Remember the last two years, when I was beating the drum for a 16-team College Football Playoff? Let’s do it again.
If you need a refresher, take a look at last year’s version. But the short version is this: In my playoff scenario, all ten conference champions automatically make the tournament. The field is then rounded out with six at-large teams. Independent schools would be eligible to make the field as an at-large selection.
This is the first time that I am doing this after the announcement of the anticipated 12-team playoff coming in 2024-ish. That playoff of course is still flawed because not every conference champion makes it. Which is what you really need to truly crown a champion.
What would the bracket currently look like under this system? This.
# 16 Ohio (MAC) at # 1 Georgia (SEC)
# 9 Clemson (ACC) at #8 Penn State (At-Large)
# 13 UTSA (CUSA) at # 4 USC (Pac-12)
# 12 Tulane (AAC) at # 5 Ohio State (At-Large)
# 14 Boise State (MWC) at # 3 TCU (Big 12)
# 11 Utah (At-Large) at # 6 Alabama (At-Large)
# 10 Kansas State (At-Large) at # 7 Tennessee (At-Large)
# 15 Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) at #2 Michigan (Big 10)
There are a lot of dud matchups in this first round in my mind. The highlight, bar none, is the Clemson-Penn State matchup.