Yet Another Case For An Eight Team Playoff. The Story That Will Continue Until The Demands Are Met.

There is no reason for either Ohio State or LSU to play any starters or their starting QB next week.  It simply isn't worth it.

And that is why the four team playoff system needs to be improved to an eight team model.

Think about LSU and Ohio State, who right now are thought of as beyond reproach. 

With all due respect to the defending undefeated champs at Clemson, even though I think they're capable to repeat, right now I would think both the Buckeyes and the Bayou Bengals would be considered bigger favorites.  If they lost a game they can reasonably say, "Look at our resume. You already know how good we are; we have already been undefeated to this point, and would you seriously leave us out for losing the championship game?"

If Georgia blows out LSU, or wins a contested game, does anyone seriously think LSU wouldn't still make the playoffs?

If Ohio State loses in a revenge game against Wisconsin, wouldn't most voters STILL put the Buckeyes in as having one of the most historically dominant regular seasons in modern history?

There is nothing for those schools to gain by playing their talent and risking injury.  They have essentially locked up those two spots.

Which then goes to my next question. So long as Georgia wins, what's to stop voters from saying "Yeah, they won by essentially a forfeit by the opponent, but they only have one loss, and they were already ranked as the 4th team, so nothing really changed."

Let's say just for the sake of argument you get this Armageddon scenario.

Ohio State 34
Wisconsin 35

Georgia 31
LSU 27

Baylor 27
Oklahoma 24

Virginia 30
Clemson 21

Oregon 49
Utah 45

Now please, tell me the final four you think would be picked?

I got LSU, Ohio State, Baylor, and Georgia. (You might be able to sub Clemson into the Baylor/Georgia spot depending on how the games played out.  You can also swap this scenario if Oklahoma beats Baylor instead.)

What you will never be able to do is shake the already proven resumes of LSU and OSU.  From offensive and defensive statistical marks to wins over quality opponents, they have played from start to finish the best football of the season, and it's not really all that close.


Does anyone realistically think Ohio State and LSU aren't still playing in either the Peach or the Fiesta Bowls?  I don't.

Now let's say some teams decided to rest starters instead, and the margins become a bit more pronounced.

Ohio State 21
Wisconsin 41

Georgia 56
LSU 17

But now the other games are blow outs, in the OPPOSITE direction, meaning big chalk.

Baylor 15
Oklahoma 42

Clemson 38
Virginia 10

Utah 56
Oregon 21

To me, I still think OSU and LSU were the best two teams all year.  Do I really care about one more game they call a "championship?"  In the past they haven't.  Past playoff participants have been looked over such as Ohio State and Penn State. 

Why should this be any different?

Honestly the ONLY scenario I can see the LSU or Ohio State not making the playoff is IF their best players get hurt during the game forever altering their team AND they get blown out.  That's about it.



The eight team playoff has been suggested before, and without fail, it seemingly keeps falling on deaf ears. Imagine we had that 8 team playoff and for the first round you can have a home field advantage.  That's right, it won't be on a "neutral field" but at somebody's backyard.  The next round could be bowl games.

Now should the "nightmare" scenario unfold, the scene might look something like this.

(Imagine a bracket.)

1. Clemson
8. Memphis (The highest ranked from the "Group of Five") (In Clemson)

4. Wisconsin
5. Georgia (Georgia would have to come visit the Big Ten Champions in Wisconsin, likely in December.)

2. Oklahoma
7. Ohio State 

3. Utah
6. LSU

I love this potential scenario as it would reward champions, without disallowing for a heck of a season by a LSU or Ohio State.  It would incentivize a hard fought championship game, as a home field would be a huge motivating factor.

I am not looking forward to this Saturday's games, as I'm not anticipating the final outcomes to matter much in terms of actually affecting the playoff race.