College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff: A Journey to Glory

Imagine a grand stage where the best college football teams compete in an annual knockout tournament, vying for the ultimate title of national champion. This is the essence of the College Football Playoff (CFP). Since its inception in 2014 with a four-team format, it has evolved into a twelve-team behemoth set to debut in 2024. But how does this system work? Who gets to play, and what makes one team more deserving than another?

The Selection Process: A Delicate Balance

At the heart of the CFP is a thirteen-member committee that selects and seeds the teams. These members include current athletic directors from the Power Five conferences and other voters with relevant experience. The committee releases weekly rankings during the regular season, seeding the top four teams for the playoff. A team’s strength of schedule is considered paramount in making selections, alongside conference championships, team records, head-to-head results, injuries, and weather.

Discussion and debate happen at each voting step, with all votes being by secret ballot. This ensures that no single voice can dominate the decision-making process. However, some critics argue that this rule is not transparent or objective. The committee uses multiple ballots and custom software to facilitate its process, aiming to replace the simplistic nature of traditional polls with a more deliberative evaluation method.

From Four Teams to Twelve: A Game-Changing Expansion

The expansion from four teams to twelve is a significant shift. The CFP Board of Managers unanimously voted to expand the playoffs to 12 teams, with changes happening as early as the 2024 season. This move aims to include more teams and provide greater parity in the selection process.

Under the new format, five conference champions and seven at-large bids will be awarded. The first-round byes for four highest-ranked conference champions add an extra layer of excitement. Semifinals and quarterfinals are hosted by New Year’s Six bowl games (Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl), while the championship game is held in a different city each year, with host stadiums requiring 65,000 seat capacity.

Guaranteed bids for top five conference champions and at-large bids for seven highest-ranked teams ensure that the best teams have a chance to compete. The first-round byes for four highest-ranked conference champions add an extra layer of excitement, giving these teams a leg up in the tournament.

The Impact on Team Scheduling

With increased emphasis on strength of schedule, teams are now considering playing more challenging opponents during the non-conference portion of their schedules. Some programs are opting to increase schedule strength by scheduling high-profile matchups at neutral sites and on weeknights.

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) was initially considering increasing its conference schedule from eight to nine games in response to the new playoff system, but ultimately decided not to do so due to concerns that it would result in more teams with two losses. The ACC opted to stay with an eight-plus-Notre Dame model for its conference schedule.

Controversies and Criticisms

The CFP has faced numerous criticisms over the years, including subjectivity and unfairness towards teams outside the Power Five conferences. In 2016, Ohio State was selected over Penn State and Oklahoma despite having a worse record than both teams. In 2017, Alabama was selected over Ohio State and USC despite losing to Auburn in the SEC Championship Game.

In 2023, Florida State was excluded from the playoff despite being an undefeated ACC champion, sparking controversy and debate among critics and fans. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips called the decision ‘unfathomable’ due to the significance the committee had previously afforded to undefeated conference champions, and Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said he was ‘disgusted and infuriated’ at the decision.

The qualifications of selection committee members have also been scrutinized, with some calling for members who played or coached the game. The scheduling of College Football Playoff semifinal games has been a issue, including lower television viewership due to conflicting primetime events on New Year’s Eve. Efforts have been made to adjust the schedule, including earlier kickoff times and moving games away from New Year’s Eve.

The Revenue Distribution Model

Revenue distribution is another aspect of the CFP that has garnered attention. In 2012, ESPN agreed to pay $7.3 billion over 12 years for broadcasting rights, with an average annual payment of $608 million. The Power Five conferences receive 71.5% of the remaining money, while the Group of Five conferences receive 27%. Notre Dame receives around 1%, and FBS independents get 0.5%.

Extra revenue goes to conferences participating in the Rose, Sugar, and Orange bowls. Conferences receive additional funds for teams that place in semifinals or at-large bowls, with Notre Dame receiving the same amount. The playoff system also awards academic performance bonuses of $300,000 per school for meeting the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate standard of 930.

Conclusion

The College Football Playoff is a complex and ever-evolving system that has transformed college football. From its humble beginnings as a four-team format to the upcoming twelve-team expansion, it continues to shape the landscape of American college sports. As we look forward to 2024, one thing is certain: the journey to glory will remain a thrilling and contentious affair.