The Difference between the SEC and everyone else...

[Orestes]

Orestes just curious why you are anti playoff?

I fear it would grow to the point of ruining the regular season.

Obviously, a four-team, six-team, or eight-team playoff would not substantially impact the importance of the regular season. However, the NCAA College Basketball Tournament also started small at eight teams. It has grown to 64 teams, and still there is serious talk of expanding the field.

A "true" national champion is a team having a combination of the strongest season and the most talented team. I also do not believe a tournament/playoff decides a true champion any more effectively than the current system does. People just "feel" better about it because it happens on a field.

In fact, I think a playoff only makes it more likely that the most deserving team doesn't win the championship. For instance, an eight-team playoff would be a 3-game field of landmines. Winning such a tournament would either require a team to be far superior to all others or would require good-fortune. The BCS already puts a far superior team in the game and also has a good fortune element. The playoff just makes it more likely the most deserving team loses.

All NCAA violation issues aside, Auburn had the best offensive players, best defensive player, and went unbeaten against a brutal schedule. They also have more talent that all others with a claim (TCU), and are on-par or superior talent-wise with 1-loss teams like Stanford and Ohio State. They earned it, and are the most deserving if you ignore the off-the-field issues.

In a playoff, Auburn would have been forced to play at home against Arkansas and then against the winner of Stanford and Wisconsin. After being physically pulverized by one of those teams, they would have to play whoever came out of Oregon's side on a neutral site (Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU). If they slip up, were they suddenly not the most deserving team? Not in my book. You make a team play enough and they will lose.

The 2007 Patriots were the best team in the NFL and the most deserving based on the entire body of work. Well, not in a playoff.

Finally, I watch college football from noon to midnight or later every Saturday during the season. I spot-watch the NFL here and there, but watch all of the playoffs. I love watching college basketball, but only watch OSU and March Madness. Who cares if someone beats Duke? All that matters is if someone beats them in March. The joy of the playoff.

Obviously, the intrigue of the college football regular season is what drives me. There is high-risk, controversy, "perception" arguments, and regional bickering.

[fbnut]

I disagree with you but there is no harm in that. Thanks for the reply.

[seofan_via_dublin]

The vast majority of the time the best team in CFB has either won, or been in the BCS title game.

Many times over the same span, in the college and pro sports with playoffs, teams that were not the best all year have played for and several times won their championship.

There is too much time between the title game and the last of the regular season, but the best teams are not getting upset during a wasteful playoff.

The CFB regular season is the best 15 weeks in sports, and brings more revenue to the broadcasters than even the mighty NFL. why are we asking to screw that up in the name of a playoff.

[GoBuckeyes2786]

^^agreed. That's what makes college football so great and interesting. Every week and every game counts in order to win a national championship. I do think the current system definitly needs some touch up work, first thing being eliminating the automatic qualifiers all together and take your top 10 teams in the final bcs standing. Even taking away the 2 team per conference limit because in years past there has been teams get screwed out of a game due to the fact of the limitations, although alot being caused by some sub par team winning the conference championship and earning the automatic spot. Either way just due away with the AQ's and take your 10 best teams. Make alot better matchups and keeps us from having 2,3,4 loss teams playing in a undeserved bcs bowl.

That in my opinion would touch up the system alot and make more consistent good game match ups. I wouldn't be oppossed to a possible small playoff but only if no more than 8 teams because anything team outside of that shouldn't be granted a shot at the title

One more thought, which i don't know how well the idea would work or if it would. But possibly add a "clause" to the bcs system in the situation of which two bcs teams finish the season undefeated after their bowl game (ex. Auburn and TCU) let them play a outright title game. It's fair but it's unfair too. Auburn proved their case and beat oregon in the title game so unfair to them. TCU ran the table, beat a good Wisconsin team and wasnt givin their poop to play for the championship...... All are just ideasto possibly make for a better setup and eliminate some of the garbage

[Grinder]

I personally would like a playoff that way a TCU doesn't get screwed. A team's NC hopes aren't decided in September. Look at the NFL if they went by BCS rules we would have New England and Atlanta in the Super-Bowl. In college football the regular season games mean more than the Bowl games. People wonder why teams don't play a better schedule, you lose and your out of the hunt. With a playoff system we would see more Big Ten_ SEC match-ups instead of the boring little school vs the BCS Conference games.

[seofan_via_dublin]

TCU didn't get screwed.

[91blue14]

no they didnt. finishing #2 is generous for the mountain west

[fbnut]

I kind of feel the TCU's & Boise's , not to many if any big time schools will play them. If you beat them so what, you beat little old Boise or TCU and there is a good chance they will beat you or at least give you all you want. I don't think many big time schools would sign a home and home series with them. One problem I see with the BCS is the automatic qualifier. I don't think anyone from the Big East should have had a BCS game this yr. The BCS has been lucky thus far but if things stay the same there will be a time when you will have 3-4 unbeatens from major confernces.

[Charge]

I got agree with Grinder TCU did get hosed they were undefeated just like Auburn and Oregon were. Lets say my Buckeyes were undefeated with Auburn and Oregon and didn't get a shot at the big game. What would you think than? In a playoff all teams get their shot. A playoff would stop all the bs talk after the season too. People couldn't say Alabama was the best or Stanford we would have a true champ that went through the playoff. A playoff wouldn't cheapen the regular season either because a team would have to finish in the top 8 to 10 to make the playoffs. I also think it would make the regular season more exciting if a team knew 1 loss isn't going to end their hopes they would probably schedule less pancakes and more exciting games.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Charge, your ideas would work great in a utopian society, where everything worked ideally.

Then again, so would communism!!!

[Peake]

I have several points on why this is happening.

1. THe population shift to the south. Has anyone seen Michigan's unemployment rate lately? Ohio is also amongst one of the top 5 states people are moving out of as is Illinois, along with New York amongst others and Penn and Nebraska are in the top 10. Less and less people mean that there is a built in recruiting advantage for schools like Florida, Georgia, etc. Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina are having population booms. So there you have it, more people are moving south and to the west, so, making it far easier to win the recruiting battle when people are flooding your state.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/06/top-st ... -york.html

http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/23/real_es ... ng_states/

2. Anyone know what the AAU is? Association of American Universities. 12 of 12 Universities in the Big Ten are a member of the elite 63 University research Association. In the SEC only Florida and Vandy are amongst the members. The Big Ten universities easily put are better academic institutions and the academic standards are higher. I am not saying the SEC schools are St. Ann School of the Blind and you only have to have a 12 on your ACT to get in, but the facts are the facts, there are much higher academic standards at NW, OSU, Michigan, etc v the rest of the SEC outside of Vandy (and notice Vandy sucks 99% of the time at Football).

http://www.aau.edu/about/article.aspx?id=5476

*BTW, last time an SEC school came to ANn Arbor, Vandy in 2006.*

3. Climate....period. I have lived in the south for 3 years now, and I can tell you after living in Michigan and Ohio, that it is a real factor. Why I have no idea, because of all those recruits who think they are going to the NFL, they'd better get redy to play in cold weather. Look at the NFL playoffs this year---Ravens, Cheifs, Jets, Pats, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, Steelers, am I missing anyother cold weather teams? Point is the cold weather cities are dominating the playoffs right now, and you better be ready to play in the cold or you are not going to be worth crap in the NFL. Anyways beack to my point, it is far easier to encourage someone to stay in teh sunbelt v playing in Columbus, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, etc come late October and November.

*BTW, regarding the SEC doesn't have to travel outside of the south comment. USC, UCLA, Oregon, Arizona, Oklahoma etc sure have no problem traveling North or even to you neck of the woods. Doesn't Bama head to PSU next year?*

4. Which leads me to my next point, kind of off subject but a good point none the less. The media has helped to drive this SEC Machine by proclaiming them the best conference in the world. Media talking heads verbatim the phrase after everyother sentence. They have to play eachother, it is so hard when they have to play against eachother every week, lalalala. Despite Ohio States schd they have had no problem playing USC, Miami, FL, etc. No matter the argument, Ohio State would be #1 or #2 in the SEC year in and out and have no problems going outside of conference. Stop making excuses SEC and talking heads of the media.

[Charge]

seofan_via_dublin, so you are comparing having a playoff where everyone gets a fair shot to win a NC to communism. Do you even know what communism is? Does the current BCS system work? NO. Answer my question if it would have been Ohio State instead of TCU that was the third undefeated team left out would the system have been fair? Do you see anyone arguing about Duke being the champ in college basketball last year?

[seofan_via_dublin]

Communism in an ideal situation is the perfect form of government, problem is ideal situations don't exist.

This is the parallel to a playoff. Your suggestions would work, if and only if, they were never tinkered with and never adjusted for the sake of more money for the networks!

If OSU would have ran the table, it would gave been Oregon that was left out, so your hypothetical doesn't work.

If we were in a playoff, TCU would not have made it any further or to any better ranking than they achieved in the BCS, they did not get screwed, and they did not deserve a shot at the title.

You say the BCS doesn't work, but don't base it on any factual matters, only what ESPN tells you!

[Charge]

You just think Oregon would have been left out. TCU was ranked higher than Auburn or Oregon when the season started, so to assume Ohio State wouldn't have been the one left out is just an assumption. The BSC is full of more BS than you. 95% of the people want a playoff. The only people who like the BCS are you and the people getting rich off it.

[Raiderball]

Communism in an ideal situation is the perfect form of government, problem is ideal situations don't exist.

This is the parallel to a playoff. Your suggestions would work, if and only if, they were never tinkered with and never adjusted for the sake of more money for the networks!

If OSU would have ran the table, it would gave been Oregon that was left out, so your hypothetical doesn't work.

If we were in a playoff, TCU would not have made it any further or to any better ranking than they achieved in the BCS, they did not get screwed, and they did not deserve a shot at the title.

You say the BCS doesn't work, but don't base it on any factual matters, only what ESPN tells you!

I'm sitting on the fence as far as play off vs the current BCS system. On the one hand I would like to see a 4 or even 8 team playoff but on the other hand I think it would be much more difficult for a team from a non AQ or an upstart team such as WVU a couple years ago to make a run through a playoff. IMO depth would come more into play with a playoff system than preparing for that 1 game shot at the NC.

Dubs, I am going to call you out on the highlighted comments from your previous post though. How can you question someones comment concerning the BCS not working because they use no facts to back up their comment/opinion yet just before that you state that TCU could not have made it any further/better ranking in a playoff system? No difference IMO.

[seofan_via_dublin]

The coaching staff at Boise and TCU have previously stated that the BCS is best for them, as it allows them the chance to play in a one time bowl game against a great opponent, where s playoff system would not work as well for the small schools as they don't have the depth the big schools do.

When OSU lost, they were #1 in the country, without that loss, they likely are passed by Auburn late in the year, but would have stayed ahead of Oregon and Oregon would have been left out.

The BCS has given us the top two teams in CFB year in and year out, with very few exceptions.

If the system is broke, why do we still have the top teams in the country playing on the field for a title at the end of the year?!

[Peake]

I can't believe no one has commented on my post, thought those were legit posts imo.

I like the debate but it has nothing to do with the SEC

[Raiderball]

Ok Peake I'll chime in.

#1 I agree 100%. The population shift to the south is evident with Ohio losing a couple seats in the house. Can't recall but seems like their were a couple other midwest or eastern states with a declining population. This is creating a larger talent pool for the southern schools to pick from. I would compare it to (I think GAHS4EVER) post comparing the talent pool of SE Ohio compared to Central Ohio for example.

#2 I'll buy that. Not something I research often but have heard and read a little about.

#3 I agree to an extent about the climate factor keeping southern kids in the south but some may want to leave because of that. How many make a visit and see snow for the first time and that helps influence their choice. Granted, probably a lot less than those that choose to remain in the south because of that very reason.

#4 The media. It helps the sell if that is what you are hearing constantly. Boise and TCU benefited the last few years. From 05-07 WVU was a huge benefactor from the ESPN talk. I think the media also plays a big part in the negative talk about the Big East football as a hole. Just the opposite affect as it has on Big East basketball. It is what it is.

[fbnut]

add another medical hardship to Saban