ABC News: Playoff is a problem for the little guy

[Big12Mustang]

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/playoff-pr ... d=24997002

Interesting take on the new CFP era.

[San Antonio Mustang]

YEP!

[Charleston Pony]

highly unlikely one of the top 4 teams in the country will ever come out of one of the lesser conferences, but not impossible. If SMU had a team strong enough to dominate the AAC and roll through our non-conference schedule with convincing wins, I would like to think the committee would have to take notice and give us consideration. If we had a team strong enough to do that this year, we might still finish outside the top 4 (would probably require Baylor or TCU and A&M to go on and win the Big XII and SEC titles) but if SMU did that the next season with a similar schedule...then I think you get public opinion demanding that little old SMU be given a shot at the playoffs regardless of their conference affiliation.

[PoconoPony]

highly unlikely one of the top 4 teams in the country will ever come out of one of the lesser conferences, but not impossible. If SMU had a team strong enough to dominate the AAC and roll through our non-conference schedule with convincing wins, I would like to think the committee would have to take notice and give us consideration. If we had a team strong enough to do that this year, we might still finish outside the top 4 (would probably require Baylor or TCU and A&M to go on and win the Big XII and SEC titles) but if SMU did that the next season with a similar schedule...then I think you get public opinion demanding that little old SMU be given a shot at the playoffs regardless of their conference affiliation.

You are correct; however, your example is predicated on playing a very strong non-conference schedule. Many on this board complain that our non-conference schedule the past couple of years plus this year is too difficult and that our goals should only be wins against who cares teams and play in some unheard of who cares bowl game. The current AD even cancelled the Baylor game last year believing/knowing we were not competitive. When the current schedule was made those planners fully expected our team to be competitive and challenging for national rankings and attention. They understood that the schedule was with old rivalries who would fill the stadiums, allow the students to travel to close by games, revive regional interest and give us a shot at national bowl games. Bottom line is that you cannot have it both ways. You must either play a big time non-conference schedule and be competitive and/or play bottom tier teams who have zero fan interest in order to play in the potato bowl game in Twin Falls, Idaho. We learned this lesson last year with a great basketball team who could not crack a 68 team NCAA tournament because of our perceive weak non-conference schedule.

[Krieg]

highly unlikely one of the top 4 teams in the country will ever come out of one of the lesser conferences, but not impossible. If SMU had a team strong enough to dominate the AAC and roll through our non-conference schedule with convincing wins, I would like to think the committee would have to take notice and give us consideration. If we had a team strong enough to do that this year, we might still finish outside the top 4 (would probably require Baylor or TCU and A&M to go on and win the Big XII and SEC titles) but if SMU did that the next season with a similar schedule...then I think you get public opinion demanding that little old SMU be given a shot at the playoffs regardless of their conference affiliation.

Yep, I completely agree with you. It will take probably 2 straight really good years for a non-P5 team to make the playoff. Boise and TCU would've back when they were good, but it took them 2-3 years of huge success to get high enough in the polls and I'd imagine the committee will work the same way.

To add to that, though, I don't think you'd have to have an OOC schedule like the one this year. Yes, you would need at least one solid P5 team but you sure don't have to have 3. Boise and TCU never had more than 1 and most of the time they didn't even have that!

[Charleston Pony]

highly unlikely one of the top 4 teams in the country will ever come out of one of the lesser conferences, but not impossible. If SMU had a team strong enough to dominate the AAC and roll through our non-conference schedule with convincing wins, I would like to think the committee would have to take notice and give us consideration. If we had a team strong enough to do that this year, we might still finish outside the top 4 (would probably require Baylor or TCU and A&M to go on and win the Big XII and SEC titles) but if SMU did that the next season with a similar schedule...then I think you get public opinion demanding that little old SMU be given a shot at the playoffs regardless of their conference affiliation.

Yep, I completely agree with you. It will take probably 2 straight really good years for a non-P5 team to make the playoff. Boise and TCU would've back when they were good, but it took them 2-3 years of huge success to get high enough in the polls and I'd imagine the committee will work the same way.

To add to that, though, I don't think you'd have to have an OOC schedule like the one this year. Yes, you would need at least one solid P5 team but you sure don't have to have 3. Boise and TCU never had more than 1 and most of the time they didn't even have that!

One win against a quality opponent means nothing to someone who wins a P5 conference and has at least 4-5 quality wins. To get in, you have to convince the committee you are better than the champions of at lest 2 of the P5 conferences. Good luck with just one big non-conference win. Would be unusual to have more than 1 quality win in our conference schedule