Making the Case for Power 5 and Group of 5 League

[1Funduck]

I believe I sat in (section 39) right up towards the top by a bunch of Wisconsin fans for my first foray into College Football. I didn't care much for football, sans the Super Bowl commercials, let alone going to a sub professional game by the hometown team. But, my buddy was a life long fan from childhood and it sounded interesting. The hot dog was good, the crowd was electric, and I was stunned by the intricacy of 22 players trying to make sense of a purpose in moving an oblong ball up and down the field. Intrigued, fascinated, stunned. 

 

     I was forever hooked. As my love for the game grew into season tickets, my education grew as well. I started picking up holding calls before the Ref threw the laundry. I could see lanes open up before they actually did just by the movement of about 8 men and their flow through the play. BAM!!! TD!! I called it as I was jumping out of my seat before the receiver actually caught it. Surely the QB saw that as well right? I became the 12th man on the field, at least thats the way it felt. I was developing into a student of the game while being a fan. Then came the madness that is uniquely College Football. 

 

I mentioned Wisconsin. The year is 2001 and my entry into CFB couldn't have been more perfect. Joey was putting his stamp on Oregon Athletics and I didn't even know what a holding penalty was. Captain Comeback had every fan who paid for their seat only using the edge. A slip from a trifecta of UCLA dedenders, a knock down drag out rain infused Civil War. Oregon loses one game by a TD. (sigh). Oh...that game.. Up 42-28 and then the tide changes with interceptions, blocked punts, and 1 play TD passes by Ferd. But, all is not lost. Oregon is ranked #2 to finish the season and play for the National Championship!! I was beyond hyped. In 3 short months, I went from clueless to all in fan of 'My Oregon Ducks'! Then....WHAT??!!??!! Nebraska!!?? Did they even win their conference? I was in disbelief. 

 

     College Football is the only sport where you truly do NOT settle it on the field. Washington has a split NC under this exact metric. People who do NOT watch the game give their opinion on who is better. Are the teams great? I would like to think so. Are they better than the other ranked team? Says who? My love and my pain for College Football has a foundation in opinion. I dream of getting to the Natty. Are we ranked high enough this year preseason? Is our conference represented enough preseason? Is our non-con schedule perceived strong enough? If we were undefeated would opinions view the PAC-12 strong enough to send a representative to the playoffs. Opinion opinion opinion.

 

I'm sick of opinion in sports. No...seriously. It's all biased, even mine. So, how do you fix that? Next step is a 12 team play-off. And yet, that is opinion oriented as well. It's marginally flawed. At least each Power 5(4) conference champion gets in, that's a start. But, my inner purity says that ALL Division 1 Conference Champions should get in. Oh, they would get crushed Fun, it wouldn't be fair Fun, nobody would want to watch it Fun. Oregon -vs- Liberty Bibberty? Hmm, Michigan vs Appalachian St. Upsets happen. But are you intrigued by the game or by the outcome? Would you turn the game on pre start? Nope. You are only thinking of that game as an afterthought and rubber necking the carnage of what is shocking. Its simply the carnage of it all and not the game that could have been that drew your attention.

 

Why? Because deep down we all know that Appalachian St. will NEVER sniff a playoff win. Not that they couldn't win their Conference mind you, but simply don't have the squad to keep up for 20 let alone 60 minutes of playoff contention. They beat UM because UM was a dumpster fire and everything that could, did go wrong for UM to start the season. UM barely finished the season in the top 25 with a 9-4 record. Best CFB season by far in my opinion. But would A st. beat Georgia, Alabama, tOSU, Oregon, Notre Dame, Washington? Not even close. Opinion opinion opinion.

 

 

OK... Then stop pretending and break the League up. The bottom 69 will never win a Championship. Tulane? Nevada? Marshall? Miami of Ohio? Liberty Bibberty? Not one of them will ever sniff the playoffs. That is just facts. So, why not break these schools into 2 parts, the 'Have's and the Have not's'? The Have Not's will still get their education paid for. School programs will have a budget that breaks even. If said school has some end of year profit then it gets distributed accordingly. However, the 'Have's' are on National TV. Million$ are paid for being on Prime Time. Everyone wants to see an Alabama -vs- Oregon or tOSU -vs- Georgia in the playoffs. Nobody wants to see Liberty Bibberty in the playoffs except Liberty. 

 

So let's make the move to what everyone is screaming for already. NFL lite. The Power League gets minimum salary contracts for all players. Revenue sharing as a bonus at end of year. Contract payouts linked to performance in post season, just like the coaches. The bottom 69 doesn't produce profit. But, if a kid excels in the 'minors' then he can be called up to the 'Bigs'. Then the kid gets paid accordingly. The inverse is the same as well.

 

  Since we aren't leaving the opinion polls anytime soon, take the 4 Power conference champions along with 8 at large and make your playoffs.

 

My twisted scenario is as follows; The Conference Championship IS a playoff game. Move that game to 14 days after the regular season. 1 on Friday evening, 2 on Saturday and 1 on Monday evening. This leaves 4 teams. All champions play regions and inside stadiums. Winner takes all. Independent teams need to join a league or be relegated to the 'Grouo of 5'. Hear that Notre Dame? This scenario makes every single game enormously important. It also makes non con an absolute blissful event that won't crush you and your season. Play creme puffs of schedule a power game for serious cash. 

 

But, what do I know? It's just my (opinion).

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

I see it coalescing to 32 to 40 teams willing to pay the price to be in the big time including playing the players and/or via revenue sharing. I see the same happening for men's CBB.

 

There will be a commissioner who negotiates with a players' union to give stability to the rosters. There will likely be a salary cap with no limit on individual NIL deals. I also think we will see a high school draft with coaches' salaries reined in, and contact allowed between players and coaches year-round but there will also be bargained for restrictions on practice. 

 

The Super League members will share money with the conference they are in and remain in their conference for non-revenue sports. There will be a format that will allow T9 to be satisfied. 

 

Not much different than Chip Kelly's idea but fewer teams with more media bargaining power. Perhaps, all Super League games will be streamed on a Super League Network that will resemble the NFL Network.

 

The playoff will be based upon on-field results and not the subjective decision-making of a few folks behind closed doors. I think this happens after the next media deals are negotiated but before these deals expire, a Super League will be agreed to.