The problem is not the playoff format (although I don’t like the concept at all). The problem is these mega-conferences which create scheduling imbalances inherently. It’s a problem colleges made for themselves. In a pre-2024 world:
- The SEC West has sorted out Ole Miss, ‘Bama, and A&M with one team going to CCG and maybe one an outside shot at an at-large.
- The PAC-12 is looking to send one of likely Oregon and USC.
- The ACC’s best team in Miami is heading to a CCG and not at home due to scheduling weirdness. Or is just out and two teams that won divisions are in.
- The Big XII has whittled down OU, Texas, Tech, and BYU to two or max three.
But as I’ve said, the playoff was a solution to a problem that only existed in the hot takes of sports talking heads. And at this point we spend all our energy trying to fix the playoff at the expense of all the stuff that made CFB great like regional rivalries, fun OOC games, battles for conference bragging rights, mid-major interest and engagement, etc. Bass-ackwards.