…after the 24+ day layoff, including the B1G and SEC champions.  

Edited January 3Jan 3 by OregonDucks

Is it a fluke or did the selection committee completely screw up?

Inquiring minds want to know.

On "Talkin' Ducks" Joey Harrington was ridiculed just for suggesting that playing that game at home might not be so bad compared to "getting" the Bye. Hats off to Joey H!

On 1/2/2025 at 4:37 PM, OregonDucks said:

…after the 24+ day layoff, including the B1G and SEC champions.  

While 2 could be blamed on the seeding issue of putting conference champion game winners inappropriately high in the rankings, I gotta think the 3+ week bye adversely affected each team.

 

That is one big change that needs to happen sooner rather than later.

I think the playoff committee needs to look at a couple of things:

 

1. Seeding should be based on the committee’s rankings, not based on conference champions (like the NCAA basketball tournament)

 

2. The playoffs should start the week after the last conference games 

 

3. The first 2-3 rounds should be at the home stadium of the higher seeded teams (a real advantage)

 

4. The college football playoffs should conclude around January 1st, preferably at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena

 

Edited January 3Jan 3 by OregonDucks

Up until this season every team went into the CFP or BCS Championship game with the same layoff. This season is definitely different.

I would also eliminate conference championship games but that is not up to the playoff committee. However, the committee could say that they will consider the result of the conference championship games in their playoff ranking and selection criteria. That might make conferences reconsider.  

On 1/2/2025 at 5:57 PM, OregonDucks said:

I would also eliminate conference championship games but that is not up to the playoff committee. However, the committee could say that they will consider the result of the conference championship games in their playoff ranking and selection criteria. That might make conferences reconsider.  

Yes... I see next to no value in the conference championship game --- except it's a way for the league to make more benjamins.

On 1/2/2025 at 5:02 PM, Desert Duck said:

Yes... I see next to no value in the conference championship game --- except it's a way for the league to make more benjamins.

Agreed.  There's no incentive to win the conference championship if all you're getting is a harder road in the CFP than the runner up.

On 1/2/2025 at 8:28 PM, kirklandduck said:

Agreed.  There's no incentive to win the conference championship if all you're getting is a harder road in the CFP than the runner up.

Or an extra game (vs. a 10-2 SEC or B1G team watching the conference championship game).

Begs the question: Did OSU rollover and play dead against Michigan? If so, Coach Day seems to have one upped his rivals in the grand scheme of things.

Edited January 3Jan 3 by Chas Man

16 team playoff and no bye’s. I think that would solve the issue of such a long layoff. I felt bad about the time off and the matchup for OBD, it seems this is common for all the highest seed teams. This can’t be what the playoff committee wanted after years of screwing the PAC 12 and Big 12 in the 4-team playoff for their high-valued teams.

On 1/2/2025 at 7:40 PM, Wood Duck said:

Is it a fluke or did the selection committee completely screw up?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Given the format handed to the Committee, how could these folks not foul up? 

 

Many folks saw this coming from far more than a mile away and the format was changed from 6/6 to 5/7 but the G5 conferences were not going to vote for a G5 champ to have preferred seeding if ranked the 4th highest conference champion.

 

Maybe we see a change before 2026-27 but we will see changes to the format in 2026-27. 

 

The teams without a bye outscored teams with a bye by 81-21 in the first half of those 4 games.  
 

That is telling.  25 days off is way too much. 
 

In hindsight, Oregon should have run Coach Beaulieu’s offense from the Bourbon Bowl in the CCG and just refused to score. 

Edited January 3Jan 3 by GeotechDuck

On 1/2/2025 at 4:57 PM, OregonDucks said:

I would also eliminate conference championship games …

The CCG would serve a purpose if two teams were tied and you didn’t have a clear #1.  In the case of the B1G this year, they should have played it to determine the 2nd and 3rd place teams.  OBD had already won the conference flat out.

On 1/2/2025 at 7:04 PM, Chas Man said:

Begs the question: Did OSU rollover and play dead against Michigan? If so, Coach Day seems to have one upped his rivals in the grand scheme of things.

Not a chance in a million he bagged the game. 

The 4 bye teams gave up 85 of the first 91 points, all in losses. Say that out loud. Not a fluke.

 

That is clear evidence that Rust matters.  Even NFL does max 2 week byes in the NFL playoffs (and that team gets a home game).

On 1/2/2025 at 7:41 PM, 30Duck said:

On "Talkin' Ducks" Joey Harrington was ridiculed just for suggesting that playing that game at home might not be so bad compared to "getting" the Bye. Hats off to Joey H!

The home playoff game is the embodiment of what college football should be. The environment and traditions were on full display and really felt like it set the tone for navigating the rest of the playoff. Most importantly, it gets those dang Southern teams to finally come up North for the postseason instead of every team North of Atlanta having to play a pseudo-away game every year. Columbus gets cold, as I am sure Eugene does as well. 

 

I personally think they should either make the first two rounds home games (Especially if you are the number 1 overall seed) and maybe look into hosting some of these games in northern arenas! I.E. Indianapolis or Minneapolis. Even with extended time off due to the bye playing in front of a home crowd should help shake off any rust. Autzen is LOUD and the top seeds should get an opportunity to play in front of their fans. Whatever the solution, something needs to change. There is no justifiable reason the number 1 overall seed should have the hardest path to the Championship out of all top 4 seeds.   

College football needs to get rid of its addiction to bowl games and make the CCG’s part of the playoffs if they want to keep them. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Your eight P4 CCG teams and four wild card teams make up the first round. These games take place during CCG weekend. 
 

Now, you’re down to six teams. The two highest ranked teams get a one week bye. The remaining four play the next weekend at the higher seeds home stadium. The winners advance to play the two highest ranked teams at their home stadium. All of this happens before Christmas.
 

The championship game is played on New Year’s Day in either the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl or Orange Bowl since they’re the oldest and have the most tradition. The rest of the bowl games are consolation games.

 

 

Before the final seeding I did predict this as a district possibly.

 

The teams that bothered to show up in the wild card games only had to show up again one week later.

 

Obviously seeding weak conference championships played a role, but I'd prefer 8 teams coming off one bye week over this crapola 12 team format and seeding we have.

In hindsight, OBD should have invited the Corvallis OSU down for a (G5-style payday) scrimmage as a tune-up before Christmas.