My concern for 24 is that it will continue to exclude the non P2 schools. They have almost enough programs in the B1G and SEC to hold their own 24 team playoff. Maybe 6 or 8 teams from those two conferences and then fill it out with 3 or 4 from the B12 and ACC. That still excludes half of FBS football who will never have any chance of pl…
My concern for 24 is that it will continue to exclude the non P2 schools. They have almost enough programs in the B1G and SEC to hold their own 24 team playoff. Maybe 6 or 8 teams from those two conferences and then fill it out with 3 or 4 from the B12 and ACC. That still excludes half of FBS football who will never have any chance of playing in the CFP. That will kill any chance of recruiting a championship team. As it stands now, and Indiana is the school proving this, is any school who has a shot at the CFP by being in one of the blessed conferences can get the players it needs to do so if it can raise the money to buy the needed players. But, if the door is closed by some arbitrary line drawn through the middle of the FBS, then that ceases to be a possibility. NAIA teams could never compete for the CFP since they aren't allowed in the door, no matter now much money they might raise to buy players under NIL rules. Why close the door on half the FBS, many which have proud traditions on their side? You seem to be arguing to exclude any team not in the P4 from ever participating in the CFP (and no, I am not impressed with one berth allotted to the bottom half of FBS)
Because if the format is expanded, the two conferences controlling the CFP will demand most of that expansion goes to them. Make the CFP bigger than the two schools winning teams and they will not be able to exert that force. Really, a higher authority, like the NCAA, should be controlling this, like the commissioner of the NFL does its rules. Someone needs to be unbiased to make the right decisions for everyone, not just a handful of randomly selected and self appointed "top schools". I like free markets, but college sports are more than a free market. Universities are not independent businesses. Most are public owned.
Yet, most public universities look out for their own self interest in a variety of endeavors rather than participate in a kumbaya equity vision designed to make less fortunate feel better about themselves. The right decisions for everyone can lead to mediocracy in total.
I completely agree. Semi-pro football and basketball do not belong embedded in a university, especially a public school with its inherent "selfish" interests that are completely unaligned with sports. Spin out revenue sports as just a long term, privately held, business interest. This is done all the time with businesses born of a university's IP coming from research done by faculty. The IP is licensed to a business startup with possibly some equity investment from the university's investment fund. As the business develops, the university is rewarded. No reason sports can't operate in the same way with the "tradition" of the university the IP and the school's alumni, students and faculty a great built-in customer base.
It wasn't that many years ago that there was actually discussion of whether UO and OSU should have a single combined athletics program because it was the perception that neither would ever be "competitive" on their own. We coulda had the Monroe Long Branch Platypus?
Would be interesting to know more details/facts about Indiana. The new coach brought 13 players with him from James Madison. I believe 8 are starting. Did they enter the portal and choose Indiana because of him and his staff, or because Indiana had NIL money?
I don't think any of them were above a 3-star recruiting status. 14 of 27 transfers have started at least one game, and several lead a position's statistical category at their position. I imagine with so many of them from James Madison (a good FCS program) the learning curve for playbook and coaching expectations was minimal. The obvious comparison is Coach Prime's first year at Colorado - and Cignetti has excelled. Reportedly there wasn't a lot of NIL money to attract those guys, but since the zero defeats start to this season the Hoosier fans are feeding the NIL now generously....which should help in 2025 and beyond. Indiana's schedule has been "soft" based on opponent W-L records, BUT they have won by big margins. They haven't played "footsie" with that schedule.
I count (4) 4 stars either recruited (1) or transferred (3) in 2024 and (6) from the 2023 transfer class. I don't think you go undefeated in the B1G without at least a handful of studs. Oregon State never needed 15 or 20, but always had 3 or 4 the past few years, and also back in the Erickson regime. Until their team average got above 85 on 247 Sports, they weren't competitive. https://247sports.com/college/indiana/Season/2024-Football/Commits/
Does anyone think a 4 or 5 star athlete, who can command a good payday, is going to ignore getting paid out of loyalty of following a coach? All the top players are playing for the money, not for an education in a certain school
My concern for 24 is that it will continue to exclude the non P2 schools. They have almost enough programs in the B1G and SEC to hold their own 24 team playoff. Maybe 6 or 8 teams from those two conferences and then fill it out with 3 or 4 from the B12 and ACC. That still excludes half of FBS football who will never have any chance of playing in the CFP. That will kill any chance of recruiting a championship team. As it stands now, and Indiana is the school proving this, is any school who has a shot at the CFP by being in one of the blessed conferences can get the players it needs to do so if it can raise the money to buy the needed players. But, if the door is closed by some arbitrary line drawn through the middle of the FBS, then that ceases to be a possibility. NAIA teams could never compete for the CFP since they aren't allowed in the door, no matter now much money they might raise to buy players under NIL rules. Why close the door on half the FBS, many which have proud traditions on their side? You seem to be arguing to exclude any team not in the P4 from ever participating in the CFP (and no, I am not impressed with one berth allotted to the bottom half of FBS)
12 team includes non-P2 schools, so why would a 24 or 28 not?
Right now at least a dozen non P2 schools are alive and well in the playoff hunt.
Because if the format is expanded, the two conferences controlling the CFP will demand most of that expansion goes to them. Make the CFP bigger than the two schools winning teams and they will not be able to exert that force. Really, a higher authority, like the NCAA, should be controlling this, like the commissioner of the NFL does its rules. Someone needs to be unbiased to make the right decisions for everyone, not just a handful of randomly selected and self appointed "top schools". I like free markets, but college sports are more than a free market. Universities are not independent businesses. Most are public owned.
Yet, most public universities look out for their own self interest in a variety of endeavors rather than participate in a kumbaya equity vision designed to make less fortunate feel better about themselves. The right decisions for everyone can lead to mediocracy in total.
I completely agree. Semi-pro football and basketball do not belong embedded in a university, especially a public school with its inherent "selfish" interests that are completely unaligned with sports. Spin out revenue sports as just a long term, privately held, business interest. This is done all the time with businesses born of a university's IP coming from research done by faculty. The IP is licensed to a business startup with possibly some equity investment from the university's investment fund. As the business develops, the university is rewarded. No reason sports can't operate in the same way with the "tradition" of the university the IP and the school's alumni, students and faculty a great built-in customer base.
It wasn't that many years ago that there was actually discussion of whether UO and OSU should have a single combined athletics program because it was the perception that neither would ever be "competitive" on their own. We coulda had the Monroe Long Branch Platypus?
Would be interesting to know more details/facts about Indiana. The new coach brought 13 players with him from James Madison. I believe 8 are starting. Did they enter the portal and choose Indiana because of him and his staff, or because Indiana had NIL money?
My understanding is both
I don't think any of them were above a 3-star recruiting status. 14 of 27 transfers have started at least one game, and several lead a position's statistical category at their position. I imagine with so many of them from James Madison (a good FCS program) the learning curve for playbook and coaching expectations was minimal. The obvious comparison is Coach Prime's first year at Colorado - and Cignetti has excelled. Reportedly there wasn't a lot of NIL money to attract those guys, but since the zero defeats start to this season the Hoosier fans are feeding the NIL now generously....which should help in 2025 and beyond. Indiana's schedule has been "soft" based on opponent W-L records, BUT they have won by big margins. They haven't played "footsie" with that schedule.
I count (4) 4 stars either recruited (1) or transferred (3) in 2024 and (6) from the 2023 transfer class. I don't think you go undefeated in the B1G without at least a handful of studs. Oregon State never needed 15 or 20, but always had 3 or 4 the past few years, and also back in the Erickson regime. Until their team average got above 85 on 247 Sports, they weren't competitive. https://247sports.com/college/indiana/Season/2024-Football/Commits/
Does anyone think a 4 or 5 star athlete, who can command a good payday, is going to ignore getting paid out of loyalty of following a coach? All the top players are playing for the money, not for an education in a certain school