Theoretical new conferences

[Yosef84]

I think the comments about "team" vs. "Program" are on target though. I do think we could make the cut if the decision were made on a current basis, but these types of alignments are made on a longer term basis and we haven't been around (at the FBS level) long enough. Hopefully, ten years from now, our street cred will be higher.

The dream conferences that include ECU, USF and Memphis are just that...dreaming. That involves teams form Sunbelt, CUSA AND AAC. Short of the NCAA dissolving all conference alignments and orchestrating a re-org, no way all three conferences could collaborate. Would anyone else trust what the NCAA would come out with if they did have that kind of authority? I'm glad they don't!

[appgrad95&97]

In truth, with Idaho and New Mexico St. leaving and Coastal joining, if there was a way to add UAB and So. Miss, the Sun Belt would be an awfully nice conference.

[AppScott89]

Here's what I would like to see. Create 8 16-team conferences. Divide them into 4 team pods, similar to the NFL. With in the pod play home and home (6 games) play 1 team from each of the other pods in conference. Then play 2 other games for a total of 11. Then take each pod winner and play a two week playoff for Conference champion. Take 8 Conference champions and play for the national championship. Max games you play is 16. This way starting on day one every FBS team has a shot. Takes all the guessing out of the picture. The two extra games games could be against any one. Even 2 FCS teams if that's what you want. It doesn't matter, you have to win your conference.

[TheMoody1]

This way starting on day one every FBS team has a shot.

Good idea, but this is why it would never happen.

[EastHallApp]

If the goal is to give every league a guaranteed bid, I'd rather just keep 10 leagues and make it a 16-team playoff, with 10 auto bids and six at-large.

[bigdaddyg]

How 8 12 team (football only) conferences? 8 league champs and 4 at large. Top 4 get a bye and the other 8 play get to final 8. The final 8 play the 4 big bowls. Schools get the revenue from the play in games. Go back to 11 games and put less emphasis on early non-conference games. Every league has a championship game so there are no games or extensions of the season. Keep the other bowl games.

[AppDawg]

If the goal is to give every league a guaranteed bid, I'd rather just keep 10 leagues and make it a 16-team playoff, with 10 auto bids and six at-large.

Agree.

To take a step further, it could theoretically be more than 16 if you treat conference championship games as round #1.

This has long been my favorite scenario for an expanded playoffs.

[EastHallApp]

How 8 12 team (football only) conferences? 8 league champs and 4 at large. Top 4 get a bye and the other 8 play get to final 8. The final 8 play the 4 big bowls. Schools get the revenue from the play in games. Go back to 11 games and put less emphasis on early non-conference games. Every league has a championship game so there are no games or extensions of the season. Keep the other bowl games.

I don't care so much for the eight conferences idea, but I do agree the 12-team playoff is another good option. Have long been interested in the kind of bracket you outlined.

They won't go back to 11 games though - that's lost revenue and TV inventory.

[EastHallApp]

If the goal is to give every league a guaranteed bid, I'd rather just keep 10 leagues and make it a 16-team playoff, with 10 auto bids and six at-large.

Go


Agree.

To take a step further, it could theoretically be more than 16 if you treat conference championship games as round #1.

This has long been my favorite scenario for an expanded playoffs.

It would be the closest thing to a football version of March Madness without expanding the field so much that the regular season becomes almost an exhibition as it has in CBB.

Of course most of those 14-15-16 seeds would get blown out, but every once in a while you'd get a good game and even an upset. Can you imagine the buzz if something like the App-Tennessee game were happening, only instead of the first week of the season, it were in the playoff for the national championship? Every sports fan in the country would be glued to their set.

[bigdaddyg]

How 8 12 team (football only) conferences? 8 league champs and 4 at large. Top 4 get a bye and the other 8 play get to final 8. The final 8 play the 4 big bowls. Schools get the revenue from the play in games. Go back to 11 games and put less emphasis on early non-conference games. Every league has a championship game so there are no games or extensions of the season. Keep the other bowl games.

I don't care so much for the eight conferences idea, but I do agree the 12-team playoff is another good option. Have long been interested in the kind of bracket you outlined.

They won't go back to 11 games though - that's lost revenue and TV inventory.

I should have proofread before submitting. Since this topic went sideways I just figured I'd throw in a crazy idea. Agree the colleges don't want to lose revenue. You don't hear much crying anymore about the "student athletes" playing too much. My idea brings in the drama and anticipation of the "bye" selection show. It would also allow for better non conference games that won't wreck a season. I have said for years that the original 4 big bowls could serve as the first round (2nd in my example) of the playoffs. I think that once you get past 8-12 teams it brings in some that will get blown out.

Just for the sake of argument what is the lowest seeded FCS team to reach the NC?