII-type tie breakers. This would also allow for the possibility that one conference may have two of the best 8 teams. There would no doubt be controversy over the at-large spots, but this is college football. There's supposed to be controversy.

JBama_in_PCOLA · Nov 20, 2015

Would like to see the bigger conferences have their own division. That's all for me. Over the years, too many teams have stepped up to I-A football.

ALA2262 · Nov 20, 2015

JBama_in_PCOLA said:
Would like to see the bigger conferences have their own division. That's all for me. Over the years, too many teams have stepped up to I-A football.

Doesn't make a lot of difference because those teams would still be the OOC opponents. Because the P5-P6-P7-P8, P-whatever will not play each other OOC.

drwho · Nov 20, 2015

Redwood Forrest said:
. So, we need to invite the teams BEFORE the champion ships games to be certain the CG does on penalize.

Won't work-a main point of the playoff system is reward conference champions.

drwho · Nov 20, 2015

BamaSC said:
I'd rather go with 6 12-team conferences with 2 at-large invites. The conferences would have championship games to avoid Big XII-type tie breakers. This would also allow for the possibility that one conference may have two of the best 8 teams. There would no doubt be controversy over the at-large spots, but this is college football. There's supposed to be controversy.

Too many teams in the playoff.

I'm all for controversy, though. I'd love to go back to the old bowl tie-ins and just let the chips fall where they may.

Sabanizer · Nov 20, 2015

drwho said:
Too many teams in the playoff.

I'm all for controversy, though. I'd love to go back to the old bowl tie-ins and just let the chips fall where they may.

I do too. There was fun in #1 getting spanked by #6 and #3 spanking #2, and #3 winning the championship. There was suspense and it made all of the major bowl games of interest. But I am in the minority.

drwho · Nov 20, 2015

Sabanizer said:
But I am in the minority.

Me, too. Every time I used to discuss this with a former coworker, I thought his head would explode. Anything other than #1 vs. #2 was akin to communism to him.

Matt0424 · Nov 20, 2015

I have always been in favor of super conferences. I even wrote a post a few years ago, before expansion started, about how we'll eventually have 4 conferences of 16 teams.

I won't rehash all that stuff, but I like bigger conferences, conference championship games, and an 8 team playoff.

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russtang · Nov 20, 2015

Regardless of how many teams/conferences, there should be an 8 team playoff IMO. Use BCS formula to pick them. No committee.
Play one or two less regular season games.

drwho · Nov 20, 2015

The only way I would be in favor of an 8 team playoff is if the season was reduced by a game or two. Theses games are going too far into January as it is.

Sabanizer · Nov 20, 2015

drwho said:
The only way I would be in favor of an 8 team playoff is if the season was reduced by a game or two. Theses games are going too far into January as it is.

I agree to shorten the season by a game, and then have enough bowl games for most teams to get that game back. I am in favor of the 8 team playoff solely because of the committee. If it was BSC system, 4 would be plenty. What I like about the BCS other than it is was accurate imo, is that every weekly rankings are exactly the way they would be if it was the final poll, I do not believe the committee does that. Even the media has soured a bit lol.

rgw · Nov 20, 2015

The Big-12 doesn't have a championship game so Notre Dame, who doesn't even have a conference, deserves it instead. Yep that adds up!

drwho · Nov 21, 2015

I think the Big 12 will return to 12 teams by 2017 and have a championship game again.

Sabanizer · Nov 21, 2015

drwho said:
I think the Big 12 will return to 12 teams by 2017 and have a championship game again.

It's hard to believe that this conference is weaker than both the SWC and the Big 8 when in their heyday. Remember the supplant the SEC when they merged talk? I think the Longhorn Network caused a lot of friction and losing Texas A&M and Nebraska was a dagger in the heart. The new system will force them, I agree.

drwho · Nov 21, 2015

I guess the problem is who to add. There are not a lot of teams that heavyweights like Oklahoma and Texas will allow to join the conference. Notre Dame would an interesting choice, if they are ever forced to give up their independence.

rgw · Nov 21, 2015

Sabanizer said:
It's hard to believe that this conference is weaker than both the SWC and the Big 8 when in their heyday. Remember the supplant the SEC when they merged talk? I think the Longhorn Network caused a lot of friction and losing Texas A&M and Nebraska was a dagger in the heart. The new system will force them, I agree.

They should just add Houston - as a dig at TAMU's fertile recruiting ground - and BYU or another MWC team.

Sabanizer · Nov 21, 2015

rgw said:
They should just add Houston - as a dig at TAMU's fertile recruiting ground - and BYU or another MWC team.

Yes, Houston.....protect your flank. That huge area is a hotbed of talent. It's crazy how many FBS teams Texas can feed with talent.

In Defense of Larger Conferences

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