CFP discussed expansion ideas.

[PhilSimms11]

While continuing to reiterate its support for the current four-team format, the College Football Playoff management committee this week was presented with possibilities for future expansion, including options ranging from six to 16 teams, the CFP announced on Friday after two days of virtual meetings.

A working group within the CFP management committee, which comprises the 10 FBS commissioners plus Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, discussed "some 63 possibilities for change," according to a news release from the CFP. Those included models of six, eight, 10, 12 and 16 teams, each with a variety of different scenarios.

CFP executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN that nothing is imminent.

"There will not be a new format this season or next season," Hancock said. "The timetable is certainly an important detail, but it hasn't been determined yet. It's too soon to predict the timing, but even if the board decides to alter the format, it may well not occur until after the current agreement has expired, which isn't until after the 2025 season."

For the playoff to change, those 11 presidents and chancellors would have to approve it. The CFP is entering its eighth season of a 12-year contractual agreement. All parties involved would have to unanimously agree to change the contract before it expires.
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That's a snippet of the article. I'm guessing within a short period of time expansion will be a real possibility. Now, how they go about determining the 8, 10, 12, 16 teams is a whole other subject. I've been in favor of an 8-team P-5 and an 8-team G-5 playoff for quite some time now.

2019
(1)LSU (13-0) v (8)Baylor (11-2)
(4)Oklahoma (12-1) v (5)Georgia (11-2)

(2)Ohio St (13-0) v (7)Florida (10-2)
(3)Clemson (13-0) v (6)Oregon (11-2)
-----
(1)Memphis (12-1) v (8)Miami (OH) (8-5)
(4)Cincinnati (10-3) v (5)Navy (10-2)

(2)Boise St (12-1) v (7)FAU (10-3)
(3)App St (12-1) v (6)Air Force (10-2)

 

[Duckboy33]

I like the 8 team playoff idea. For P5 and G5.

Here's what a G5 playoff would have looked like the last three years:

2020:
1) Cincinnati - AAC Champ
8) Ball State - MAC Champ

4) Louisiana - At Large #2
5) San Jose State - MWC Champ

3) BYU - At Large #1
6) Tulsa - At Large #3

2) Coastal Carolina - SBC Champ
7) UAB - CUSA Champ

2019:
1) Memphis - AAC Champ
8) Miami OH - MAC Champ

4) Cincinnati - At Large #1
5) Navy - At large #2

3) Appalachian State - SBC Champ
6) Air Force - At large #3

2) Boise State - MWC Champ
7) FAU - CUSA Champ

2018:
1) UCF - AAC Champ
8) Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

4) Utah State - At Large #2
5) Cincinnati - At Large #3

3) Boise State - At Large #1
6) Appalachian State - SBC Champ

2) Fresno State - MWC Champ
7) UAB - CUSA Champ

 

[psaboy]

So, relegating G5 teams to a participation trophy it seems.

 

[Duckboy33]

So, relegating G5 teams to a participation trophy it seems.

People keep acting like this is a change.

 

[PhilSimms11]

So, relegating G5 teams to a participation trophy it seems.

There are currently...37 participation trophies handed out every year.

 

[trojanfan12]

So, relegating G5 teams to a participation trophy it seems.

Not really. It's about giving them their own playoff and championship. Just like every other level of football has.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

My preferences are:

(1) Five conference champions + Three wildcards. You take the top 5 highest ranked conference champions and the 3 highest at-large teams. Keep the conference championship game, but give each playoff team a 2-week break between conference championship weekend and the 1st round of the playoffs. Give the final two teams another bye week.

(2) 16 team playoff. No conference championship game, get rid of the divisions. The highest ranked team per conference gets in, if ranked in the top 25. The rest of the seeds go to the highest ranked teams.

 

[PhilSimms11]

According to yesterday's episode of PTI there is talk of a 12-team playoff. Automatics would go to the Power-5 champions and the highest ranked G-5 champion. 6 at-larges. Not in favor.

2019...
(1)LSU (13-0)
(2)Ohio St (13-0)
(3)Clemson (13-0)
(4)Oklahoma (12-1)

(5)Georgia (11-2) v (12)Memphis (12-1)
(6)Oregon (11-2) v (11)Alabama (10-2)
(7)Baylor (11-2) v (10)Utah (11-2)
(8)Florida (10-2) v (9)Penn St (10-2)

I ruled out Wisconsin (10-3) and Auburn (9-3). No 3-loss at-larges. Again, I'm not in favor of this, but this is how it would look.

 

[foster4prez]

Too many at-larges. Under the current setup, it should be an 8 team playoff.

5 -power five champs
1 - top g-5 champ
2 - at larges
W/ max 2 per conference

Best case scenario would be to re-align CFP into 6-10 team conferences with paired lower division conferences down through FCS. Introduce promotion/relegation. Each conference plays rounds robin 9-game schedule and 3-at larges. 8 team playoff with 6 conference winners and 2 at-larges.

 

[PhilSimms11]

Too many at-larges. Under the current setup, it should be an 8 team playoff.

5 -power five champs
1 - top g-5 champ
2 - at larges
W/ max 2 per conference

Best case scenario would be to re-align CFP into 6-10 team conferences with paired lower division conferences down through FCS. Introduce promotion/relegation. Each conference plays rounds robin 9-game schedule and 3-at larges. 8 team playoff with 6 conference winners and 2 at-larges.

2019...
(1)LSU (13-0) v (8)Memphis (12-1)
(4)Oklahoma (12-1) v (5)Georgia (11-2)

(2)Ohio St (13-0) v (7)Baylor (11-2)
(3)Clemson (13-0) v (6)Oregon (11-2)

I am totally on board with realignment. I've looked at it several times. I have 6 power conferences and a group of 6. No divisions and every conference plays 10 conference games...or a round robin schedule (for conferences with fewer than 11 teams). 6 conference champions and 2 at-larges for each (a Power-6 playoff and a group of 6 playoff) .

ACC--11
Big East--11
Big Ten--12
Big XII--12
Pac-12--12
SEC--11
Total: 69
------------
AAC--10
C-USA--10
ECC--9 (East Coast Conference)
MAC--11
MWC--12
SBC--9
Total: 61

 

[belcherboy]

Here is my radical plan (I prefer a 4 team playoff, but if we are going to blow it, let's do it right).

24 teams make the tournament (Keep the same type of ranking system for playoffs)

10 regular season games (1 OOC, 9 conference)

Conference Championships

Top 8 have a first round bye (Power 5 winners, and 3 at large)

First round gets it from 16 first round teams to 8 teams. Top ranked team gets home field. Play it the second week of December.

Second round has those 8 teams, plus the 8 first round byes. Top ranked teams get home field. Play it the third week of December.

Third round (8 teams left), Use traditional bowl games. Play all four games on New Year's day

Final four uses the current bowl selection process.

I know this will never happen as many teams have contracts with teams for the next 10 years, but I would love to see this set up.

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

I’m good with 8 and possibly 12 but no more. The regular season should mean something.

 

[We Are Decent]

12 seems great, given the field of today, I think it's incredibly accurate and fair to have. Though I do not want to have auto bids at all, if you're not viewed as one of the 12 best teams in the country then you simply don't deserve to be in, there hasn't been an 11-1 Pac 12 champ in three years, which is inferior to the American's champion. You either are viewed as the top 12 by the committee or you're not. Plain and simple.

With the 12 team playoff I honestly don't think anyone can complain:
-All P5 champs are sure to be in
-A G5 team is likely to be in.
-6 at large teams in which it would've solved all the major controversies we've had in the past 7 years (TCU vs OSU, PSU vs OSU, Bama vs OSU, A&M vs ND, etc.), this would deliver on giving a chance to all 1 loss P5 teams (which realistic they've only lost to their Con. Champ) and the highest-ranking 2 loss teams.
Better yet you will start to see an even playing field when it comes to recruiting.

Due to how Bowl Season is set up, the 12 team system works just fine, should be admissible in a three to four-week span.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Some of you are overthinking here. FBS is most likely going to have the committee rank the top 8 teams, and those 8 teams will make it into the playoffs. Conference Championship status, winning percentage, and wins against elite competition will all be factored into the equation. If we go to the 12, 14, 16, the same thing will occur. Top teams get in.

Guaranteeing the P5 gets in, is discriminatory. Just because you're a P5 team doesn't make you automatically better than a G5 team. It should be about resume, not what the color of ones flag.

 

[cclxxxvdicere]

Some of you are overthinking here. FBS is most likely going to have the committee rank the top 8 teams, and those 8 teams will make it into the playoffs. Conference Championship status, winning percentage, and wins against elite competition will all be factored into the equation. If we go to the 12, 14, 16, the same thing will occur. Top teams get in.

Guaranteeing the P5 gets in, is discriminatory. Just because you're a P5 team doesn't make you automatically better than a G5 team. It should be about resume, not what the color of ones flag.

The P5 conferences will make sure their conference champions are auto bids, the other 3 will be the highest rated non-P5 champions, unless they throw a bone to the G5 and give an auto bid to the highest ranked G5 team. The Golden Rule applies.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

The P5 conferences will make sure their conference champions are auto bids, the other 3 will be the highest rated non-P5 champions, unless they throw a bone to the G5 and give an auto bid to the highest ranked G5 team. The Golden Rule applies.

I don't think they'll go to autobids. It would defeat the purpose of having the committee rank the best teams.

 

[wazzu31]

Here is my radical plan (I prefer a 4 team playoff, but if we are going to blow it, let's do it right).

24 teams make the tournament (Keep the same type of ranking system for playoffs)

10 regular season games (1 OOC, 9 conference)

Conference Championships

Top 8 have a first round bye (Power 5 winners, and 3 at large)

First round gets it from 16 first round teams to 8 teams. Top ranked team gets home field. Play it the second week of December.

Second round has those 8 teams, plus the 8 first round byes. Top ranked teams get home field. Play it the third week of December.

Third round (8 teams left), Use traditional bowl games. Play all four games on New Year's day

Final four uses the current bowl selection process.

I know this will never happen as many teams have contracts with teams for the next 10 years, but I would love to see this set up.

What conference is going to intentionally lose money for their members by taking away a regular season game?

 

[cclxxxvdicere]

I don't think they'll go to autobids. It would defeat the purpose of having the committee rank the best teams.

The only way all the P5 conferences are represented is to have auto bids for their conference champions, so that will happen. They are not going to risk having half of the playoff from the SEC and leaving out one or more conferences entirely. The rankings will be used to fill out the 3 at large bids, and to seed the playoff.

 

[BamaDude]

To me, the best scenario is a 6-team playoff with NO automatic bids. The top two teams get first-round byes.

First round (two weeks after Conference Championship Game Week): #6 plays at #3, #5 plays at #4. (First round is the only round with on-campus games).

Round two: use the bowls just like they are currently used for First Round/New Years 6 games, with the top seed playing the 4/5 winner & the second seed facing the 3/6 winner.

Championship game would be 10 days later.

 

[BamaDude]

My alternative scenario would be an 8-team playoff, with the #'s 1, 2, 3, & 4 seeds hosting the #'s 8, 7, 6 & 5 seeds two weeks after CCG Week; then following with bowl sites for the semi-finals just as they do now.

The only adjustment I would make is that - due to pre-conceived notions & P-5 prejudice - if there is an unbeaten G-5 team in the mix, they must be chosen before any P-5 team with two or more losses. Likewise, a 1-loss G-5 would take precedence over a 3-loss P-5.