LISTEN: Danny Kanell argues that we need an 8-team Playoff 'more than ever'
Another bowl season has come and gone, and now all that’s left to play is the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, which will feature Alabama against Clemson.
CBS analyst and former Florida State QB Danny Kanell has long argued for the expansion of the Playoff to eight teams, and this bowl season only confirmed that opinion, in his mind.
As you can see in the video below, Kanell points to players sitting out and a solid performance by UCF as reasons why expansion needs to happen soon:
If you think @dannykanell is changing his stance on the NEED for an 8-team playoff, you got another thing coming. pic.twitter.com/QvHpvdCXxP
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 3, 2019
“I think we learned more than ever that we need an eight-team Playoff,” he said. “Look at UCF. They’ve been asking for a chance, a seat at the table, forever. What did they do? They proved, yet again, that they can go toe-to-toe with a powerhouse from the SEC. And I get that LSU didn’t have a lot of their starters, but UCF didn’t have their Heisman Trophy-candidate QB McKenzie Milton who would have made a world of difference. And yet, UCF was still able to put up 32 points.
“You know what else I learned? Guys that want to skip their bowl games because playing in a New Year’s 6 bowl game isn’t enough to raise their draft stock — you’re telling me they would sit out if there was a Playoff at stake? A championship at stake? We need to make it enticing for players to play in the postseason, and that’s what an eight-team Playoff will do.”
There are more discussions being had about expansion every year, so we’ll see if it does happen down the line. For now, though, it’s four teams, much to the chagrin of Kanell and others.
Did he watch this game? No analysis with half a brain would conclude they went toe to toe.
I think you just answered why he thinks like he does.
UCF scored on a pick six and a field goal after a muffed punt. To imply that their offense was effective after gaining only 250 yards on mostly second, third, and not even on the depth chart defensive players is a joke. LSU was down to five total defensive linemen and three corners of which one was a WR. I can’t imagine what the true playoff teams would have done against that depleted defense.
And the pick 6 was off of a missed defensive holding at that
Every time that knucklehead speaks I cringe. Of course the games confirmed his opinion. He never thinks he is wrong. Milton is a good QB but he was never a candidate. The QB would have made a difference but 9 staters from a top 20 defense was no big deal. The game I saw proved UCF didn’t deserve to be in any more than UGA. Wonder what the jag nut will say when a projected 1st rounder sits a NC game for fear of injury.
Ya the two playoffs games didn’t show me we need to expand all that ends up doing is creating worse matchups and bigger blowouts. Plus then top players from 9-12 ranked teams would have sat at their bowl games still. The problem is that some years there will be multiple good teams and some years there won’t be more the. 1 or 2 good teams.
I don’t think Danny Kanell thinks very well, or very often. The committee can’t get four right, imagine twice as many chances to screw things up. Here’s the big thing, unless the players get well paid, and well insured, for post season play,,,where are they going to get any NFL draft level players to play ( at big risk, and for free )? I wouldn’t unless I thought it would good for my future. They are near a college you know, which means they have access to decent advice, even if they happen to be a little slow with such things as risk,,,,the coach won’t do it.
Expanding the playoffs would mean the remaining bowl games are less meaningful, and therefore, even more players would be sitting out.
How about a 6 team playoff but the 1 and 2 teams sit out the first round while 3 and 6 and 4 and 5 play each other..kind of a mini version of NFL. But I am fine with what we have now just wish the voters would not put the likes of ND in when they were obvious weak links when they could barely beat a 5 win USC team.
In my scenario..3 ND woukd have played 6 Ohio State and 5 UGA would have played 4 OU and I think UGA wins and OSU wins and then Ohio state would have played Bama and UGA plays Clemson. But this still makes all other bowls more meaninglessness and more guys sit out. The bowls just need more incentive. Like what if the Heisman(all individual awards) trophy wasnt given out during the year but after all bowls are played. That would at least give a couple of extra guys more incentive to keep playing and play to their potential actually
There will never be a perfect scenario or one that eliminates lots of these players sitting. The money has just gotten too big. The money is what has ruined the NFL for me. Extremely swollen heads and egos. Divas as the Houston chronicle writer calls em. It or at least a large part of it comes from all the dough. 20 year olds with visions of ferraris and trophy wives among other things… players sitting is going to get worse, I believe, not better, regardless of what the playoff scenario is.
Heisman-trophy candidate quarterback?
No.
Just no.
The big argument against expansion is that only 1 of the next 4 would-be eligible teams won their bowl games. OSU beat #9 Wash. But Georgia lost to #15 Texas, Michigan got blasted by #10 UF, and UCF lost to #11 LSU.
Kanell: “but UCF didn’t have their Heisman Trophy-candidate QB McKenzie Milton who would have made a world of difference.” Well, Mack actually outplayed Milton when each played Memphis.
Milton stats: 17/29 for 296 1 TD no interceptions 11 carries for -11 yds and 1 TD
Mack stats: 19/27 for 348 2 TDs no interceptions 18 carries for 59 yds and 4 TDs
Danny will never be happy. Sooo why waste your time listening to what he wants.
Danny gets on every single nerve I have.
Miss Kanell always has an argument. She just never has a well reasoned one.
This theory that UCF would be so much better with Milton is just speculation. Does anyone look for evidence? Fact of the matter is UCF played Memphis (the best team on their regular season schedule) twice. They did better without Milton. That’s a fact. The rest is fantasy. Deal with it.