“Big Ten eyes 24-team CFP, no league championship games”

LionsAndBears

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2009
2,207
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I'm all for the sentiment. I agree with the expanded format, the elimination of the Conference Championship Games, the 2 home games in the first 2 Rounds and the elimination of rematches in Round 1.

What I don't agree with is playing 2 weeks into January. CFB should end on New Years Day. I think that is a natural ending point and it would reduce the issue of coaches leaving prior to the end of the playoffs and it would end the season before the Transfer Portal opens. The season may need to start a week earlier but I think this is necessary to stop some of the problems we see with CFB right now.
 

ClarkstonMark

All-Conference
May 23, 2002
1,614
2,611
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I'm all for the sentiment. I agree with the expanded format, the elimination of the Conference Championship Games, the 2 home games in the first 2 Rounds and the elimination of rematches in Round 1.

What I don't agree with is playing 2 weeks into January. CFB should end on New Years Day. I think that is a natural ending point and it would reduce the issue of coaches leaving prior to the end of the playoffs and it would end the season before the Transfer Portal opens. The season may need to start a week earlier but I think this is necessary to stop some of the problems we see with CFB right now.
going 2 weeks into Jan affects 4 teams. Not a problem
 

psuro

Heisman
Aug 24, 2001
9,275
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Catch1lion

All-American
Oct 12, 2021
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going 2 weeks into Jan affects 4 teams. Not a problem
Possibly the 4 teams with the most depth and the most intriguing portal players . Domino theory with filling slots and Nil spending creates challenges . Plus probably the most desirable coordinators and assistant coaches that could be transferring out.
 
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BUFFALO LION

All-Conference
Oct 4, 2001
1,045
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This would be a gold mine for Notre Dame. They’d be all but guaranteed anywhere from 4 to 20 million dollars per year they wouldn’t have to share with anyone. Can’t believe the Big Ten is for this crap and giving Notre Dame a life line.

The 4-4-2-2-1-3 model the Big Ten and the SEC originally came up with was exponentially better. Less of a chance for politics and Notre Dame would have to earn their way in or join a freakin Conference.
 

KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
5,509
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This would be a gold mine for Notre Dame. They’d be all but guaranteed anywhere from 4 to 20 million dollars per year they wouldn’t have to share with anyone. Can’t believe the Big Ten is for this crap and giving Notre Dame a life line.

The 4-4-2-2-1-3 model the Big Ten and the SEC originally came up with was exponentially better. Less of a chance for politics and Notre Dame would have to earn their way in or join a freakin Conference.
16 would be temporary...it was always going to get to 24. Just rip the bandaid off
 

MtNittany

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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I am assuming Penn State is Team #25 and therefore not eligible?
 

PSUFTG

All-Conference
Nov 1, 2021
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If the big 10 presidents were smart they would fire tony petitti immediately. Not that it matters, I guess, since “college” football is already cooked.
Very bad hire when it was made (A background in sports media content? - and damn little else? - is NOT what was critically needed at the Big Ten head table. Nor any of the other conferences, obviously. More than anything else, that was the one component the conferences, and more importantly their partners, had a good handle on.)

Since the hire? Better than Warren (pretty low hurdle), far worse than Delaney.

What the Big Ten obviously needed (and all the major conferences, really) was leadership that could bring together the various parties (especially the conferences) for the betterment of the "game" (the game being big $ college sports)
All of them have failed MISERABLY in that regard: though I have a hunch Sankey could be effective there, at least for a somewhat winnowed down pool of "big boys", if given half a chance and any foresight/cooperation from some of the others. Petitti hurts rather than helps in that regard (highlighted by his pay day loan fiasco - which would have certainly feathered his personal nest)
 
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KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
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I think they should focus on the transfer portal mess before they look to expand the playoff to 136 teams lol.
They aren't fixing the portal but you all have to stop pretending 24 teams is inviting everyone. It works in FCS and is still a reasonable percentage of teams
 

Ludd

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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There goes everyone’s hope for tougher schedules. Every 10-2 team on the planet will make it, so look for the cupcakes.
 

KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
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There goes everyone’s hope for tougher schedules. Every 10-2 team on the planet will make it, so look for the cupcakes.
It gives more reason for good games because 9-3 gets you in...8-4 with a strong schedule does. Unlike Texas being penaltized this year for scheduling Ohio State they get in.

Schedules can't get ant worse...at least not our schedule.
 

LMTLION

All-Conference
Mar 20, 2008
1,351
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Absolutely hate 24. I would be happy with a conference tournament followed by an elite 8 playoff.
 
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Ludd

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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It gives more reason for good games because 9-3 gets you in...8-4 with a strong schedule does. Unlike Texas being penaltized this year for scheduling Ohio State they get in.

Schedules can't get ant worse...at least not our schedule.
9-3 gets you in unless there are a bunch of 10-2’s. 8-4 won’t make it.
 

WPA

Redshirt
Oct 24, 2025
5
8
3
Two things at work here.
1.) It's a necssary prelude to further conference expansion.
2,) It's being strongly pushed by the B10 media partners who want more big name match-ups for their schedules.

24-team playoff ---> Conference expansion ---> Media partners happier heading into next contract talks ---> more $$$$
 
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NewEra 2026

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
700
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This would be a gold mine for Notre Dame. They’d be all but guaranteed anywhere from 4 to 20 million dollars per year they wouldn’t have to share with anyone. Can’t believe the Big Ten is for this crap and giving Notre Dame a life line.

The 4-4-2-2-1-3 model the Big Ten and the SEC originally came up with was exponentially better. Less of a chance for politics and Notre Dame would have to earn their way in or join a freakin Conference.
This. The CFP needs to have well-defined performance criteria to make the playoff, and get away from selection-based criteria from a committee. The single most important change CFB can make.
 
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RolexKong

Junior
Aug 15, 2025
327
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Two things at work here.
1.) It's a necssary prelude to further conference expansion.
2,) It's being strongly pushed by the B10 media partners who want more big name match-ups for their schedules.

24-team playoff ---> Conference expansion ---> Media partners happier heading into next contract talks ---> more $$$$
ESPN says "hold my beer."
 

KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
5,509
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Suddenly going to change the entire history of the sport…got it.
It's not changing the history of anything
10-2 or better with weak schedules (see Boise State and others) meant nothing. Conferences will play 10 Conference games soon. There's no way for legit programs to avoid playing decent schedules. Weaker conferences will never get the benefit of the doubt. You'll absolutely see 8-4 Big Ten and SEC teams like you'd have seen Iowa last year
 

PSUForever

All-Conference
Feb 17, 2007
1,355
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I am glad these conference championship games are going to go away. I know there are financial considerations but they will get that done.

It is also smart to put more of the games on campus sites and reward top seeds with a home game. This year was ridiculous that IU had to go all the way to Pasadena to play Alabama. In '24, if Oregon got OSU in Eugene then maybe they win?

These bowl games are not going away. They are woven into the fabric of CFB. So rotating quarterfinals and semis among the bowls is something that won't go away.

I still think playing the championship in mid January is too late. I would like to see the two semis played on Jan 1 then play the final about a week to ten days later. Play one less game in the regular season to create room in the calendar. I know you would lose two games around News Years but with the current schedule the championship game gets lost with the NFL playoffs in full swing.
 
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Ludd

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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It's not changing the history of anything
10-2 or better with weak schedules (see Boise State and others) meant nothing. Conferences will play 10 Conference games soon. There's no way for legit programs to avoid playing decent schedules. Weaker conferences will never get the benefit of the doubt. You'll absolutely see 8-4 Big Ten and SEC teams like you'd have seen Iowa last year
Maybe an 8-4 SEC team, but likely not a Big team.
 

Bkmtnittany1

All-American
Jan 12, 2014
5,689
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Hey Knicks… guess who has 15 posts in the last 10 days where all he posted were emoji’s! Fvcking hypocrite!!!
 
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