Conferences and Playoffs

[Seven]

How important are current conference affiliations? What if we set up a super system consisting of 112 schools, placed them in 16 "conferences" of 7 teams each. They could then scedule any other four teams they wished, but only the "conference" games would count towards a playoff spot. So a team could, theoretically, go 6-4, be an undefeated conference champ, and deserve their playoff spot. No team could complain they didn't get a fair shot, the regular season games would all be very important, the champion could be determined 'on the field'. The only thing sacrificed would be the current conference traditions, but most, if not all, traditional rivalries could be maintained. The playoff brackets would be pre-determined, not seeded. For example, conference champ 1 meets champ 16, etc, and could rotate every year. Teams not in the 'sweet 16', would be free to schedule any other non tourney teams for 2-3 more games after the regular season ended. Thoughts?

[CJHawkeyes]

How important are current conference affiliations? What if we set up a super system consisting of 112 schools, placed them in 16 "conferences" of 7 teams each. They could then scedule any other four teams they wished, but only the "conference" games would count towards a playoff spot. So a team could, theoretically, go 6-4, be an undefeated conference champ, and deserve their playoff spot. No team could complain they didn't get a fair shot, the regular season games would all be very important, the champion could be determined 'on the field'. The only thing sacrificed would be the current conference traditions, but most, if not all, traditional rivalries could be maintained. The playoff brackets would be pre-determined, not seeded. For example, conference champ 1 meets champ 16, etc, and could rotate every year. Teams not in the 'sweet 16', would be free to schedule any other non tourney teams for 2-3 more games after the regular season ended. Thoughts?


Sounds somewhat similar to radical ideas I have proposed that were thoroughly dismissed. I think the problem with your idea is that only six games are used to determine playoff berths and the other four games amount to exhibitions with an incentive to sit starters to avoid injury and guarantee their availibility for the games that matter.

[EvilVodka]

How important are current conference affiliations? What if we set up a super system consisting of 112 schools, placed them in 16 "conferences" of 7 teams each.

Current conference affliations are extremely important, and that's why this idea is dead on arrival...

Programs just aren't going to be happy if they're arbitrarily shuffled around to form new conferences, you would never get past step 1

[GatorGrad]

Tradition-rich conferences like he SEC, PAC 10, and BIG 10 would never go for this. Probably not the ACC or BIG 12 either. Conference aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Any playoff system would have to incorporate the current conferences in some fashion.

[Blue Hen]

Conference traditions are important, imo. Something like your idea would be nice and 'clean' and conducive to a fair national championship but I believe the system could be tweaked to offer a fair and 'open' championship and still keep the great conference rivalries. Big time CF can become a real 'sport' (rather than a exhibition sport) and still keep much of the great traditions. Eliminating the greed ( BCS) , being the first step.

[happjack]

If the NCAA would enforce it's own rules and kick out the teams that don't meet 1a standards they could get down to 10 conferences easy. With 10 conferences you could have alot of different playoff set-up's that include all of the conference champs, if it was me it would be the 10 conference champs and 2 at-large teams with everyone else going to bowls.

[Blue Hen]

Isn't that the truth? All those NCAA minimum D1A qualifications from 3-4 years ago.....just talk. The NCAA has been about as anemic on that as it is on academics.

[Seven]

Speaking only for myself, I don't think the conference thing as that big of a deal. The university has traditions, and there are traditional rivalries, but it wouldn't be a big deal to me if Ohio State no longer played Indiana, Northwestern or Minnesota regularly. As long as Michigan is the last regular season game of the year, TBDBITL still plays, the "i" is still dotted, and sloopy is hanging on; those are the traditions that need to continue.