2024-2025 College Football Playoff

I just want to say that we should have / could have beat the national champions. 
 

Another moral victory for our mostly empty 2000s trophy case. 

 
No, you made the argument that casual fans lose interest.  The viewership contradicts that statement.  From the article - In total, the non-Championship game ratings averaged 14.84 million viewers, higher than the average viewership of last year's New Year's Six bowl games of 13.5 million viewers.
Again, I’m not sure what you are trying to prove?  You are comparing viewership of playoff games to viewership of non playoff games.  
 

If a sport is successful and fun to watch, its playoff viewership is almost always going to be watched more than non playoff games.  So why would we compare this years playoff to last years Cotton Bowl for instance?   
 

If you want to compare apples to apples, one could accurately state, based on viewership numbers, that the semifinals last year were watched by more people than the semifinals this year.   Maybe that’s because of more compelling teams?  Maybe it’s because of dates the games took place on?   I’m not sure, but less eyeballs watched em.  

 
Hasn't the championship game been on a Monday for more than a decade now? I get that it's usually earlier in the month but it does seem like there's a lot more fuss about it being on a Monday than normal.

Personally it just feels a bit too late to me. I understand the desire to want to play some of these important playoff games at traditional bowl game sites like the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 but having the game on Jan. 20 just feels... weirdly late. I feel like the play-in for the title games should be around the New Year and then the title game can be within a week or two of that not 3-4 weeks later deep in the middle of the NFL playoffs.
Monday....whatever.  I've never liked it, but....so be it.

However, what seemed the most odd to me is that the time between games in the playoffs was more than a week.  Maybe it was somehow getting around the NFL schedule.  But....it just didn't make sense to me.

That said, even if you take out our bowl game, I watched WAY more post season college football this year than I have in a very very long time and that was, in large part, because of the expanded playoffs.

 
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However, what seemed the most odd to me is that the time between games in the playoffs was more than a week.  Maybe it was somehow getting around the NFL schedule.  But....it just didn't make sense to me.
Yeah I'm not really sure what led to the disparate timings, but my best guess is that it was impacted by holidays, the NFL, and the desire to align the games with some of the traditional bowl sites/dates.

Overall, the playoffs lasted 32 days. 10 days between the first round and quarter finals, 8-9 days between the quarters and semis, and 11 days between semis and national. Started on Dec. 20. The conference championships were I think Dec. 7 so it was about two weeks later that the playoffs started.

I'm not smart enough to know why they did what they did, I'm sure they had their reasons, so that caveat aside... it did feel a) too long and b) that it all started kind of late.

That said, even if you take out our bowl game, I watched WAY more post season college football this year than I have in a very very long time and that was, in large part, because of the expanded playoffs.
Same. The playoffs were a huge draw for me. Obviously, a lot of the games quickly became duds, but it was much more entertaining and exciting to see teams play games that actually mattered towards the championship and it kind of fueled my overall general interest in the sport even for the regular bowl games.

 
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I wonder if Ohio State fans care what happened this season because they didn't beat Michigan.
Just wanted to share that my OSU buddies say it’s 50-50. They still can’t brag too much, and had been very humble leading up to this game because of Michigan. Even now it’s the season review always has the “but that Michigan game…” statement. So I was ok with them winning.

whereas my Notre dame friends are bragging they made it to the ship even after losing.

 
Monday....whatever.  I've never liked it, but....so be it.

However, what seemed the most odd to me is that the time between games in the playoffs was more than a week.  Maybe it was somehow getting around the NFL schedule.  But....it just didn't make sense to me.

That said, even if you take out our bowl game, I watched WAY more post season college football this year than I have in a very very long time and that was, in large part, because of the expanded playoffs.




As long as things stay the same, some years will be better and some worse. 

The week+ in between rounds is entirely due to Jan 1 falling on a Wednesday. They will always try and time everything around the NY6 bowls being on NYE/NYD, which this year meant either give 2-3 days between the first round and quarters, or 9-10 days, same in regards to the semifinals.

Also doesn't help that Christmas is exactly a week before New Years Day either, although I wouldn't put it past them scheduling Dec 25/26 playoff games when it lines up right on or close to a weekend.

This year, the Orange and Cotton Bowls seemed to be content being played on Jan 9-10 rather than around New Years. Maybe just move it all up one week, so it goes

First Dec weekend: championship weekend 

Second Dec weekend: first round

Third Dec weekend: quarterfinals (four NY6 bowls)

New Years: semifinals (two NY6 bowls, and give one permanently to the rose bowl if they're gonna b!^@h and moan about New Year's)

1st/2nd Monday of Jan depending on how the calendar plays out: natty

 
If you want to compare apples to apples, one could accurately state, based on viewership numbers, that the semifinals last year were watched by more people than the semifinals this year.   Maybe that’s because of more compelling teams?  Maybe it’s because of dates the games took place on?   I’m not sure, but less eyeballs watched em.  


I'm not sure that's apples to apples either.  Last year the games were around New Year's Day, when many people have a day off (more comparable to the quarterfinals this year).  This year's were on weeknights.

So there are not comparisons that can be made about anything because there is always something that can be pointed to as being different if you want to look for it.

 
As long as things stay the same, some years will be better and some worse. 

The week+ in between rounds is entirely due to Jan 1 falling on a Wednesday. They will always try and time everything around the NY6 bowls being on NYE/NYD, which this year meant either give 2-3 days between the first round and quarters, or 9-10 days, same in regards to the semifinals.

Also doesn't help that Christmas is exactly a week before New Years Day either, although I wouldn't put it past them scheduling Dec 25/26 playoff games when it lines up right on or close to a weekend.

This year, the Orange and Cotton Bowls seemed to be content being played on Jan 9-10 rather than around New Years. Maybe just move it all up one week, so it goes

First Dec weekend: championship weekend 

Second Dec weekend: first round

Third Dec weekend: quarterfinals (four NY6 bowls)

New Years: semifinals (two NY6 bowls, and give one permanently to the rose bowl if they're gonna b!^@h and moan about New Year's)

1st/2nd Monday of Jan depending on how the calendar plays out: natty


I doubt it will ever get moved up that much.  There is just too much other stuff going on.  Including recruiting (though that timing can and probably will be changed), coaches leaving for other jobs and .... you know .... the kids are supposed to take some tests in there somewhere.

 
Again, I’m not sure what you are trying to prove?  You are comparing viewership of playoff games to viewership of non playoff games.  
Comparing to those games is a close as we can get because this is the first year of a 12 team playoff.  I get your opinion, I just disagree.  I loved the added games, and the extra couple weeks to the season.  Like virtually everyone, I would like to see the championship on a better day but early estimates show viewership up over the record setting game last year.  Over 40 million people didn't lose interest.  

 
I'm not sure that's apples to apples either.  Last year the games were around New Year's Day, when many people have a day off (more comparable to the quarterfinals this year).  This year's were on weeknights.
Well that’s kinda my whole entire point.   The timeline of when games are played and what I believe to be is a mistake in stretching it out so long.  

 
https://x.com/_mlfootball/status/1881586142547751001?s=46

Sister……..

Ryan Day looks like he’d be fun at parties. 


austin-powers-stuck.gif


 
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