8-team Playoff good for college football? The takes are flying with no general consensus
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The latest College Football Playoff decision brought the usual grumbling from those left out, but this year’s controversies appear to have struck a serious chord among college football decision-makers.
On Wednesday, The Athletic released a report claiming that some top administrators are pushing for an eight-team Playoff sooner rather than later.
https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1072869606744707073
This discussion comes after two Power 5 champions — Ohio State and Washington — failed to qualify for the Playoff thanks to Notre Dame snagging a spot following an undefeated season. Add in two-loss, non-SEC champion Georgia being the highest-ranked team outside of the Playoff and UCF missing out again despite a 25-game winning streak, this season set the stage for the fiercest expansion debate yet.
Naturally, many in the media weighed in on the report, with a wide range of reactions. Many oppose the idea of expansion for various reasons, while others think it would be beneficial, even for the SEC.
An 8-team playoff would only be approved if the five conference champions, top Group of Five team and two at-large teams get in.
Should Northwestern, Pitt, Utah and Washington have the same access to a national title as Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Oklahoma? Nope.
— Barrett Sallee ?? (@BarrettSallee) December 4, 2018
I do not understand how these “perceived” issues with the playoff format get solved with expansion?
Lack of consistent criteria, the southeastern region winning everything and treatment of G5s ain’t getting fixed with expansion.
— Braden Gall (@BradenGall) December 12, 2018
They complained when it was an all SEC final in 2012, so we got a CFB Playoff.
They complained when it was all SEC final in 2017 & when they were left out in 2018, so now they want to expand.
They’ll complain when we eventually go to 6 or 8 as well. https://t.co/8LY3m0M39B
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) December 12, 2018
Big 12, Big 10 and Pac12: MAKE THE PLAYOFF 8 TEAMS!
(SEC gets three teams in)
Same bunch: CHEATERS— Mark Passwaters (@mbpRivals) December 12, 2018
Reminder: @dannykanell is ALL IN on an 8-team playoffpic.twitter.com/qYlJgfT9TM
— Cover 3 Podcast (@Cover3Podcast) December 12, 2018
The all SEC title game between Bama and LSU got us a four team playoff & Bama and Georgia playing for the playoff title may get us eight teams. But an 8 team playoff means many years will have three SEC teams so it’s great for SEC. Makes SEC titles even more likely, not less.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 12, 2018
The year is 2022. Sportswriters across the nation are demanding a 16-team playoff after the SEC gets four teams into the 8-team playoff for the second year in a row.
— Matt Scalici (@MattScalici) December 12, 2018
Stadium Network’s Brett McMurphy even contributed to the reporting by sharing how the SEC currently views an eight-team Playoff.
https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1072896077274206208
This is all just speculation at the moment, but it’s a conversation worth having if college football’s leaders are indeed pushing for Playoff expansion. So, do you think an eight-team Playoff would be good for the sport?
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
