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From ESPN.com:

American Athletic Conference boss Mike Aresco calls guaranteeing each Power 5 champion a CFP berth 'step in the wrong direction'

Heather Dinich
ESPN Senior Writer

In response to a statement released Friday by outgoing Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco told ESPN on Saturday that guaranteeing each Power 5 conference champion a spot in a potential 12-team playoff format would be "an enormous step in the wrong direction."

Aresco said the Pac-12 was the only conference to raise the issue this week at the two-day College Football Playoff meetings in Chicago, where all 10 FBS commissioners met to formally review a proposal for a 12-team format. After the meetings on Friday, Scott released a statement saying the Pac-12 "supports expansion of the CFP and believes that the Autonomy Five champions should annually qualify for the CFP."

"I didn't sense any other traction for it," Aresco said. "That would be an enormous step in the wrong direction from ..."

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Mike Asesco is spot-on. The six best conference champions should get automatic qualification. If that means two Group of 5 Conference Champs are in, but the PAC 12 Champ isn't, that means their Champ would need to be one of six at large teams selected. If the PAC 12 doesn't like that, it means the conference isn't deserving.

Remember only the top 4 get a first round bye. In the end, this should be about merit.

If it’s to be truly fair, the 12 best teams should play in the playoffs — regardless of conference.

ponyboy wrote:If it’s to be truly fair, the 12 best teams should play in the playoffs — regardless of conference.

Agreed, but the country would suffer from SEC fatigue watching Clemson, Ohio State and all SEC teams every year.

It's kind of funny thinking anybody would actually take anything the Pac-10 commissioner says seriously.

Otto wrote:

ponyboy wrote:If it’s to be truly fair, the 12 best teams should play in the playoffs — regardless of conference.

Agreed, but the country would suffer from SEC fatigue watching Clemson, Ohio State and all SEC teams every year.

Cincinnati and BYU would have made a 12-team playoff last year.

ponyboy wrote:

Otto wrote:

ponyboy wrote:If it’s to be truly fair, the 12 best teams should play in the playoffs — regardless of conference.

Agreed, but the country would suffer from SEC fatigue watching Clemson, Ohio State and all SEC teams every year.

Cincinnati and BYU would have made a 12-team playoff last year.

That’s hard to say. I could see a committee changing their ranking a little bit if 12 teams are in…

True. Strength of schedule will be a bigger factor in the rankings if it goes to 12 teams.

Follow the money....the current P-5 group will exert the necessary pressure to keep the cabal operating no matter what the number of participants...and keep the money flowing to the select few. We ain't one of the "few".

The USSC ruling regarding NIL is going to be a key in this whole adventure as well. The NCAA has likely bleated the final decree about "amateurism" as a legal defense of their position, and it was shot down in spades. Now it is a question of contracts with the major bowls, and television rights....and money. It all comes down to sharing that pie, and the greedy will choose to be even greedier before that happens.

SMU should approach this time as artfully and creatively as they did in the late 70's and early 80's...only this time under the guise of NIL compliance. Since the NCAA is still at this late date trying to come up with some type of universal guidelines and likely won't before July 1, our plan should be as aggressive as possible. This is going to be very interesting, and going to change the landscape of recruiting and compensation exponentially.

I'm chipping in my $25 dollars...and a used '71 VW Bug for the next Heisman Trophy candidate coming to SMU

peruna81 wrote:Follow the money....the current P-5 group will exert the necessary pressure to keep the cabal operating no matter what the number of participants...and keep the money flowing to the select few. We ain't one of the "few".

The USSC ruling regarding NIL is going to be a key in this whole adventure as well. The NCAA has likely bleated the final decree about "amateurism" as a legal defense of their position, and it was shot down in spades. Now it is a question of contracts with the major bowls, and television rights....and money. It all comes down to sharing that pie, and the greedy will choose to be even greedier before that happens.

SMU should approach this time as artfully and creatively as they did in the late 70's and early 80's...only this time under the guise of NIL compliance. Since the NCAA is still at this late date trying to come up with some type of universal guidelines and likely won't before July 1, our plan should be as aggressive as possible. This is going to be very interesting, and going to change the landscape of recruiting and compensation exponentially.

I'm chipping in my $25 dollars...and a used '71 VW Bug for the next Heisman Trophy candidate coming to SMU

I think the private schools might actually be able to find a way to justify a higher "cost of education" stipend for athletes. Will get interesting, I'm sure.