The Hypothetical 2011 NCAA Playoff Thread

[Hasselbeck]

If we weren't stuck with the worst system in all of sports, better known as the BCS, here is how a playoff would look. I incorporated 4 different models .. two 4 team ones, an 8 team, and a 16 team.

4-Team (Plus 1) Model
#4 Stanford at #1 LSU
#3 Oklahoma State at #2 Alabama

4-Team Top Conference Winners Model (Using BCS Rankings)
#10 Wisconsin at #1 LSU
#5 Oregon at #3 Oklahoma State

8-Team Model Using BCS Rankings
#8 Kansas State at #1 LSU
#5 Oregon at #4 Stanford

#6 Arkansas at #3 Oklahoma State
#7 Boise State at #2 Alabama

16-Team Model (Conference Champs Get Auto Bids, 5 At Large Bids)
#16 Louisiana Tech at #1 LSU
#9 Wisconsin at #8 Kansas State

#13 West Virginia at #4 Stanford
#12 Southern Miss at #5 Oregon

#11 TCU at #6 Arkansas
#14 Northern Illinois at #3 Oklahoma State

#10 Clemson at #7 Boise State
#15 Arkansas State at #2 Alabama

Die BCS. Die.

[DoubleDeuce]

The 8 team and the 4 team (plus one) are best IMO.

[Hasselbeck]

I think a 16-team would be fun.. but how good does that 8 team one look? Not a bad matchup in the group.

[Sportsbuck]

Just an FYI Hass... on your second one, Boise didn't win their own conference, TCU did.

[nflman2033]

The 8 team and the 4 team (plus one) are best IMO.

this

[Hasselbeck]

Just an FYI Hass... on your second one, Boise didn't win their own conference, TCU did.

Good catch.

[Leftwich]

That West Virginia vs Stanford game would be good. But wouldn't you rather have the games at neutral sites so the bowl locations would still get paid?

[Hasselbeck]

16 teams is asking these kids to play too many games IMO. Especially with the top programs involved you are asking these kids to put a lot on the line for something they probably won't even care about the day they sign their first pro deal.

How's that any different than a college BB team playing 35 games a year if their team makes a run in March?

NFL sched is 16 games not counting playoffs either.. so.. not like these kids waiting to sign that first pro deal are going to get to play a lighter schedule.

[Hasselbeck]

That West Virginia vs Stanford game would be good. But wouldn't you rather have the games at neutral sites so the bowl locations would still get paid?

Not really no.

If you're LSU - you deserve homefield the whole way up until the National Championship.. similar to Green Bay in the NFC playoffs.

Not to mention.. a playoff game in Baton Rouge or Tuscaloosa or really ANY of these venues would sell out in a HEARTBEAT. That's not so guaranteed with neutral sites involved.

[Leftwich]

So the national championship would be at a neutral location?

[Hasselbeck]

So the national championship would be at a neutral location?

Yes.

Hell they could even host the Final 4 (in an 8 or 16 team model) at the sites of the BCS games if they'd like. That way there are still Rose, Fiesta, Sugar and Orange Bowls - only this time with something actually on the line in each of these games.

[FirstTimer]

Zone's playoff is pretty decent:


1) LSU (bye)
2) Okie State (bye)

3) Oregon
6) TCU

4) Wisconsin
5) Clemson

[Hasselbeck]

Zone's playoff is pretty decent:


1) LSU (bye)
2) Okie State (bye)

3) Oregon
6) TCU

4) Wisconsin
5) Clemson

I like that, but I think Alabama is more deserving to be in there (in this model) than Oregon, TCU, Wisconsin and Clemson.

I see what he's trying to do by adding importance to winning the conference.. but leaving Alabama out of any playoff this season would be wrong too.

[Atlas]

expand ZB's into a 12 team, add some at large bids, and its perfect...

[G-men]

My favorite playoff idea is an 8-team playoff with the 4 best conference winner (home) and then the top 4 at large teams (away). If another conference winner is in the at-large spots, they obviously get in. If not, too bad, you probably aren't good enough anyway to deserve a spot. It also gives more of a meaning to winning your conference because it gives you home field advantage. I don't see any reason teams could complain about getting "snubbed" from this playoff because you know exactly what you have to do before the season starts. And obviously, for this to work best, preseason polls would have to be done away with.

Based on this season it would look like.

#1 LSU vs. #8 Boise State
#2 Oklahoma State vs. #7 Arkansas
#3 Oregon vs. #6 Stanford
#4 Wisconsin vs. #5 Alabama