OT: D1

[IUP24]

D1 at least isn't playing its national title game in the E8. So, it has that going for it (unlike D2).

I'm pretty sure that almost every sport has unbalanced seeding in their playoff formats. The year the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2017, three of the NHL's top four teams based on points were in the Metro division and only one remained to reach the conference final (Penguins ousted Columbus and Washington). Baseball has tried to adjust their playoff format to avoid one game ending a season, but that doesn't necessarily eliminate the best 2 teams in baseball meeting long before the World Series. Buffalo and KC have been the best 2 teams in football the last number of years. You can easily argue that the Super Bowl was played in the Divisional Round the last 2 seasons.

[IUP24]

I agree about Indiana have said as much. I hope SMU gets in win or lose. Miami screwed the ACC by stumbling to the finish. If they were 12-0 or 11-1 and playing SMU tomorrow, both teams probably make it, unless one obliterated the other.

The Big 12 somewhat cannabalizing itself and having its top teams pretty much come from out of nowhere got us here too. A lot of things broke right right for Alabama to re-enter the conversation.

I agree. It's hard for me to justify much of any of this outside of name recognition and conference biases that exist within the committee. Miami gets eyeballs just like Alabama and the others. Good wins are fine, but you can't ignore losses either. That's my entire issue with some of this. An SEC team loses, it's excused because "it just means more." There are people all through this thread that support and justify that as being logical to them.

Kentucky is a bad team. They beat Ole Miss in Oxford. Why are they even in the conversation? Oklahoma is terrible. They throttled Alabama. At some point the losses have to matter too.

As I've pointed out, Miami's resume feels and looks a lot like Penn State. They got some fortunate breaks in games. They won some games late. They didn't look all that imposing or consistently elite week in and week out. That's not to discount either team. But I feel that Miami's losses to GT and Syracuse are 'better' than Ole Miss losing to Kentucky at home, or Alabama losing to Oklahoma. Not everyone agrees, and that's okay. But at some point, the losses have to matter too.

[Chuck Norris]

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.

I agree about Indiana have said as much. I hope SMU gets in win or lose. Miami screwed the ACC by stumbling to the finish. If they were 12-0 or 11-1 and playing SMU tomorrow, both teams probably make it, unless one obliterated the other.

The Big 12 somewhat cannabalizing itself and having its top teams pretty much come from out of nowhere got us here too. A lot of things broke right right for Alabama to re-enter the conversation.

[IUPNation]

Because IUP plays in what is a G5 conference in D2. We're the MAC of D2.

But the Pee Sack is the SEC of Region 1!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Because IUP plays in what is a G5 conference in D2. We're the MAC of D2.

D1 at least isn't playing its national title game in the E8. So, it has that going for it (unlike D2).

[Fightingscot82]

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

Why is IUP always the doomsday example lol

Because IUP plays in what is a G5 conference in D2. We're the MAC of D2.

[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.