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People advocating for straight 1-12 seeding for the college football playoff

Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:24 am
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:24 am
There's been a lot of talk and advocacy for ranking the CFP teams 1-12 and awarding byes to the top 4 teams and the home games to the next 4 teams after that...not taking into account any conference championships.

My question is, are those same people advocating for a similar approach in the NFL, which has long operated under that exact same model? Because we're about to have a 14-win team play on the road at a 10-win team, a 12-win team on the road against a 10-win team, and an 11-win team at the stadium of a 10-win team. Similar situations happen every year.

The only difference would be
1) the differences in conference strength in college, but we had very different strengths of divisions in the NFL (NFC North vs NFC South, for example), and
2) the NFL playoffs reseed after the wild card round



Posted by Bunk Moreland
Member since Dec 2010
65995 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:30 am to
I understand it sucks that Oregon is out so quickly and probably got a bad draw. But, is it really some big travesty if they would have just played OSU one or two games later?

If they don't go with conference champs as top seeds, it's just going to be SEC and B1G in the top handful of spots every year based on perception. You might even get a year with SEC in the 1-4, which is terrible optics. Where should OSU have been placed after losing to one of the worst Michigan teams ever?
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
41724 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:31 am to
There has been some talk about going to a 14-team format very soon in the CFP. If they do that I hope they go to a similar model with reseeding after the first round.
Posted by WestCoastAg
Member since Oct 2012
149265 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:34 am to
quote:

My question is, are those same people advocating for a similar approach in the NFL,
i would hope so
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
18543 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:40 am to
14 is just as stupid. There shouldn’t be byes in a subjective ranking system.

Make it 8 or 16.
Posted by mdomingue
Lafayette, LA
Member since Nov 2010
41724 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:46 am to
quote:

Make it 8 or 16.



I agree
Posted by WaterLink
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2015
20404 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 9:56 am to
quote:

My question is, are those same people advocating for a similar approach in the NFL, which has long operated under that exact same model?


Those arguments have sprung up many times actually. Most notably when teams with losing records host playoff games or when the 11-5 Pats missed the playoffs so the 8-8 Chargers could host a game. So it's not like there hasn't been any pushback against the format.

quote:

but we had very different strengths of divisions in the NFL (NFC North vs NFC South, for example)


While true, the league is set up to promote parity (in theory). There are salary caps and a reverse order draft and an active roster limit that's about half of what's allowed in college. The power level difference, while it does exist in the NFL, isn't as big as the difference between the Big Ten/SEC and the ACC for example.
Posted by Hester Carries
Member since Sep 2012
24875 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:00 am to
Comparing a league with 32 teams to a league with like 134 teams is silly
Posted by HottyToddy7
Member since Sep 2010
15247 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:13 am to
32 teams that are somewhat equal with salary cap and draft makes sense to seed based on division champs.

Conference are not equal. It is an apples to oranges comparison.

IMO home field is a huge advantage. They should play the opening round at neutral site bowl games and the 2nd round on campus.
Posted by chalmetteowl
Chalmette
Member since Jan 2008
53382 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:19 am to
quote:

Comparing a league with 32 teams to a league with like 134 teams is silly


All 32 NFL teams can compete

For purposes of the playoff, there aren’t really 134 teams… more like 80 at most
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:38 am to
quote:

Comparing a league with 32 teams to a league with like 134 teams is silly


It could easily be argued that even though there are 134 D1 teams, only about 40, if that, are truly "eligible" or vying for those playoff spots by week 2 of any given season.
This post was edited on 1/8/25 at 10:39 am
Posted by HottyToddy7
Member since Sep 2010
15247 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:40 am to
quote:

t could easily be argued that even though there are 134 D1 teams, only about 40, if that, are truly "eligible" or vying for those playoff spots by week 2 of any given season.


So should it matter how many of those 40 teams you play when it comes to seeding?
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:42 am to
quote:

32 teams that are somewhat equal with salary cap and draft makes sense to seed based on division champs.


Why?

There is huge variation in division champs vs wildcard teams and that happens at least once every year. It's the Vikings this year. If we want to reward the objectively, or even subjectively, best teams, why not give the "best" the biggest advantage?

I think in college the goal is to keep the conference championship games alive and competitive as they're a boon for the NCAA. For that reason it wouldn't surprise me if the current structure remained in place.

ETA: and if the goal, again, is to reward the "best" teams, I'd have no problem with all four top seeds being SEC and/or B1G. The little guy still has a shot in the post-season and can prove it on the field...which was the biggest issue with the BCS and the initial 4 team playoff.
This post was edited on 1/8/25 at 10:44 am
Posted by HottyToddy7
Member since Sep 2010
15247 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:43 am to
quote:

boon for the NCAA.


Wrong. It is a boon for the SEC and B1G. They are big money makers for the conference.

When they start keeping teams out of the playoff that bring in much more money, they will stop or they will be changed.
This post was edited on 1/8/25 at 10:44 am
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:46 am to
quote:

So should it matter how many of those 40 teams you play when it comes to seeding?


Strength of schedule should absolutely play into it. I think the committee did a decent job of getting the teams and order right this year.
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
36132 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:47 am to
As someone else posted in another thread, what they should do is just guarantee the 4 conference champions a top 8 seed. That way they either get a bye or a first round home game. That's a much better system than just giving 2 undeserving teams a bye. Let Boise and Arizona St host a home playoff game.
Posted by Diseasefreeforall
Member since Oct 2012
7093 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:52 am to
NFL does it at least in part to reinforce division rivalries. That's kinda gone out the window in college.
Posted by HottyToddy7
Member since Sep 2010
15247 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 10:54 am to
quote:

I think the committee did a decent job of getting the teams and order right this year.


A lot of people disagree. No reason for Boise to get a bye. No reason for Indiana to be in at all.

Honestly no reason for Boise, ASU or Indiana to be in.
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 11:02 am to
quote:

As someone else posted in another thread, what they should do is just guarantee the 4 conference champions a top 8 seed


That's a really good idea.
Posted by Chucktown_Badger
The banks of the Ashley River
Member since May 2013
35708 posts
Posted on 1/8/25 at 11:03 am to
quote:

Honestly no reason for Boise, ASU or Indiana to be in.


You have to give the major conf champs auto bids. I would not want them to do away with that.
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