Quote:The concept of G5 conferences not being treated as equals really bothers me. Every conference champion gets a shot in NCAA basketball, and it only makes the tournament that much better. And who is to say every P5 champion is better than the G5 champions?
I agree. It's also about EARNING a playoff spot. You could have a conference champ not quite as good as someone else in their conference. Do you hand the better one the conference champ rings? No. Same with going into a playoff. #4 SEC -- are they going to be better than #1 Sun-Belt? YES. But that SEC team lost their in-conference playoff, behind two others.
The best (put in a book by an ESPN guy): 16 team playoff. You STILL have bowls -- even nice big ones outside of this. Here's my take on it (and tweaks):
All G5 and P5 Champs go. It makes the playoffs more exciting than an 8-team playoff. Add in cinderellas, add another round. When a Cinderella goes to 2nd round? Holy sh!!t.
10 Auto-Qualifiers: SEC, PAC12, B1G, ACC, B12 Champs + AAC, MW, MAC, CUSA, Sun-Belt Champs
6 At-Large:
- No More than 2 teams from same conference in all of playoff unless 3rd is Ranked in Top 8 -- 3 MAX in that case.
- Notre Dame (or other Independents) Must be Ranked in Top 16 for Guaranteed Birth - Only 1 Independent unless 2nd is Ranked in Top 8
- In by Highest Rank
- Two conference teams cannot play 1st round
PROS:
- Makes Conference Championships BIG -- no matter where you are
- Makes a team think twice about joining another conference or a conference expanding to 16 or even 14 (which is just for TV revenue)
- Adds Real Cinderella effect
CONS:
- It won't be Top 16 teams in the nation (but is the NCAA tourney the Top 64? No, nor does it aim to be.)
- More like Top 9 teams + other Top 12-25 + 3-4 unranked
IMO, the "CONS" are aiming in a different expectation/direction. Just because a tournament expands, doesn't mean they're trying to get THE top X-amount of teams there. You could have an 8-team playoff with the TOP 8, or you could go 16 to still have those Top 8 and then some, but those who EARNED A SPOT -- "wildcard" entries who earned a wildcard by WINNING their own reg-season "playoff".
Right Now It'd be (with assumptions of winners of CONF champ games by ranking now):
AUTO P5: #1 Miss St (SEC), #2 Florida St (ACC), #4 Baylor (B12), #6 Michigan St (B1G), #9 Oregon (P12)
AUTO P5: #16 E Carolina (AAC), #24 Marshall (CUSA), #37 Colorado St (MW), Georgia Southern (Sun-Belt), Bowling Green (MAC)
6 AT-LARGE: #3 Ole Miss (SEC), #5 Notre Dame (IND), #7 Alabama (SEC), #11 Oklahoma (B12), #13 Ohio State (B1G), #17 Arizona (P12)
(1) Miss State vs (16) Bowling Green
*
(8) Oregon vs (9) Oklahoma
(5) Notre Dame vs (12) Arizona
(4) Ole Miss vs (13) Marshall
(6) Michigan St vs (11) E Carolina
(3) Baylor vs (14) Colorado St
(7) Alabama vs (10) Ohio State
(2) Florida State vs (15) Georgia Southern
Would you rather see THIS, or a 4-team playoff? Or even an 8-team playoff? I'd rather see THAT.
* In 2013, Bowling Green lost 21-20 @Miss State. Just sayin'. :)