College Football

[Crothian]

And if there were ten or fifteen bowl games, that's what the bowls would be. But there aren't ten or fifteen bowl games. There are 28. And a game involving the third-place team in the MAC or the 7th-place team in the Big 12 does not provide an interesting game to anyone except the most devoted fans of the teams in question.

The lower bowl games do not have the interest from the fans they should. Many of the games actually turn out to be pretty good.

 

[drothgery]

The lower bowl games do not have the interest from the fans they should. Many of the games actually turn out to be pretty good.

They tend to match teams of roughly equivalent ability, and they're usually the only game in their time slot. It's not suprising that they're often close games; the Texans-Chargers game today was a pretty good game even though neither team will end the year with a winning record. But it doesn't change that it's a game between mediocre teams and so of minimal interest.

 

[Mystery Man]

Again, the NCAA manages to fill out a tournament for every other sport, and for lower-division football. You're basically saying that since selecting teams can't be perfect, let's not have playoffs. And that's silly. In a 16-team field (which is what the NCAA uses for lower-division football), you'd have five at-large spots. Arguing over the last one or two in is not a big deal, and neither are fans of the last team out complaining that they're certainly better than the Sun Belt champ (even though it'll probably be true).

Actually putting words in my mouth is silly.

You have rankings now that have them all in the top 117 so....

You have to come up with a system that includes all division 1-A teams not just your favorite top 16.

 

[drothgery]

You have to come up with a system that includes all division 1-A teams not just your favorite top 16.

No I don't. 115 of the 117 teams are in 11 conferences, so I can just say that the conferences can determine their champion however they want, and the champion makes the playoffs. Simple.

And then we'll choose the five highest-ranked teams that didn't win their conference (use something like the BCS rankings or a basketball-style selcection committee to choose these five) to round out the field. This is hardly unfair; it's what all other college team sports (excepting I-A football) do*.

Now, this system does make it hard for a mid-major school to make the playoffs if they don't win their conference. But it's very rare when there's one championship-caliber team in a mid-major football conference, let alone two. If my** system had been used last year, and the BCS rankings were used to choose the at-large teams, only three confrences would send more than one team (the Big 10 [2], SEC [3], and Big 12 [3]).

* In some sports, like lacrosse, conferences may not have a role because usually only a few colleges in any given conference have a team, so play is not organized by conference. Lacrosse uses a selection committee to determine all of the playoff spots.

** I'm sure others have proposed extremely similar things in the past.

 

[Krieg]

You have to come up with a system that includes all division 1-A teams not just your favorite top 16.

There is one already in place.

It's called the regular season.

 

[fett527]

I sorely missed not having a Thursday night game.

Tonight's match up: UCONN v BC

Can UCONN pull the upset? A lot of bad blood in this matchup. Can BC shut down Orlovsky like they did Mills last week?

I'll post about the weekend games separately.

 

[Crothian]

WEll, Notre Dame could complete a victory over the whole state of Michigian this weekend. MSU is not looking that good.

 

[fett527]

I agree, John L. had to replace about 15 starters and it's showing. It looks like ND will take down MSU.

 

[fett527]

Marquee matchups predictions:

Florida over Vols (Leak will outdo the freshman duo)
Tigers beat the Tigers (OK, Auburn over LSU)
WVA finally beats Maryland (can I put a caveat to say as long as Kay-Jay Harris is healthy?)
and...

The BUCKEYES will prevail over the Wolfpack of course.


GO BUCKS!!!!!

 

[fett527]

I thought I'd get to this thread and be behind in posting since I haven't had time. I didn't expect no one to have posted. Come on now!!!!!!!!

I was 3 for 4 in the big matchups (who knew the VOLS' kicker could miss a PAT but make a 50 yarder?)

Any comments about this past weekend?