In the most circulated version of the proposed 14-team CFP model, champions of the SEC & Big Ten would be guaranteed the two first-round byes, sources tell Ross Dellenger. He also says intense debate and discussion among leaders continues.
“In a 14-team model that officials are socializing with their leagues, the Big Ten and SEC would each receive three automatic qualifiers, with the ACC and Big 12 getting two each and the Group of Five’s best team qualifying as well. Such a model would feature three at-large spots to the highest-ranked teams outside of the automatic qualifiers.”
As much as this is a win for Big XII and ACC getting two autobids I think this also starts the path of the Big Ten and SEC creating Super Conferences that will break into Quad-Divisions.
Quadrant Conferences would be more likely than two behemoths simply due to the academic component. At some point these university presidents are going to push back on this as the trends appear to be showing signs of academic devaluation. When the programs become more like outright minor league feeders than places where kids play sports while earning a degree…it might not go over well on a lot of levels.
Add to it the voice dilution of being just another fish in the sea, and some egos may have a hard time being in a super conference arrangement (que Notre Dame). Hell, Utah was in a super conference and left it to create a new conference.
So the likely number of schools from each conference after selection of 3 at-large would be:
SEC: 4 or 5
BIG10: 4 or 5
Big 12: 2
ACC: 2
Group of 5: 1
ND: 1 if it is in top 14
The CFP selection committee will be comprised of BIG 10 and SEC homers. I guess 2 automatic qualifiers for Big12 in a 14 team playoff is better than 1 in a 12 team playoff.
I love the idea of the SEC and B1G getting automatic byes for the first round of the playoff. Why not just let them get to the championship game and the rest of us can play in the consolidation bracket for 3rd place? You know were just a pesky nuisance/warm up band for the real show.
Heck, let’s just make a tournament bracket just for the SEC and the B1G. Declare the winner of that tournament the national champion. They can have a 32 team bracket (leaving out Vandy and Rutgers…because).
