Observation- neither CFP finalist played in a conference CG. As a matter of fact, Ohio State, eliminated from the B1G CG by their loss to Michigan, and motivated by that same loss to re-evaluate everything, used their three weeks off before the first CFp game against Tennessee to re-engineer their run game to a more counter-based scheme, and to redo their DL substitution philosophy. These changes have a lot to do with their dominance in the CFP- they were always this talented, but they really used their three weeks off, in a way that counterparts Indiana and Tennessee didn’t (or couldn’t).
Teams in conference CGs didn’t have the time for such prep work. They had to plan for the CGs, and then had two weeks for the CFP. (UGA lost their two year starter at QB in the SEC CG).
What does that have to do with the SEC schedule length? There is a lot of talk that the teams that were in favor of a nine game schedule (the stronger teams) might be less so, seeing how the CFP is such a weekly grind. I would argue that the SEC CG is a greater hindrance to a CFP run than a ninth league game.
Who does the SEC CG really benefit, other than the teams that aren’t in it (they get a share of media money).
I think we are seeing that, while the BCS and four team CFP were just natural extensions of the regular season, the 12 team CFP tournament is almost a a different season.
Would the SEC be best off if it told the network (ABC/ESPN is the only SEC media partner?) “you can have a nine game league schedule, and no conference CG, for the money that the B1G gets (or more, I guess, if that can be negotiated)”? I ask that, because although I was a big proponent of the nine game league schedule, I’m wavering now that we see the impact of a tougher regular season schedule, a CG, and then the CFP.