My thoughts...

[ohiocornhusker]

Here is my idea, and I'm prepared for people to hate it so here goes...

There are 12 Division 1 conferences so each champion from each conference gets an automatic spot and then 4 "wildcards" with no more than 2 from each conference in the playoffs. You automatically go to the highest ranked teams, i.e LSU wins the SEC and Alabama gets the wildcard because it did not win it's conference, but is the highest non automatic bid, and Arkansas would not get in because Alabama and LSU have used up 2 spots. The other teams still go to the bowls that their conferences are affiliated with, Michigan State to Rose Bowl because Wisconsin won the B1G so they go to the play off, etc. You seed the teams in the playoff according to their rankings, LSU plays the Sun Belt Champs (whoever they are,lol), and so on. Then you will have a real winner and not have someone in the MNC who didn't even play in their conference champ game. (And I am aware of 2001, and even though I love my Huskers, it was wrong)

 

[Husker John]

I would select the conference winners from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-12 and SEC. I would then have a committee make a selection for two at- large bids for an eight team tournament.

 

[Landomatic]

Here is my idea, and I'm prepared for people to hate it so here goes...

There are 12 Division 1 conferences so each champion from each conference gets an automatic spot and then 4 "wildcards" with no more than 2 from each conference in the playoffs. You automatically go to the highest ranked teams, i.e LSU wins the SEC and Alabama gets the wildcard because it did not win it's conference, but is the highest non automatic bid, and Arkansas would not get in because Alabama and LSU have used up 2 spots. The other teams still go to the bowls that their conferences are affiliated with, Michigan State to Rose Bowl because Wisconsin won the B1G so they go to the play off, etc. You seed the teams in the playoff according to their rankings, LSU plays the Sun Belt Champs (whoever they are,lol), and so on. Then you will have a real winner and not have someone in the MNC who didn't even play in their conference champ game. (And I am aware of 2001, and even though I love my Huskers, it was wrong)

I think 16 teams is too many. There is no way there are 16 teams who are deserving of a chance to play for a MNC. Even if we just took the top 16 teams, that would leave several 3 loss teams in for a chance to win the MNC and that just takes waaaaaay too much emphasis off the regular season. But your example above would have Arkansas State in the tourney (Sun Belt Champs). They had a nice little season, but they got beat pretty handily by the only 2 "real" teams they played (Illinois and Virginia Tech) and beat nobody of any substance. In your scenario, an unrated Arkansas State would have a shot over # 6 Arkansas who has the same record as Arkansas State, but beat 3 rated teams and lost to only the #1 and #2 teams in the country. Just doesn't make any more sense than what we currently have as far as it being a broken system.

 

[GSG]

Here is my idea, and I'm prepared for people to hate it so here goes...

There are 12 Division 1 conferences so each champion from each conference gets an automatic spot and then 4 "wildcards" with no more than 2 from each conference in the playoffs. You automatically go to the highest ranked teams, i.e LSU wins the SEC and Alabama gets the wildcard because it did not win it's conference, but is the highest non automatic bid, and Arkansas would not get in because Alabama and LSU have used up 2 spots. The other teams still go to the bowls that their conferences are affiliated with, Michigan State to Rose Bowl because Wisconsin won the B1G so they go to the play off, etc. You seed the teams in the playoff according to their rankings, LSU plays the Sun Belt Champs (whoever they are,lol), and so on. Then you will have a real winner and not have someone in the MNC who didn't even play in their conference champ game. (And I am aware of 2001, and even though I love my Huskers, it was wrong)

There are 11 conferences in the FBS and 4 independent schools.

 

[GSG]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

 

[Landomatic]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

 

[GSG]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

When I looked at the bracket, I immediately thought the same thing. Unless there were some shocking upsets, it would be VERY likely to have LSU-Alabama title game anyway.

Second round games would likely be:

LSU vs Wisconsin

Oregon vs Stanford

Oklahoma St vs Boise St/TCU

Kansas St vs Alabama

Semi finals:

LSU vs Oregon/Stanford

Alabama vs Oklahoma St

Finals:

LSU vs Alabama

 

[Comish]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

Sure it is solved.............................who gets to the final is not so important as the OPPORTUNITY for legitimate contenders to take a swing.

And, those games would undoubtedly generate a TON more interest if played within the confines of a tourney..........even if using the bowls as venues...........

 

[VectorVictor]

Actually just use the 11 conference champions, the top five BCS teams as wildcards, and seed in order of BCS rank.

I think you'll get a different outcome and some good regional matchups to boot.

Also, there would need to be a stipulation on stadium size--60k or more you're fine, but less than that, and the home team must either find another FBS or NFL stadium to play in, or forfeit home field advantage.

Otherwise, you won't get the bigger schools on board, lest they have to go on the road to play a Southern Miss or TCU (the later especially has piss-poor facilities, and still will after their ongoing renovations.)

 

[ZRod]

Actually just use the 11 conference champions, the top five BCS teams as wildcards, and seed in order of BCS rank.

I think you'll get a different outcome and some good regional matchups to boot.

Also, there would need to be a stipulation on stadium size--60k or more you're fine, but less than that, and the home team must either find another FBS or NFL stadium to play in, or forfeit home field advantage.

Otherwise, you won't get the bigger schools on board, lest they have to go on the road to play a Southern Miss or TCU (the later especially has piss-poor facilities, and still will after their ongoing renovations.)

You could always use the older and more prestigious bowls for the games since most of them are over 60,000 and all of them have at least a 50,000 capacity. And you could have wild cards or lower tier confrence play in those smaller stadiums as a trade off for the wild card

 

[Landomatic]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

Sure it is solved.............................who gets to the final is not so important as the OPPORTUNITY for legitimate contenders to take a swing.

And, those games would undoubtedly generate a TON more interest if played within the confines of a tourney..........even if using the bowls as venues...........

Well here's about a third of your "legitimate contenders" right here...

# 21 So Miss

# 23 West Virginia

Unranked Arkansas State

Unranked Northern Illinois

Unranked Louisiana Tech

Meanwhile...not even in the tournament...

# 6 Arkansas

# 9 South Carolina

# 12 Baylor

# 13 Michigan

# 14 Oklahoma

# 16 Georgia

# 17 Michigan State

# 19 Houston

# 20 Nebraska

Yeah...problem solved!!

 

[GSG]

Actually just use the 11 conference champions, the top five BCS teams as wildcards, and seed in order of BCS rank.

That's exactly what I did. Are you proposing to not have a limit on the number of teams per conference?

If there's no limit to the number of teams per conference, then you would drop Virginia Tech out, add Arkansas, and move Boise St and Kansas St down in the seedings

 

[ZRod]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

Sure it is solved.............................who gets to the final is not so important as the OPPORTUNITY for legitimate contenders to take a swing.

And, those games would undoubtedly generate a TON more interest if played within the confines of a tourney..........even if using the bowls as venues...........

Well here's about a third of your "legitimate contenders" right here...

# 21 So Miss

# 23 West Virginia

Unranked Arkansas State

Unranked Northern Illinois

Unranked Louisiana Tech

Meanwhile...not even in the tournament...

# 6 Arkansas

# 9 South Carolina

# 12 Baylor

# 13 Michigan

# 14 Oklahoma

# 16 Georgia

# 17 Michigan State

# 19 Houston

# 20 Nebraska

Yeah...problem solved!!

Solves more problems than the BCS creates. At least you actually have to win your conference or play tough the whole year in order to have a chance at the Big Game. Besides you shut the smaller conferences up about the whole "we don't get a fair shake".

 

[Comish]

Ok, following the guidelines that ohiocornhusker set up, I took the 11 conference winners, 5 wildcards, and seeded them by BCS ranking (no more than 2 teams per conference in the playoff).

1. LSU - SEC Champ

2. Alabama - Wildcard

3. Oklahoma St - Big 12 Champ

4. Stanford - Wildcard

5. Oregon - Pac 12 Champ

6. Boise St - Wildcard

7. Kansas St - Wildcard

8. Wisconsin - Big Ten Champ

9. Virginia Tech - Wildcard

10. Clemson - ACC Champ

11. TCU - Mtn West Champ

12. So Miss - C-USA Champ

13. West Virginia - Big East Champ

14. Arkansas State - Sun Belt Champ

15. Northern Illinois - MAC Champ

16. Louisiana Tech - WAC Champ

First Round Games:

LSU vs Louisiana Tech

Wisconsin vs Virginia Tech

Stanford vs West Virginia

Oregon vs So Miss

Alabama vs Northern Illinois

Kansas St vs Clemson

Oklahoma St vs Arkansas St

Boise St vs TCU

I went ahead and played them out for you on paper and I came up with LSU vs Alabama in the final. Problem...not solved!!

Sure it is solved.............................who gets to the final is not so important as the OPPORTUNITY for legitimate contenders to take a swing.

And, those games would undoubtedly generate a TON more interest if played within the confines of a tourney..........even if using the bowls as venues...........

Well here's about a third of your "legitimate contenders" right here...

# 21 So Miss

# 23 West Virginia

Unranked Arkansas State

Unranked Northern Illinois

Unranked Louisiana Tech

Meanwhile...not even in the tournament...

# 6 Arkansas

# 9 South Carolina

# 12 Baylor

# 13 Michigan

# 14 Oklahoma

# 16 Georgia

# 17 Michigan State

# 19 Houston

# 20 Nebraska

Yeah...problem solved!!

Legitimate contenders (like politicians) are always somewhat in the eye of the beholder........................I'm not suggesting the wizards of smart might not have to invoke a few tweaks to get it more palatable, but (imho), it would be a vast improvement over the boondoggle now masquerading as a "championship".......

 

[Landlord]

This is, essentially, how Division II does it and I think it works great. There's a national playoff tournament, and a small number of bowl games for the top x teams that just missed the cut.