So based on the B1G vote, you chose ND and Virginia.
Taking UVA out of the expanded SEC, we replace them with Clemson.
Changing the divisions to East-West for all 3 super-conferences:
SEC West: Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss St, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas
SEC East: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Clemson, VA Tech, North Carolina, NC State
.
B1G West: USC, UCLA, Oregon, Warshington, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern
B1G East: Michigan, Ohio St, Michigan St, Penn St, Maryland, Virginia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers
.
BAC West: Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas St, Colorado, Cal, Stanford, Arizona, Arizona St
BAC East: Florida St, Miami, GA Tech, Pitt, Louisville, Duke, Syracuse, West Virginia, SMU, TCU
(BAC = Big Atlantic Conf)
The 6 division-winners are in the playoff. They can either have a CCG or not. If they do, it's just for seeding, NOT for a playoff spot. This is because they played everyone else in their own division and have earned their spot.
2 at-large spots.
This year, the division winners would be Indiana, Miami, Texas Tech, Oregon, Georgia, and Ole Miss.
The 2 at-large teams would be Ohio St and Texas A&M
By CFP Ranking:
8 Miami @ 1 Indiana winner vs
5 Oregon @ 4 Texas Tech winner.
7 Ole Miss @ 2 Ohio St winner vs
6 Texas A&M @ 3 Georgia winner
(I switched Ole Miss and A&M to avoid a rematch, because I have a brain)
For the semis and final, the 3 old, traditional bowls rotate - Rose, Orange, Sugar
.
That's the playoff. 8 teams. No byes. 1st round on-campus.
.
For the other bowls, you still get great games. They're tiered, so 4 bowls for the teams just out of the playoff, then 4 more for the next-best teams.
It would look something like this:
Fiesta, Cotton, Citrus, Peach
and
Gator, Outback, Holiday, Sun
.
Fiesta: BYU vs USC
Cotton: OU vs Vandy
Citrus: Texas vs Utah
Peach: Alabama vs Notre Dame
.
Gator: Tulane vs Houston
Outback: Michigan vs Virginia
Holiday: Arizona vs Iowa
Sun: GA Tech vs James Madison
.
It would sort of be like the old days, where the first 4 pick and chose the 8 teams they wanted to invite, then the next 4 would do it after them. The lesser bowls would be played between the 1st round and semis of the playoff. The better 4 bowls played between the semis and the NCG.
Schedule:
1st round on campuses, Sat Dec 13
Semifinals, Sat Dec 20
Nat'l Championship Game, Jan 1
.
Gator, Outback, Holiday, Sun - spread out between Dec 14-19
Fiesta, Cotton, Citrus, Peach - spread out between Dec 21-31
.
Summary:
The national champion will have been one of the top teams and will earn it on the field.
Every team has an equal opportunity to make the playoff, by winning their division.
Everyone plays everyone else in their division.
There is a spot for super-good teams that don't win their division.
The non-playoff bowls are limited in number and have worthwhile participants - ie rewarding a good season!
24 teams make the postseason altogether.
This is like 17 days of quality football: 1st round on campuses, bowls sprinkled in among teams ranked 17-24th, semifinal games, bowls sprinkled in among teams ranked 9-16th, then the national championship game on January 1st.
.
Exclusivity.
Tradition.
Fairness.
Balance.
All 6 divisions incorporate old rivals plus newbies.
Back to 10-team divisions like conferences used to be.
.
It works. It's good. It could be great. But it makes too much sense to ever happen.
