Just my own thoughts, but a better way to organize the conference for football

I’ve got an idea for reorganizing the existence conference setup for football. Divisions are no longer a requirement to hold a championship game. In fact, conference games appear to be losing their cache nationally with a lot of talk about eliminating them in order to expand the playoff. If that happens, this idea works, certainly better than the existing divisions. This is kind of a take off on the “Cooler” division idea that was circulating when we joined and the PAC split into divisions. First off, we need to preserve traditional geographic rivalries, as evidenced by the California schools demanding they play each other every year, regardless of divisions.
Here goes, split the PAC into 3 groups, California, Northwest, and Mountain/Desert. You always play those 3 schools every year. Then, you play 3 of the teams from the other 2 “divisions” on a 2 year rotation-like we currently do with the northwest schools. That way, every school is guaranteed 3 games vs. California schools and at least 1 game in California every year, and 2 games in California every other year.
With this setup you keep the 9 game conference schedule, which is a big deal to this Conference. Plus, you increase the odds that the top 2 teams meet for the championship- if that game continues- regardless of geographic divisions. If the championship game doesn’t continue, you simply send the team with the best conference record. This year that would’ve been a tie between Utah and Oregon, with likely Utah getting the nod because of ranking. Not ideal, knowing what we know now, but if Conference Championship games get eliminated, Utah probably would’ve gotten the nod this year. So, we are really losing nothing.
What do you all think?

I like it.
In my diatribe on another thread, I wanted to convey the same type concept. Breaking up the myths of conference dominance without loosing the tradition within.

1 Like

This is the old POD organization that was discussed when the PAC12 was formed. It was ultimately rejected because it gave some teams less access to the California recruiting areas. It also makes it harder to pare down to two teams to play off in the championship game, and while there is talk of replacing those games it’s not gonna happen for another 5-6 years.

1 Like

If all things were equal, this is a good idea. Unfortunately, all things aren’t equal. The great unequalizer is the money. Just look at the differences between the P12 and MWC. Money buys facilities. Money buys access. Money rules the bowl system and the NCAA…and nobody is giving up their money.

D1-A will always have a MNC, even if they expand the playoff under the current construct.

1 Like

I believe you can’t have a CCG between non-division winners unless everyone in conference plays everyone else.

1 Like

I like the current set-up better than what you propose because I like playing UCLA and USC every year.

1 Like

These conversations always happen within the constrains of the current system with only mild tweaks. To improve the system significantly we need something more drastic.
It starts with the P5 splitting off into it’s own level officially, not just practically like it is now.
Then we reduce all conferences to 11 teams based on length of conference affiliation, traditional rivalries and geography.(these are in order of priority)

This reshuffling would leave us with 9 homeless P5 teams + Notre Dame, so we add 1 G5 team to that mix and a brand new 11 team conference is formed.

Regular season
10 conference games. 2 ooc games against P5(P6) teams(these will determine playoff seeds).

Post season
Round 1(12 teams)
Top 2 teams from each conference play a CCG game.

Round 2
6 champions with the top 2 seeds getting a second round bye. Now to avoid the subjective ranking process we currently have the teams will be seeded based on their conference’s ooc record. With 11 teams playing 2 ooc games each that gives a 22 game sample to rank the 6 conference with a much more objective process based on competitive results rather than silly crap like eye tests, top heavy leagues or r.u.t.s.

I can’t think of a plan that removes more of the subjectivity that has poisoned the FBS process of crowning a champion. There are more radical changes that could clean it up more but I think this is the most drastic we could go without completely blowing the whole thing up.

2 Likes

I’m not sure on what the rule is. If that’s the case, my idea is dead. Unless of course they get rid of the CCG in order to do a larger playoff. The money would probably be bigger than what each conference gets from their CCG. But that’s just speculation. And we know the SEC in particular would want more than just their champion to be eligible for the playoffs.
With my idea, you would get 5 champions with auto bids and 3 at large. 1 of those could go to the G5 if they can get ranked high enough.
Again, just thinking out loud.

I would like to see a change, especially since 1 or 2 conferences are left out every year.

Jim Harbaugh (or is it John, I forget who’s who) proposed an 11 team playoff that includes 3 play-in games that act as a sort of conference championship at the home of the higher seed.

All divisions and conference championship games will go. The top team (of course) gets in.

Then the 8 remaining teams would have playoff games within the current bowl structure.

I know some university presidents and ADs like to whine about “academics,” but let’s be honest about this. College football is not about academics, it’s about cold hard cash.

If I were named Emperor of the CFP, I’d probably do it this way. Also, I’d have a rule that BYU is not a P5 school until they get into a conference. Like that would ever happen.

I like it. Take the 5 P5 champions, 3 teams at large, and let the G5 come up with 3 champs or whatever, any way they want. The 4 vs 5 game would guarantee one great game the first weekend. To improve the schedules, count the wins against P5 and ranked teams only to incentivize better scheduling related to the 3 at large teams. Use a ranking like the current playoff ranking to let folks know where they stand. This also allows a conference with multiple great teams spots for up to 4 teams if they are all in the top 8 - to make the SEC happy. Who can’t be happy with that? If the round of 8 play before the holidays, the season is about the same. Students are out of school pretty much for the last two rounds. To make the bowl owners happy, offer them spots in the playoffs and let the other bowls continue as usual with the teams beyond the 11.