College football talent gap keep increasing, that's a problem

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

The HAVE and HAVE NOTS in college football keeps increasing. The playoffs in 6 years has featured only 2 PAC teams, 1 Big12 team w/ OU x5 years in a row, 2 B1G teams w/ OSU 3x, 2 ACC teams w/ Clemson 4x, and 3 SEC teams w/ Alabama 5x.

Preseason playoff predictions mostly featured Oklahoma, Ohio State, Clemson, and Alabama. We were 75% right before the season even played out. Last year was 75% as well since Ohio State was the 4th team predicted but didn't make it by a slim margin, just like Alabama this year.

I was listening to how wildly unpredictable the preseason AP Top 5 used to be compared to the final Top 5. It's almost becoming a formality of which teams are going to get into the playoffs now. Recruiting is becoming more and more national for the top tier cherry picking their 4 and 5* across the country. The rest of the talent gets disproportionately spread across the remaining 120+ FBS schools.

We'll just keep seeing more of the same, next year's playoff favorites once again will feature the usual Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma. 3/4 will most likely make it again.

Seems like we need to drop the G5 and realign the ranks again so that more talent will get equally distributed to make things more competitive. But the more money the sport makes the rich keep getting richer at the top and I don't see that changing.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Seems like we need to drop the G5 and realign the ranks again so that more talent will get equally distributed to make things more competitive. But the more money the sport makes the rich keep getting richer at the top and I don't see that changing.

Even the have-nots at the FBS level don't want things to change, because they're making money, too. I think 85% of them realize they would never have a shot no matter what they did.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Even the have-nots at the FBS level don't want things to change, because they're making money, too. I think 85% of them realize they would never have a shot no matter what they did.

Yeah it just dilutes the product but I can't blame them given the cash cow FBS is. Selfishly from a fan perspective it would be so much better to play strictly P5 games. We could have B1G vs ACC type challenges we see in basketball but now in football. Would also do a wonders for comparing schedules when we have more variety of cross conference matchups in the preseason.

 

[Wild Turkey]

The HAVE and HAVE NOTS in college football keeps increasing. The playoffs in 6 years has featured only 2 PAC teams, 1 Big12 team w/ OU x5 years in a row, 2 B1G teams w/ OSU 3x, 2 ACC teams w/ Clemson 4x, and 3 SEC teams w/ Alabama 5x.

Preseason playoff predictions mostly featured Oklahoma, Ohio State, Clemson, and Alabama. We were 75% right before the season even played out. Last year was 75% as well since Ohio State was the 4th team predicted but didn't make it by a slim margin, just like Alabama this year.

I was listening to how wildly unpredictable the preseason AP Top 5 used to be compared to the final Top 5. It's almost becoming a formality of which teams are going to get into the playoffs now. Recruiting is becoming more and more national for the top tier cherry picking their 4 and 5* across the country. The rest of the talent gets disproportionately spread across the remaining 120+ FBS schools.

We'll just keep seeing more of the same, next year's playoff favorites once again will feature the usual Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma. 3/4 will most likely make it again.

Seems like we need to drop the G5 and realign the ranks again so that more talent will get equally distributed to make things more competitive. But the more money the sport makes the rich keep getting richer at the top and I don't see that changing.

The gap is actually wider than you think. All you have to do is look at the top 10 recruiting rankings and it's pretty much the same teams year in and year out. The ACC is currently a one team league and that isn't going to change for a while due to recruiting.

The enigma in the Big 12 is Texas who can't figure out what to do with it's talent and OU keeps running away with the offensive talent but they can't put together an entire team with depth.

No one in the PAC has even the slightest shot at winning a national championship right now against the top teams in other P5 conferences.

The top of the SEC and B1G are really where all the talent is right now (one exception being Clemson) and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Before the season starts you can look at the last 4 years of recruiting rankings and there are only about 10 teams that even have a shot to win it all. A team might come out of the blue eventually but I don't see it happening soon.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

The gap is actually wider than you think. All you have to do is look at the top 10 recruiting rankings and it's pretty much the same teams year in and year out. The ACC is currently a one team league and that isn't going to change for a while due to recruiting.

The enigma in the Big 12 is Texas who can't figure out what to do with it's talent and OU keeps running away with the offensive talent but they can't put together an entire team with depth.

No one in the PAC has even the slightest shot at winning a national championship right now against the top teams in other P5 conferences.

The top of the SEC and B1G are really where all the talent is right now (one exception being Clemson) and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Before the season starts you can look at the last 4 years of recruiting rankings and there are only about 10 teams that even have a shot to win it all. A team might come out of the blue eventually but I don't see it happening soon.

Oregon in 2 years is about the soonest it could happen...even then not a great chance.

 

[CJH9972]

There seems be much turnover of the top four teams during the CFP era. I'm curious if an 8 team format that could basically allow FBS teams to control their playoff destiny excluding improbable circumstances would spread the talent around a little better.

 

[amszete]

The gap is actually wider than you think. All you have to do is look at the top 10 recruiting rankings and it's pretty much the same teams year in and year out. The ACC is currently a one team league and that isn't going to change for a while due to recruiting.

The enigma in the Big 12 is Texas who can't figure out what to do with it's talent and OU keeps running away with the offensive talent but they can't put together an entire team with depth.

No one in the PAC has even the slightest shot at winning a national championship right now against the top teams in other P5 conferences.

The top of the SEC and B1G are really where all the talent is right now (one exception being Clemson) and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Before the season starts you can look at the last 4 years of recruiting rankings and there are only about 10 teams that even have a shot to win it all. A team might come out of the blue eventually but I don't see it happening soon.

Unfortunately I concur - especially on your sentiment with the ACC. VT is 63rd in recruiting this year. With how things played out from mid season on that is totally unacceptable. Meanwhile Dabo is swimming in 5 & 4 stars....

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

The gap is actually wider than you think. All you have to do is look at the top 10 recruiting rankings and it's pretty much the same teams year in and year out. The ACC is currently a one team league and that isn't going to change for a while due to recruiting.

The enigma in the Big 12 is Texas who can't figure out what to do with it's talent and OU keeps running away with the offensive talent but they can't put together an entire team with depth.

No one in the PAC has even the slightest shot at winning a national championship right now against the top teams in other P5 conferences.

The top of the SEC and B1G are really where all the talent is right now (one exception being Clemson) and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

Before the season starts you can look at the last 4 years of recruiting rankings and there are only about 10 teams that even have a shot to win it all. A team might come out of the blue eventually but I don't see it happening soon.

Yeah so you get it.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

There seems be much turnover of the top four teams during the CFP era. I'm curious if an 8 team format that could basically allow FBS teams to control their playoff destiny excluding improbable circumstances would spread the talent around a little better.

The P5 teams control their own destiny.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Unfortunately I concur - especially on your sentiment with the ACC. VT is 63rd in recruiting this year. With how things played out from mid season on that is totally unacceptable. Meanwhile Dabo is swimming in 5 & 4 stars....

I grew up with VT football, the excitement around our program in Blacksburg is long gone. Feels like a distant memory. Sad thing is VT wasn't some flash in the pan, back then recruiting was just more regional and Beamer did such an awesome job developing talent around the region that he pulled in. Anymore these days VT can't compete recruiting, and even if they brought in a coach who turned it around he's going to get poached.

 

[Pariah]

I wonder how many times in the modern era that a playoff would have happened without Ohio State, Oklahoma or Alabama in it.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

I wonder how many times in the modern era that a playoff would have happened without Ohio State, Oklahoma or Alabama in it.

2010 is the most recent one that comes to mind.

 

[CJH9972]

The P5 teams control their own destiny.

Agreed given that the improbable circumstances don't occur among P5 teams. Perhaps, more margin of error would benefit the schools not currently challenging for playoff spots.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

Agreed given that the improbable circumstances don't occur among P5 teams. Perhaps, more margin of error would benefit the schools not currently challenging for playoff spots.

OR...the teams not currently challenging could simply win their games.

 

[CJH9972]

OR...the teams not currently challenging could simply win their games.

True but I thought the point was that they weren't competing for recruits which is why the gap is supposedly increasing. I'm not saying I'm right and that my suggestions would make a difference. But again, how many different programs are making a 4 team playoff versus an 8 team playoff and if the 8 team playoff has more turnover will that increase parity where recruiting is concerned?

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

True but I thought the point was that they weren't competing for recruits which is why the gap is supposedly increasing. I'm not saying I'm right and that my suggestions would make a difference. But again, how many different programs are making a 4 team playoff versus an 8 team playoff and if the 8 team playoff has more turnover will that increase parity where recruiting is concerned?

No need for an 8 team playoff. Just win your games.

 

[CJH9972]

No need for an 8 team playoff. Just win your games.

I'm not arguing that an 8 team playoff is necessary or that it is not up to teams to win their games and they will get in the top 4. I'm only suggesting the possibility that a larger playoff might do a better job of spreading talent around leading to more parity and more turnover among playoff teams.

 

[Deep Creek]

Before the season starts you can look at the last 4 years of recruiting rankings and there are only about 10 teams that even have a shot to win it all. A team might come out of the blue eventually but I don't see it happening soon.

The moon and the stars will have to align just right for that to happen IMHO.

 

[Deep Creek]

Only a handful of P5 teams control their own destiny to the CFP.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

I'm not arguing that an 8 team playoff is necessary or that it is not up to teams to win their games and they will get in the top 4. I'm only suggesting the possibility that a larger playoff might do a better job of spreading talent around leading to more parity and more turnover among playoff teams.

Or it might not. No reason to change the current system.