How an 8-Team College Football Playoff Would Look In 2016
By Ty Duffy
The College Football Playoff has four teams. Many want to expand that tournament to eight teams. Here is what that field would look like. For the hypothetical, we set a few common sense rules we believe may be included.
Automatic Bids: No more debates. The five Power 5 champs get in. Every conference game means something.
First Round Home Field: The top four conference champions get home field advantage. Winning the conference means something. There may be some arrangement for Notre Dame. That’s not relevant in 2016 as they finished 4-8.
No Inter-Conference Matchups In First Round: We’re stealing this from the Champions League for the good of the tournament. It’s better for entertainment value. It guarantees that a team has to beat at least one from another conference to win.
Here is what the field next weekend would look like.
1. Alabama 13-0 (SEC) vs. 8. USC 9-3 (At Large) [Bryant-Denny Stadium]
2. Clemson 12-1 (ACC) vs. 7 Michigan 10-2 (At Large) [Memorial Stadium]
3. Washington 12-1 (Pac 12) vs. 6 Ohio State 11-1 (At Large) [Husky Stadium]
4. Penn State 11-2 (B1G) vs. 5 Oklahoma 10-2 (B12) [Beaver Stadium]
Ohio State and Michigan are penalized for not winning their conference or division. USC ends up in a rematch with Alabama. But, this is a far different USC team than at the beginning of the season. Media members would be whining about the trip to Happy Valley.
But, this seems like something people would watch and get excited about. Attendance, in home stadiums, would not be a concern. Why aren’t we doing this, again?