OT: D1

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'm one of them. I don't like the P4 pulling away from the rest of FBS. I spent a couple years around a MAC school and I don't cheer for any single FBS team. I'd prefer that the NCAA take over and have a March Madness style tournament with all FBS conference champions. You could even give the P4 two bids. Three bids even. But I'm tired of the Utahs, Boise States, TCUs, UCFs, etc. doing EVERYTHING they can and being boxed out. And honestly, I didn't arrive at this conclusion until the BCS overtook the traditional polling champions.

Remember, if D2 acted like FBS, IUP wouldn't have a chance. IUP would be a nothing. But that's another point - I want the NCAA to take over because they need the revenue to sustain supporting the championships for the lower levels. If they continue to consolidate the revenue in the upper echelon of the highest classification, the D2 slice of the pie will keep getting smaller and eventually dry up. My local HS is scrambling to come up with the unplanned $20k its going to cost to send the football team, cheerleaders, band, and staff to the state championship. Imagine what's going to happen if IUP's trip to a regional championship isn't covered.

Why mention IUP lol? If IUP's program is going down financially, they all are.

Why is IUP always the doomsday example lol

[Fightingscot82]

To be honest … I’m not sure it is giving the masses what they want….

IUPBigIndians says he wants theater and that most agree with him. I would challenge that. I talk to a lot of B1G people around Columbus who DONT like the format. They believe it devalues critically important games during the regular season. What good was OSU’s win over Penn State on the road when they’ll likely see them again on a neutral field? He might want Part 3 of Georgia or Texas, but do the masses want that? I’m honestly not sure. But to his point, I don’t think they want Tulane-Georgia either.

Some people want ALL the conference champions represented. I don’t agree with that format, but there’s validity in the ask, right?

Some people said they wanted “everyone who was deserving to have a shot”… Now they are realizing the teams that had fatigue of (Bama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, etc) now have 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances. And one of those types will win it all.

I think there were always so many viewpoints on what the proper way to go about this was. I don’t believe most are satisfied with how they are seeing this all shaking out when the rubber is meeting the proverbial road. Or… you could have been like me and wished it remained at 4 teams.

I'm one of them. I don't like the P4 pulling away from the rest of FBS. I spent a couple years around a MAC school and I don't cheer for any single FBS team. I'd prefer that the NCAA take over and have a March Madness style tournament with all FBS conference champions. You could even give the P4 two bids. Three bids even. But I'm tired of the Utahs, Boise States, TCUs, UCFs, etc. doing EVERYTHING they can and being boxed out. And honestly, I didn't arrive at this conclusion until the BCS overtook the traditional polling champions.

Remember, if D2 acted like FBS, IUP wouldn't have a chance. IUP would be a nothing. But that's another point - I want the NCAA to take over because they need the revenue to sustain supporting the championships for the lower levels. If they continue to consolidate the revenue in the upper echelon of the highest classification, the D2 slice of the pie will keep getting smaller and eventually dry up. My local HS is scrambling to come up with the unplanned $20k its going to cost to send the football team, cheerleaders, band, and staff to the state championship. Imagine what's going to happen if IUP's trip to a regional championship isn't covered.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

To be honest … I’m not sure it is giving the masses what they want….

IUPBigIndians says he wants theater and that most agree with him. I would challenge that. I talk to a lot of B1G people around Columbus who DONT like the format. They believe it devalues critically important games during the regular season. What good was OSU’s win over Penn State on the road when they’ll likely see them again on a neutral field? He might want Part 3 of Georgia or Texas, but do the masses want that? I’m honestly not sure. But to his point, I don’t think they want Tulane-Georgia either.

Some people want ALL the conference champions represented. I don’t agree with that format, but there’s validity in the ask, right?

Some people said they wanted “everyone who was deserving to have a shot”… Now they are realizing the teams that had fatigue of (Bama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, etc) now have 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances. And one of those types will win it all.

I think there were always so many viewpoints on what the proper way to go about this was. I don’t believe most are satisfied with how they are seeing this all shaking out when the rubber is meeting the proverbial road. Or… you could have been like me and wished it remained at 4 teams.

Don't confuse me with somebody who actually gives a F who plays who. This is more entertaining to just debate than anything. People are triggered so easily on this topic, which makes it great for message boards, radio and the talking heads. Being honest, I could care less. By mid-February, I probably won't be able to name half of the 12 teams (whomever they end up being).

I don't have a clue which team won the past 4-5 D1 national titles. Don't care, either.

It makes for good banter.

[IUP24]

Let’s see how it plays out. If they can’t beat Clemson, I wouldn’t bet on them against the top teams. I hope they win.

I think you can say the same thing for Indiana regarding their loss to Ohio State. But they are squarely in, and SMU has to avoid losing a conference championship game to make the field. Those two things make no sense to me. If your current resume is good enough through an entire regular season to be in playoff position, why do you risk losing that spot by playing an extra game, when a team with a lesser resume who is not playing a conference championship is in without a shadow of a doubt? That's been my entire argument with this whole system from the beginning.

[Chuck Norris]

If you believe in the grassy knoll theories and politics ... my theory with SMU is they are too scary. They are capable of beating a perceived big boy.

Curt's team, while a good story, isn't really a threat.

Let’s see how it plays out. If they can’t beat Clemson, I wouldn’t bet on them against the top teams. I hope they win.

[IUP24]

Exactly. The expanded tournament is giving the masses what they want, but the schools only agreed to a structure that consolidated the revenue. It's the same crap they did with basketball adding the play in games. Those benefit the #4 ACC team a million times more than the Horizon champion.

To be honest … I’m not sure it is giving the masses what they want….

IUPBigIndians says he wants theater and that most agree with him. I would challenge that. I talk to a lot of B1G people around Columbus who DONT like the format. They believe it devalues critically important games during the regular season. What good was OSU’s win over Penn State on the road when they’ll likely see them again on a neutral field? He might want Part 3 of Georgia or Texas, but do the masses want that? I’m honestly not sure. But to his point, I don’t think they want Tulane-Georgia either.

Some people want ALL the conference champions represented. I don’t agree with that format, but there’s validity in the ask, right?

Some people said they wanted “everyone who was deserving to have a shot”… Now they are realizing the teams that had fatigue of (Bama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, etc) now have 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances. And one of those types will win it all.

I think there were always so many viewpoints on what the proper way to go about this was. I don’t believe most are satisfied with how they are seeing this all shaking out when the rubber is meeting the proverbial road. Or… you could have been like me and wished it remained at 4 teams.

[IUP24]

If you believe in the grassy knoll theories and politics ... my theory with SMU is they are too scary. They are capable of beating a perceived big boy.

Curt's team, while a good story, isn't really a threat.

As I said, UCF never got a shot in 2017. Nobody wants those teams to crash the party.

SMU is a really good football team. I’ve watched them a lot this year. Whether Vegas favors somebody against them in a neutral field is irrelevant. SMU could lose the first game they play in the playoff. If they do, fine. That doesn’t mean they didn’t belong in the field or were not deserving.

But at the end of the day, SMU is cooked if they lose the ACC Championship. They averaged 682,667 viewers per game this year. That’s last in the ACC. Nothing else needs said.

[Fightingscot82]

If you believe in the grassy knoll theories and politics ... my theory with SMU is they are too scary. They are capable of beating a perceived big boy.

Curt's team, while a good story, isn't really a threat.

Exactly. The expanded tournament is giving the masses what they want, but the schools only agreed to a structure that consolidated the revenue. It's the same crap they did with basketball adding the play in games. Those benefit the #4 ACC team a million times more than the Horizon champion.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The argument against SMU is the same, but why is Indiana squarely in, but SMU is not? SMU could have scheduled somebody other than BYU and they would be 12-0.

This entire selection has proven that no competition outside of conference schedules in the B1G/SEC are valued at all. Miami’s resume is pretty similar to Penn State’s. One is squarely in, the other is out.

The only logical difference in any data point is that some teams play in the chosen 2 conferences. The others don’t. I’m willing to agree that the top end teams in those leagues are traditionally better than top teams in others, but to believe there is a seismic separation between them and everybody else (top to bottom) is simply inaccurate.

SMU probably won’t win the whole thing (I know they won’t). But they are deserving of a bid. That’s what this whole thing was always supposed to be about.

If you believe in the grassy knoll theories and politics ... my theory with SMU is they are too scary. They are capable of beating a perceived big boy.

Curt's team, while a good story, isn't really a threat.

[IUP24]

Penn State should have beaten The Overrated State University...that was a coaching choke job right there.

With payrolls now...there will be no Super Teams anymore...it;s why Saban got out...he lost his one big advantage he had over everyone...the big secret payroll.

Now everyone can pay...and he talent is going to spread out.

Indiana crushed a lot of teams on their schedule, they didn't make their conference schedule. Curt may start scheduling harder OOC games to bulk the resume.

They played three cupcakes OOC. That is why they will be at the bottom of the playoff rankings and going on the road for the first round.

They did play the two teams in the National Title Game last year...how is it their fault both teams dropped far this year?

This whole "they had an easy schedule" argument in college and pro foosball is just an excuse for fans of teams on the bubble who didn't do what they should have....

The argument against SMU is the same, but why is Indiana squarely in, but SMU is not? SMU could have scheduled somebody other than BYU and they would be 12-0.

This entire selection has proven that no competition outside of conference schedules in the B1G/SEC are valued at all. Miami’s resume is pretty similar to Penn State’s. One is squarely in, the other is out.

The only logical difference in any data point is that some teams play in the chosen 2 conferences. The others don’t. I’m willing to agree that the top end teams in those leagues are traditionally better than top teams in others, but to believe there is a seismic separation between them and everybody else (top to bottom) is simply inaccurate.

SMU probably won’t win the whole thing (I know they won’t). But they are deserving of a bid. That’s what this whole thing was always supposed to be about.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

FBS schedule criticism is a really weak argument - especially because many of these non-conference games are signed 4 or 5 years out. Pitt has a non-conference game scheduled for 2036. Remember when UCF was undefeated? They signed some big name non-conference games for the future but now are terrible. Schools are stuck with the conferences they're in and some schools don't have the luxury of jumping conferences just because its advantageous for football.

To me the only equalizer is having more crossover play including a wider funnel to the tournament.

You know the great thing about this 'controversy' ?

Everybody is talking about college football.

No such thing as bad publicity.

[Fightingscot82]

FBS schedule criticism is a really weak argument - especially because many of these non-conference games are signed 4 or 5 years out. Pitt has a non-conference game scheduled for 2036. Remember when UCF was undefeated? They signed some big name non-conference games for the future but now are terrible. Schools are stuck with the conferences they're in and some schools don't have the luxury of jumping conferences just because its advantageous for football.

To me the only equalizer is having more crossover play including a wider funnel to the tournament.

[Fightingscot82]

ESPN is not doing well..how can they afford to state useless games?

Because they still profit from the advertising.

[Chuck Norris]

Penn State should have beaten The Overrated State University...that was a coaching choke job right there.

With payrolls now...there will be no Super Teams anymore...it;s why Saban got out...he lost his one big advantage he had over everyone...the big secret payroll.

Now everyone can pay...and he talent is going to spread out.

Indiana crushed a lot of teams on their schedule, they didn't make their conference schedule. Curt may start scheduling harder OOC games to bulk the resume.

They played three cupcakes OOC. That is why they will be at the bottom of the playoff rankings and going on the road for the first round.

They did play the two teams in the National Title Game last year...how is it their fault both teams dropped far this year?

This whole "they had an easy schedule" argument in college and pro foosball is just an excuse for fans of teams on the bubble who didn't do what they should have....

Indiana did nothing wrong. They can’t control the conference schedule or who is good from one year to the next. I have no issue with them being in the playoff. You said the playoff will encourage teams to beef up their schedule and I disagree especially when it comes to the SEC and B1G. Indiana is proof it’s not necessary. Teams in the SEC and B1G just need to win, regardless of who it’s against. There’s no reason for those teams to beef up their schedule. The possibility of improving your seed by winning a tough OOC game isn’t worth the risk of losing that game and missing the playoff altogether.

[Ship69]

Penn State should have beaten The Overrated State University...that was a coaching choke job right there.

With payrolls now...there will be no Super Teams anymore...it;s why Saban got out...he lost his one big advantage he had over everyone...the big secret payroll.

Now everyone can pay...and he talent is going to spread out.

Indiana crushed a lot of teams on their schedule, they didn't make their conference schedule. Curt may start scheduling harder OOC games to bulk the resume.

They played three cupcakes OOC. That is why they will be at the bottom of the playoff rankings and going on the road for the first round.

They did play the two teams in the National Title Game last year...how is it their fault both teams dropped far this year?

This whole "they had an easy schedule" argument in college and pro foosball is just an excuse for fans of teams on the bubble who didn't do what they should have....

Well, there is another thing about Indiana. They were able to beat Michigan, and Ohio State was not. While winning the big games gets headlines, you also have to beat the teams your talent level dictates you should beat. That's why I don't think Alabama should be in the playoff. They lost to two 6-6 teams. A program with their talent level shouldn't have lost either of those games, let alone two of them. It's the equivalent of PSU losing both the USC and Minnesota games this season, and I'd put USC up against either Vanderbilt or Mizzou this year.