With all the controversy involving selection of the four team playoff field, there has been many calling for the field to expand to eight. Two of the biggest obstacles that have been mentioned to doing this are the objection of college presidents to adding an additional game to the season and the push back of the Bowl system facing incorporation of or eliminating Bowl games.
I know this would never happen, but think outside the box here. This solution would solve a multitude of problems. The biggest problem to the selection of the four team playoff is the conference championship games. These games, while making huge money serve no real purpose other than maybe eliminate more deserving teams. Here is how you can make these games meaningful and still maintain the Bowls.
Replace the conference championship games with an eight team playoff starting the same week as now, the weekend after the regular season. You can have a selection committee announce the seeded field the Sunday after the regular season. Then playoff weekend would be hosted by the higher seeded team. The winning team advances to the semi final Bowl games just like now. The losing teams can still be selected for whatever Bowl game the conference designates when you have the regular Bowl selection show just like now. This would satisfy the bowl system and also create a more meaningful weekend of football instead of conference championships that often don't produce a playoff team anyway. Also no additional games added to the season. The only problem would be the conferences crowning a champion. That would require the conferences rethink how they do it. Perhaps have one division or crown the team with the best record if you keep the two divisions.
I know this would never happen, but think outside the box here. This solution would solve a multitude of problems. The biggest problem to the selection of the four team playoff is the conference championship games. These games, while making huge money serve no real purpose other than maybe eliminate more deserving teams. Here is how you can make these games meaningful and still maintain the Bowls.
Replace the conference championship games with an eight team playoff starting the same week as now, the weekend after the regular season. You can have a selection committee announce the seeded field the Sunday after the regular season. Then playoff weekend would be hosted by the higher seeded team. The winning team advances to the semi final Bowl games just like now. The losing teams can still be selected for whatever Bowl game the conference designates when you have the regular Bowl selection show just like now. This would satisfy the bowl system and also create a more meaningful weekend of football instead of conference championships that often don't produce a playoff team anyway. Also no additional games added to the season. The only problem would be the conferences crowning a champion. That would require the conferences rethink how they do it. Perhaps have one division or crown the team with the best record if you keep the two divisions.
