seen some people saying how Bama finishing outside the top 4 could be the

[rbmw263]

catalyst for expansion. I disagree. If Bama gets in, it probably means there is 2 12-1 P5 champs left out. THAT would be a big step towards expansion

Not that we need more evidence, but it would be another data point that indicates the people who argue against expansion because “it would kill the every week matters element of CFB” have already lost the hill they are dying on. If Bama is able to skate through a soft schedule losing their 1 tough game to that point, only to have their game against Auburn be a defacto play in game that if they win leaves them recooperating while teams fighting for their spot have to play a conference title game the following week… In that event you’d have a 12-1 Big 12 champ and a 12-1 p12 champ, both who played a p5 opponent down the stretch while the SEC had their week 14 fcs bye week, and on top of that had to play an extra game, a conference championship, against a top 15 opponent just to force the “discussion” they ultimately lose leaving both out in favor of Bama. Its a ridiculous scenario that is very much in play as it stands today.

2 1 loss p5 champs missing out while a 1 loss non championship participant gets in is the best shot we have at this thing getting beyond 4. It could force them to finally publicly concede what they damn well already know, their system is incomplete. 

[gothamute]

I think we’re going to 8 soon regardless. This year if the top 10 keeps winning will create a lot of unhappy folks… we need somebody in the SEC agitating for expansion and having Bama be the one would make it a certainty.

I think there’s more expansion talk already happening behind the scenes than we’re hearing in the public domain… future scheduling being the biggest indicator, as SEC teams are suddenly loading up on future quality OOC P5 opponents…

I just hope we’re not the ones who get screwed (again) as this plays out, but at this point I would be pretty surprised if expansion doesn’t happen at the latest by the CFP TV contract renewal in 2024…

[Daedalus17]

The expansion of the playoff to 8 teams should happen. I hope it does soon. I would be interested to hear how that might change.

P5 conference champs should get an auto bid. Best g5 champ should get an auto bid too.

Side note on speculative realignment.

I think the AAU invite is HUGE for any possible future realignment.

School presidents want AAU membership and they are the deciders. I think Utah is in with the AAU membership.

I also think that realignment will only happen when the TV contracts change. So that is the time too watch for realignment change. Not now.

[SalUteopia]

I don’t think a 12-1 P12/Big12 champ gets left out for Bama *this* year. More concerning would be a one-loss LSU with Georgia winning the SEC. I’m in favor of playoff expansion, but I don’t want it to happen at the cost of Utah’s playoff berth.

[gothamute]

Absolutely right. If Bama is not an SECCG participant they should be on outside looking in, but LSU losing to UGA in SECCG would almost certainly box out 1-loss P12/Big12 champs…

[rbmw263]

its too bad its going to take something so drastic for them to finally cave and take steps to improve their obviously suboptimal selection system. Utah wouldnt be the first to lose out on a playoff spot they were deserving of, but in this scenario, they’d be the last. Which cause it to take its place next to not getting a shot in 08 as something that will provide intermittent frustion until i am dead.

[gothamute]

This^^^ is exactly it. I just want a system where everyone has a fair chance to get their shot, regardless of history/brand/relative conference strength pereception in a given year/etc… when left to *any* subjectivity, it’s always going to work in favor of the SEC/Big10 because the vast majority of the viewing population lives in those conferences!

Related note, I love that Urban has said on TV on multiple occasions this year that he thinks the ’04 Utes team could have beaten anyone that year if given the chance (I certainly agree with that)… and I would have loved to have seen whether the ’08 team that beat Bama could also have beaten Florida that year… but without the shot to prove it… !!!