CPJ wants a playoff system

I’ll have more on this later, but Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said a playoff system would be the way to go in Division I-A football.

However, he said he understood why some schools and conferences are fine with the status quo.

Paraphrasing what he said, if a team wins the Big Ten, for example, it’s almost guaranteed a spot in the championship game. Why would they want to change?

Johnson said he’s not saying it now because his team is ranked No. 7 and may not get a chance to play for the title this season. He said he brings it up because it makes the most sense.

Had teams not been slotted into spots before a game was even played, today’s rankings might look a lot different.

This is my take on it: LSU is a top-10 team, even though it has two losses. It’s two losses came to Alabama and Florida. There’s a lot of teams that would lose to the Tide and Gators, so who does that make them a top-10 team?

165 comments Add your comment

paul johnson

November 10th, 2009
12:31 pm

Michael

November 10th, 2009
12:44 pm

No Paul, you were first! I’m second.

BuzztheKiller

November 10th, 2009
12:49 pm

An eight team playoff would be awesome! At least as exciting as March Madness, and no one disputes the champion at the end. Do you think any of the teams in the top 8 would want to face Tech right now in a playoff with only a week to prepare? Not a chance.

45-42=haha

November 10th, 2009
12:49 pm

If there was a playoff today, both Alabama and Florida would rest their star players for the rest of the season, having already locked up their berths in the SEC Championship Game. With a win over Duke, Tech would probably rest Nesbitt, Dwyer, etc. against Uga, Clemson would probably do the same agains USC. The regular season is the playoff in college football.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
12:50 pm

I’m all for playoffs especially with CPJ at the helm. We match up with just about in any team in the country that has a week’s notice to play us. I’m still waiting to see how we match up with a team that has a month to prepare for us.

poop

November 10th, 2009
12:51 pm

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
12:52 pm

Poor pj no chance for tek.By the way calvin johnson is just mad because he lost to UGA his whole time at tek.

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
12:53 pm

btk tek would get hammered by UF,ALA,TX,….!

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
12:53 pm

Poor mutts wouldn’t even be invited to a playoff. Feel free to trash talk our 9-1 team if it makes you feel better. Poor little guys…

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
12:54 pm

TEK HAS NO DEFENSE.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
12:54 pm

There you go. Get it all out.

johnny weissmuller

November 10th, 2009
12:57 pm

And UGA does?

Big South Ga. DAWG

November 10th, 2009
12:57 pm

Hate to break it to you nerds, but you wouldn’t go very far in a playoff. You’re not even going to win your last regular season game against an unranked oponent.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
12:58 pm

There ya go… trash talking will make it all better. Joe Cox sucks, Caleb King sucks, Martinez sucks, Bobo sucks, we all know so just do what you need to to make your day better. It’s hard to be overshadowed by a real football program, I understand.

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
12:59 pm

gt4life you have lead a sad life my nerd friend.One hit wonder and you are the national nerd be proud.

johnny weissmuller

November 10th, 2009
1:00 pm

superDawg

Well we all know this for certain, the last time UGA played Bama and UF, UGA was thoroughly embarrassed

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
1:01 pm

Oh, thought you got it all out. You got something new I see. Thanks for keeping it fresh and I’m glad we can give you something to vent about.

White & Gold Forever

November 10th, 2009
1:02 pm

Tell ‘em, GT4LIFE. There claim to fame is their great fan support. Nice 10% missing on Homecoming! Good Luck against Kentucky to try to get a .500 season. Auburn and Tech are lost causes.

johnny weissmuller

November 10th, 2009
1:02 pm

Big South Ga. DAWG

Bet that’s similar to what you were saying last year before CPJ put up over 400 yards on Martinez Be’twinx the hedges

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

collegeballfan

November 10th, 2009
1:03 pm

A lot of teams get to partipate with the current bowl structure. A playoff system would restrict the number of teams that get to participate. So it will always be voted down.

What we got is what we got.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
1:05 pm

You guys really should help yourselves out with that inferiority complex. Telling us we are smarter than you constantly is not doing anyone any good especially when we’re better than you at football too. Being nerds is only bad in the high school cafeteria, not in the real world. Cheer up and realize we’re all smart in our own right. Just sad you don’t believe in yourselves.

White & Gold Forever

November 10th, 2009
1:08 pm

Why not a + 4 (or at least a + 2) after the bowls? Set the bowls up to be quarterfinals. I like the bowl structure and I like every regular season game counting. But I actually feel for the TCUs of the world.
Had we beaten Miami, we would still be looking up at at least UF, Bama, Texas (and I would be howling mad)….

Bring it on

November 10th, 2009
1:08 pm

If you only had an 8 team playoff system keep in mind you must be ranked in the top 8 to get this chance to play..Do not see why teams would sit out their best players taking a chance of falling out of the top 8 with a loss

Wreckbone

November 10th, 2009
1:08 pm

Yeah, we could be bitter a bit if we win out and dont get a chance. LEts see if we trya nd have an alum put it into the state senate (like that has weight). So just remember you dog fans were here a couple of years back. I’ve thought it is the thing to do for a decade as a lot of football fans have felt…..no surprise there.

Obama wants it, maybe he can cook up some sort of bloated stimulus package for the bowl folks and make it happen. If he can do that I’ll vote for him.

Yes if there is a playoff system, we may have some people rest their star players. It can happen but it would not be like college hoops where a ton of teams get in.

I’m just glad we can talk about this stuff.

To the Tech Jr stars (Dwyer, Morgan, Burnett, Thomas) – Please come back next year. I’d love for this team to stay together because we would have a serious chance at a national title if none of you go pro and the gamesgo as well as most of them have this year. (I didn’t add Nesbitt because I think he’ll be back although I think he could go pro and make it as a running back or QB. Look at Pat White)

Someone make a T-Shirt and call our offense the Wreckbone!!

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
1:11 pm

jw if tek played UF,ALA. it would have been a lot worse.Our record against these two teams is not bad compared to other teams in recent years.tek’s record over the last 10 years is not very impressive.

superDawg

November 10th, 2009
1:14 pm

wreckbone your an idiot.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
1:15 pm

Still here I see, superDawg. You are just so original and bitter too.

SCQA&A

November 10th, 2009
1:19 pm

CPJ is entirely correct. It’s good to see him start to “advocate” for GT in a roundabout way. I would speculate his comments are not entirely directed at playoff advocacy as much as trying to get attention for what he and his/our team is doing right now and get more “respect” from the media as a whole (are you listening, Heather Dinich/ESPN?). I would also speculate that CPJ realizes that this Tech team is/could be “special” and that he wants to do some PR work for the team in regards BCS voting. He’s doing what a great coach with a great team should – pull for and promote them in the media.

Also, if there were an 8-team playoff, who really thinks Florida or Alabama or Texas really could prepare for a spread option offensive onslaught in such short order? A coach that’s won 2 national titles in a playoff format would know, I think. Not saying right off that we would win a national title playoff, but the thought of this Tech team in an 8-team playoff and its chances would definitely appeal :) .

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GTSteve

November 10th, 2009
1:20 pm

Superdawg it is your opinion that Tech would get hammered if they played UF or Bama, but it is fact the last time you played those teams you got hammered….Opinion vs Fact

VegasGT

November 10th, 2009
1:24 pm

Yes, you have to really wonder about the psyche of some of those UGA fans.

As for UGA, I hope they win every game except for one. If you really wanted the best for your program, you would want to meet that Saturday after Thanksgiving with both teams being undefeated, makes for a bigger game, more media attention and better results win or lose based on the current system.

UGA will get better, eventually, everything goes in cycles. Based on the recruiting classes that UGA gets, they really should be much better. Guess you can’t really measure anything until they play the game which is how it should be.

As for why they show themselves here and add nothing to the subject at hand, can’t answer. It’s obviously motivated by a perceived lack of something.

As for a playoff (which is the real subject we should be discussing), I would be all for some sort of eight or sixteen team playoff with other satellite bowls to fill the television gaps that warrant and support other games. A sixteen team playoff would take about a month to play, so you are not talking about going much longer than we do now. I would also eliminate the league championships as they present a potentially unfair scenario to those who have them vs those that do not. The satellite bowls would fill in the television gaps created over the holiday period since there would not be as many playoff games toward the end of the period as there are bowls now.

To say the regular season is the playoffs doesn’t work because of the relative strength of conferences and strength of schedules. The problem will be how you define the top 8 or 16 teams. You just can’t make everyone happy.

Who knows, just an alternative.

johnny weissmuller

November 10th, 2009
1:29 pm

superDawg

That is your opinion

Here are recent relevant facts:
2009
UF blasted UGA 41-17
2008
Bama embarrassed UGA and the black out 41-30 be’twinx the hedges

AlabamaRamblinwreck

November 10th, 2009
1:32 pm

As usual, I agree with Coach. I think there can be bowls for the non-qualifiers, but there must be at least an 8 team playoff for the NC.

Go Jackets!!

Cuttysark

November 10th, 2009
1:33 pm

Playoffs are the best way to decide every other NCAA sport. It will eliminate the $$$ payout to the BCS Conferences which is why they are against it. Remember, Utah’s win against Bama last year showed it should be decided on the field of play.

Go to http://isportsweb.com for more Georgia Tech Football articles and a review of the Yellow Jackets win in OT against Wake and Paul Johnson. Go Jackets!

Tokyo jacket

November 10th, 2009
1:38 pm

How about a 6 team playoff? That way, the top 2 teams would have a bye. There would be real incentive to not rest your best for both the bye and the potential to drop out of the top 6.

I love my jackets and yes, they could beat anyone on any given Saturday. But, I don’t think they’re the best team in the country. I think the best team in the country is sitting in the top 6 though, year in and year out. I’m tired of the beauty pageant.

All this said, if our juniors return next year, there is no doubt in my mind that we’ll be the best team in the country. If they all stay, in addition to having a shot at the NC (even with a loss probably), we’ll probably produce three first/second round picks in 2010. That’s a big shot in the arm for recruiting. Here’s to hoping!

GTSteve

November 10th, 2009
1:43 pm

I agree about next year, except, the road schedule will be tough

私は来年のを除き、同意すると、道路のスケジュールを厳しいものになる

mash the bug

November 10th, 2009
1:45 pm

of course he does…..since the nerds will not be playing for the NC….lol

Blago

November 10th, 2009
1:49 pm

Playoffs are a bad idea in major college football. Everyone mentions that “this is how every other sport determines its champion.” But everyone fails to mention that every other sport has a regular season that pretty much doesn’t matter.

You know how millions of major college football fans religiously follow the regular season? They all go to the games. They all sit there completely devastated not just by losses, but by single bad plays. They storm the field and tear down goalposts when they beat a top 5 team at home for the first time in five decades.

Name another sport where these things happen every time there is a game to be played. You can’t do it. Not in the pros, not in college. Because they all have pointless regular seasons where very little is at stake in the vast majority of the games.

“Well college football is different.” WHY do you think it’s different? Sit down and actually think about that before you go preaching about the need for a playoff. College football is special, and it has a lot to do with how it determines its champion. It creates passion that you just don’t see anywhere else.

OlderThanDirt

November 10th, 2009
1:50 pm

I go all the way back the to ’50s rooting for GT. Along the way we have had some great teams. i think CPJ has a chance to relive the glory days of Dodd. But honestly i dont think that this year’s team has the ‘D’ to play the hosses in the country. Are they one of the top 10, absolutely. So far the only team to have a month to prepare during the season is LSU last year. We are all embarassed over that one. Hopefully the squad remembers that one.

Blago

November 10th, 2009
1:57 pm

And another thing. Stop encouraging all of our standout juniors to stay next year. If you actually cared about them (and you ought to, considering the entertainment they provide you), you would be pushing them out the door.

What happens when you stay in school? You put yourself at risk. Look at Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham. They came back, and instead of winning a national championship, they are each out for the season with severely lowered draft stock.

You talk about education being the most important thing? That’s just not true. We’re talking about MILLIONS of dollars that they are risking by coming back to school. If they want their education, they can come back and get it while they’re playing for the NFL. Plenty of players have.

Quit being selfish and don’t blame guys for putting their families and futures ahead of a bunch of fans that they don’t know and boo them when they play poorly.

In closing, I’ll be pretty disappointed if I see Dwyer, Bay-Bay, Burnett, or Morgan back in a GT uniform next year. And I’m a die hard GT fan.

Griffin

November 10th, 2009
1:59 pm

45-42=haha… Your theory makes no sense. Who says you would have to set it up to where the conference champs automatically go. That is not how they do it in the lesser divisions. Every game would be just as important as they are now because it would be very hard for a two loss team to make an eight team playoff.

U-no

November 10th, 2009
2:00 pm

You know, I’ve read all the whining, complaining, and crapping on the UGA blogs after the games this year. I have noticed the dissatisfaction with the play calling, Joe Cox, the defense, the coaches, the players, the refs, and everything else related to this year’s UGA team. It doesn’t make much sense to start talking about how the puppies are going to beat the Yellow Jackets after all the discontent that has been voiced, and the fact that there are no guarantees that you can win the games against Auburn and Kentucky. If everything that has been said about the team as a whole, individual players, coaches, play-calling, offense and defense is true; then I would suggest a little more humility is in order and just wait and see what happens.

Tech has every reason to be confident and approach the remainder of the season with an expectation to win every game they have remaining, including the date with the pups. Granted, there are concerns about the defense, but so far that has not caused us to lose, except for Miami.

I agree with CPJ a fairer approach to determining a true NC would be a playoff system so some sort. The BCS is a convoluted and contrived system that is weighted too heavily in favor of certain conferences and teams. However, it is what we have right now and no matter whether the sideline observers and living room coaches think it is deserved or not, Tech is ranked 7th in the nation and is continuing to win to prove they belong there and possibly higher before it is all over. Winning trumps talk and opinions. CPJ has the Jackets winning… consistently, with an offense that everyone said couldn’t work all they way from the high school level to now, the top ten BCS level. The proof of the puddin’ is in the eatin’, my grandmother always said. Works for me!

Tech fan

November 10th, 2009
2:03 pm

I DON’T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THIS!!!
ALL I WANT TO DO IS BEAT GEORGIA THIS YEAR!!!

freshman Tight end

November 10th, 2009
2:05 pm

DAWGGGGSSSSSS there is a bigger picture than 7 to 1…. please like i keep saying YOU GUYS can POUND YOUR CHEST about beating CHan Gailey and frequent gift wraps from REGGIE… have it take it keep it!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Paul Johnson did last year and is staring to do at TECH is what We and Not you are historically known for… Heisman , Alexander, Dodd now Paul Johnson… I wont mention Ross even though he HAS a NATL CHIP at TECH because dawgs dont realize WHAT A 5TH DOWN is…

You can talk 7 to 1 I for one dont care…
The DAY UGA HONORS “ITS LEGENDS”……………. what happen?

GTville

November 10th, 2009
2:13 pm

GT would not be in a playoff. As Doug said 3 SEC teams deserve to be in the top 10. Some years because they don’t all play each other in the regular season, there may be 4 SEC teams. 2 teams each from the Big 10 and 12, one from the PAC and Notre Dame (at 7-4) should round out the yearly playoff slots.

If there is a playoff, the regular season has to matter and no more than 2 teams from any conference can make the playoffs. Also need to prevent stupid situations where the press can insert a 7-4 Notre Dame just because they are ND.

There will be more arguements with the playoffs if the playoff spots are selected by the press or computers. Eliminate the press from the equation and make a clear way to earn a playoff spot regardless of the size of your alumni base or your history.

The press will be disappointed in a playoff as they will lose their votes.

Mel

November 10th, 2009
2:13 pm

There needs to be a playoff. But then the big 10 would never play in the champ game as they would lose first round.

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:17 pm

Buzz……Bama or Florida would beat Tech. You need to worry about getting by Clemson again.

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:18 pm

Also Texas would pluck your wings as well. WHO have you beaten?

Munson

November 10th, 2009
2:21 pm

Hey GT4Life, 31-3 is how you match up when a team (LSU just in case you blocked it out) has a month prepare. What a loser!

GTJay

November 10th, 2009
2:22 pm

“Playoffs are a bad idea in major college football. Everyone mentions that “this is how every other sport determines its champion.” But everyone fails to mention that every other sport has a regular season that pretty much doesn’t matter.”

I don’t understand this–how can one say that “every other sport[that has a playoff] has a regular season that pretty much doesn’t matter”, when a teams performance DURING the regular season is what determines who GOES to a playoff? I’d say in all these other sports the regular season still matters very much.

In fact, in the current system, in which this year there may be up to five undefeated teams by season’s end, the regular season will not have “mattered” for three of those teams as only two will get to compete for the MNC because they were in the glamour conferences, while the other three were not.

GTJay

November 10th, 2009
2:22 pm

“Playoffs are a bad idea in major college football. Everyone mentions that “this is how every other sport determines its champion.” But everyone fails to mention that every other sport has a regular season that pretty much doesn’t matter.”

I don’t understand this–how can one say that “every other sport[that has a playoff] has a regular season that pretty much doesn’t matter”, when a teams performance DURING the regular season is what determines who GOES to a playoff? I’d say in all these other sports the regular season still matters very much.

In fact, in the current system, in which this year there may be up to five undefeated teams by season’s end, the regular season will not have “mattered” for three of those teams as only two will get to compete for the MNC because they were in the glamour conferences, while the other three were not.

Savannah Jacket

November 10th, 2009
2:22 pm

I don’t understand the argument against a playoff system. So you are saying that a team could sit it’s starters and continue to win? In order to be in the top 8 you are going to have to win games every week. This year there are 6 undefeated teams at week 10 with a possibility of having 5 going into bowl games. And the one loss teams are stacked up waiting to get in the top 5.

The only reason to argue against a play off system is if you are scared that your team can’t win three games. Bye weeks are unfair and give an unfair advantage because of rankings, which is what we have now. The I-AA group has been using a play off system for years and the fans follow it and love it. It is the only true way to settle all of this BS that ESPN, FOX, and CBS has created with all of the Bowl Hype. None of them care about the game or how to correctly handle thing, its all about money and getting the big name teams in the big bowl games to make money. Why do you think the SEC refs have been allowed to keep two teams undefeated…. gotta have that big SEC championship and BCS 1 and 2. Anyone could beat a Pac-10 or Big 10 school so those conferances are going to fight this tooth and nail.

It boils down to … do you want a true national champion that has run the gauntlet or do you want a popular team that travels well and will bring in lots of money for all of these folks riding the coat-tails of college football. I know what we have now!

BartBuzz

November 10th, 2009
2:22 pm

I don’t believe Paul Johnson has any sour grapes just because GT is in the title hunt this year. He’s only stating the obvious. He knows it’s all about the money.

An 8-team playoff would definitely put to rest any gripes about the true National Champ. Well almost. It could be that on any given Saturday (or Thursday night) any team in the Top 25 could beat any team in the Top 8. But a playoff involving more than 8 teams doesn’t stand a chance of being accepted. Eight teams means 3 games. That would be so easy to do using the existing Bowls. The first round could be played the week of Christmas. Round two on New Years Day. And the Championship game two weeks later to give the two teams time to rest any bumps and bruises. The details would be in picking which major bowls to include. Even if the NCAA picked 10 or more Bowl sites I am sure they could work out an equitable rotation schedule that would give them all a chance at the title game over time.

I know I’m dreaming but what else can we do at this point. If Boise and TCU go undefeated and neither get to the Championship game, there will always be a lingering doubt. If GT goes 13-1 and beats Cincinnati in a Bowl game, what does that say? Texas or Florida or Alabama will be happy. The others have been screwed again.

Rural Jacket

November 10th, 2009
2:23 pm

Ah’m proud ‘at Johnson boy upped and said ‘at ! Playoffs is th’ way t’ go !

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:24 pm

White & Gold Forever when was the last time Tech sold out the season or even a game?? You could not even sell out the VaTech. Never I would say. Even with the 10% missing it is still more than Tech ever has at a game. So drop the attendance topic. If you can’t come with anything better go pound sand.

GTSteve

November 10th, 2009
2:26 pm

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:17 pm

Buzz……Bama or Florida would beat Tech. You need to worry about getting by Clemson again.

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cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:18 pm

Also Texas would pluck your wings as well. WHO have you beaten?

We Beat Clemson

Tidal Wave

November 10th, 2009
2:27 pm

Not so fast Cherokee. Tech wouldn’t have to lose against anyone I’ve seen and I’ve watched my team all year long (Alabama). I definitely think they’s play Florida better than anyone has played them all year and might beat them.

timthebrave

November 10th, 2009
2:28 pm

I hope Boise st plays TCU for the mythical national championship. That might get people mad enough to make a change to a 8 team playoff. It wouldn’t take anything away from the regular season because almost everyone on your schedule is in your division that you have to win or a hated rival. Do you think FL wouldn’t care about beating FL State because they have the SEC wrapped. It may take a little away from games like that but it would be worth it to see a playoff. I think an undefeated Big 10 team not making the BCS game might do it? Playoffs!!!! It’s what most college fans want and it would make a pile of money for their teams

GTSteve

November 10th, 2009
2:28 pm

Cherokee, would you rather play in front of 95k and lose instead of playing in front of 50k and win….go away

Sun Tzu 7

November 10th, 2009
2:29 pm

Coach Johnson favors a playoff system because he has experience in one. That’s the way it worked when he was at Georgia Southern.

And the ironic thing is that if there was a playoff system UGA could possibly have won 2 championships under Richt…. the David Green team that lost to Florida could have gone all the way and the Stafford team that demolished Hawaii got hot at the end of the season and also could have gone all the way.

But as it stands now you have to get voted in in order to play for a national championship.

And for those that say the regular season is a playoff… if your season ended, (as in you didn’t play any more games), after one loss then I might agree with you.

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:37 pm

Steve Gold and white brought it up not me. Besides when has Tech had 50k at a game?

timthebrave

November 10th, 2009
2:37 pm

GT doesn’t have a gripe this year because they lost to Miami but if they went undefeated they still would be left out. They wouldn’t jump SEC champion or Texas. Playing the actual game should decide championships. I think the best team has/or could have been left out every year. Utah deserved a chance last year. They beat Alabama worse than FL and didn’t lose any games. GA may have been better than LSU the year they won. Auburn with cadillac and brown may have been the best team the year they went undefeated. We will never know.. PLEASE make a playoff

Joe's Sack-Shack

November 10th, 2009
2:38 pm

The Dawgs are not going to win a title, deal with it.

BartBuzz

November 10th, 2009
2:39 pm

All these posts about which team beats this team or that team and on and on just proves the point that a playoff is needed. We are all just pundits until there is some better way to pick a football champion on the gridiron. The status quo doesn’t work.

Right now I just hope Paul Johnson stays focussed on Duke. And then UGA. And finally Clemson. But I will admit that deep down I can’t wait until Nov 28th. THWG!

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:39 pm

Steve, I said worry by Clemson again. As in the ACCG

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:39 pm

sorry… meant to say get by Clemson again

steveh

November 10th, 2009
2:43 pm

Paul Johnson knows exactly what a playoff would look like because of his years at Ga. Southern. I have yet to understand why a playoff works so well in Division 1AA, Division II, and Division III, but for some reason it is doomed to fail with the big schools. Each of those other divisions have a 16 team playoff and it works out well. In fact, I cannot think of another collegiate level sport that does not have a playoff system. There is only one reason people can be against it – money. Too much money is made with the bowl system and people are afraid they will lose out. It is time for a change. I am sure people will figure out how to make money off of a playoff system.

GT MBA

November 10th, 2009
2:45 pm

UGA fans are sad. You TRY to put people down because they are smart (nerds) and you all are in love with a program whose best days came in the 80’s. Last I checked, UGA has one title (1980), and GT has three (1917, 28, and 90). Where the hell do UGA fans get off thinking that they have some storied football team because of the heroics of Herschel, Buck, and Scott?

Joe Money

November 10th, 2009
2:45 pm

I think its funny how all uga people are still stuck in high school. Calling people that are smarter than you nerds is not going to help you get anywhere, although it might make you think that you are cool. I think if you call your boss, who is more likely to have graduated from Tech than from georgia, a nerd, it would not go over well. Although, they can probably call them nerds all they want sitting at home jobless.
I think that there might be positions open in garbage collection and sanitation engineering in Atlanta, but that might be all that a person with a uga degree is qualified for.

Savannah Jacket

November 10th, 2009
2:47 pm

GT MBA make it 4, we got one is 1952 as well.

crackbaby

November 10th, 2009
2:47 pm

My solution:
Keep the BCS (and all the other bowls) but make the following changes:
1) Give equal weight to number of losses and strength of schedule (so an undefeated team with a weak sched. can be passed by a 1 loss team with a tough schedule)
2) Get rid of the coaches poll (they don’t watch any other games), keep the computer polls
3) For any polls that are used, they are not allowed to assign or publish a ranking until all teams in the top 25 have played at least three games (ditch the preseason polls).
4) If your school is in a conference, only conference champs qualify for NC game. If you can’t win your Conf. you’re out.
5) As a tiebreaker, use non-conference strength of schedule (this will make the season a lot more interesting and give top teams incentive to play worthy opponents).
6) No special rules for Notre Dame.

That’s it.

snapshot

November 10th, 2009
2:52 pm

There are way toooooooooooo many bowls. A play off system would be the best way. As for Georgia Tech beating Florida or Alabama, Tech would have to play them to find out. The mutts sure can’t.

GT MBA

November 10th, 2009
2:53 pm

I stand corrected Savannah Jacket. GO JACKETS!!

GTAnchorage

November 10th, 2009
2:54 pm

I think a playoff would be great and would put college football in the stratosphere as far as ratings would go. Just look at March Madness, that is some of the best tv there is. I don’t even really like basketball, but I can’t get enough of March Madness. If there is an 8 game playoff in college football, I don’t see anything beating the ratings that it would bring.

One of the problems that I see people have with it is that it will take away bowl games. I don’t think that will happen because the top BCS bowls will be assigned a game in the playoff and the other bowls will still be there for the teams that don’t make the playoff.

Alabama jack

November 10th, 2009
2:54 pm

BEAT DUKE

dawg fans suck

Tech Tony

November 10th, 2009
2:57 pm

I’ve seen some pretty smart people express their opinions on this blog yet I am amazed so few people get it when it comes to the bowl vs. playoff system in college football.

The simple fact is: the best you’re ever going to get is a plus one or plus three format. The bowl system is a cash cow that a playoff system could never, ever match. College football gets far more exposure with 33, 34 or 35 bowl games, and thus far greater revenue, than a 15 game plaoyff could (that’s a 16 team format).

It’s about money. Period. Paragraph. The revenue generated by the bowl system is obvious to every college president and thus will not change in any way, fashion or form for at least a couple of generations.

I’m not saying I’m against the idea of a playoff but I’ve never seen a proposal that was even remotely feasible aside from the plus one idea. It’s ok to dream of a playoff system, it’d be a hell of a thing to follow, but to think it might happen anytime soon is living in denial.

GT For You And Me

November 10th, 2009
2:58 pm

Blago: You are a true idiot!!!!!1LOL

WhiteAndGold

November 10th, 2009
2:59 pm

Blago, I was utterly disappointed to read that you are a GT fan. You attack fellow GT fans for their differing perspective on college football…really?

In my opinion, I agree that the juniors should stay in school. If you have not noticed, Sam Bradford is still widely considered a 1st round prospect. That is besides the point though. What makes college football so great is the fact that you have great players that stick around for senior years. They genuinely care about their teams and want to win. The very opposite is what is hurting college basketball. It is refreshing to see Sam Bradford, Vince Young, Tim Tebow, etc. stick around to get one more shot at a national title.

In addition, my perspective on the playoff also differs from your opinion. Look at what it took for GT to crack the top 8 this year… a 9-1 record. If they do not win out the rest of the season, they will fall out of the top 8. You could induce that it would require your football team to go undefeated or have a 1 lose record to make a 8 team playoff. How is that any different from today? Every game would be as important as the next. In regards to the argument about more teams participating in the current system, keep the bowl games the way they are, and just use the BCS games as the playoff games.

GT4Life

November 10th, 2009
3:01 pm

Cherokee, thanks for joining us with such original topics.

When was the last time we had 50,000 in the stands?
We’ve had over 50,000 (in about a 55,000 person stadium at a school that has 15,000 students) at the following games this year:
Wake Game – 51,000
VT Game – 54,500
UNC Game – 50,500
Clemson Game – 52,000

Who have we beat?
#20 VT (was #4 when we beat them)
#24 Clemson
Who have you beat?
No one ranked

What’s your point?

U-no

November 10th, 2009
3:01 pm

I have to agree with the other GT supporters that in a playoff setup, Tech would have a definite edge. It is a whole lot different having several weeks to prepare against their offense as opposed to only one week. Teams that have played against the triple option (such as Wake Forest)earlier in the year have a better opportunity to come up with an answer to it on defense, but those who never play it can’t replicate the speed in practice that Tech plays at in a game.

I think, because of the money at stake in the current system, that any talk of a playoff system is just that… talk. The big players aren’t going to give up the cash cow that feeds the big conferences and schools in the BCS.

GT MBA

November 10th, 2009
3:04 pm

GT Anchorage-If the rest of us can figure out the playoff system with all the bowl games how come the rest of them can’t see it? The bowls won’t go away. Hell, There are only 6-8 meaningful bowls as it is. The rest can just go away. But, if the muckity mucks insist on 50 bowl games, sure you can get teams like this years UGA squad to go to the “All Bark, No Bite Dog Biscuits” Bowl @ Bil-Jac Stadium in Medina, OH.

Blago

November 10th, 2009
3:08 pm

I love the literal approach to arguments. Yes, clearly the regular seasons matter in other sports, as they do not go around flipping coins at season’s end to see who makes the playoffs. What I meant to say is that no one cares about the regular seasons because, well, they just don’t MATTER. Why don’t they really matter? Because there’s the safety net of the tournament to fall back on.

Let’s look at Major League Baseball. Each team plays 162 games in the regular season. I’d be impressed if any one of you could, without looking anything up, come up with the final score of more than a handful your team’s 162 games. Why? Because you don’t care. Because they don’t matter. Why don’t they matter? Because the 2005 Padres can make the playoffs TWO GAMES over .500. Becuase the 2006 Cardinals can make the playoffs five games over .500 and go on to win the world series. People go to regular season MLB games and fall asleep or read books. These are not uncommon sights.

Let’s look at the NBA and NHL. Each league has 82 regular season games per team. Do you know how many teams are in each league? 30. Do you know how many teams make the playoffs in each league? 16. That is more than half. Not only is it possible, but it’s probable that a team with a losing record will make the playoffs. How, for the love of sports, does that mean that the regular season has meant anything? You have proven losers possibly playing for the championship.

Let’s look at the NFL. The 2008 Chargers were a .500 team in the regular season and not only made the playoffs, but sent a 12-4 Colts team home early because they got the ball in overtime. The 2007 Patriots were arguably the most dominant team in NFL history, yet the 10-6 Giants said “tough nuts if you can’t win the 19th straight.” (Don’t get me wrong. I hate the Pats. But they were clearly the best team in football that year. And it wasn’t close.)

Let’s look at college baseball. No wait, let’s not. Who even won the championship last year? No one cares. All the really good players go straight to the pros, where the 83-78 Cards can be “world champs.”

Let’s look at college basketball. March Madness is probably the 3rd biggest sporting event in America. I’ll give you that. Because it’s a huge tournament where any team could win (kind of). It’s right there behind the NFL playoffs/Super Bowl and EVERY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY.

The losingest BCS champion in history? the 2007, 12-2 LSU Tigers. Think about it. That’s the least deserving team to take home the crystal ball since the BCS came around. Sure, you get the occasional team getting left out in the cold (2004 Auburn and 2003 USC), but you never get a team going .500 and stumbling into the post season stealing the show from everyone else.

On the flip side, you have GT, Oregon, and LSU fans all over the country sitting around a TV on a Saturday afternoon at the end of October, hoping that Indiana can upset Iowa. This would not happen if there were a playoff. What does that mean? The regular season in FBS football matters infinitely more than with any other sport. And there isn’t even an argument (this post notwithstanding).

GT For You And Me

November 10th, 2009
3:17 pm

Maybe the NC should be based on the total number of point a team scores in the regular season,then take 1 and 2 and let them play for the NC…..

Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket

November 10th, 2009
3:18 pm

cherokee

November 10th, 2009
2:18 pm
Also Texas would pluck your wings as well. WHO have you beaten?

I guess you weren’t aware, Cherokee, but we’ve beaten EVERYONE we’ve played except Miami. Here’s the better question … “Who have you LOST to?”

U-no

November 10th, 2009
3:18 pm

Blago,
I agree with you and also disagree. I agree that every Saturday, when GT plays, it is a big deal to my entire household. We watch the games, go to games, talk about the games (just played and going to be played), and are excited about the entire football season.

However, I disagree in that I would like to see a meaningful way to estbalish who is the best in college football that is fair and makes sense. The bowls could be the basis for a “playoff” system that could with the winners of the major bowls lead to a true playoff that determines a true national champ. It wouldn’t take too much imagination to develop a way to do it and keep the importance and excitement of each Saturday’s games at the same level as it has today.

I know this, it ain’t gonna happen, for the reason already mentioned: money. I also know something else, no matter how good or bad Tech and Georgia play each year; whether they are both ranked, both suck, or one or the other is having a good year, that last Saturday in November will always be the game that counts more than any in my house and in a lot of others in this state! Go Jackets!

Eric

November 10th, 2009
3:19 pm

The problem is not the bowls, it’s the polls. Coaches and sports writers vote for the top 25. What the hell is that? It’s a freaking beauty contest. It’s no way to pick a national champion. They may try to be objective, but coaches and writers are especially close to the game and they all obviously have their favorites. All polls should be determined by computers. War Eagle!!!

Blago

November 10th, 2009
3:24 pm

GT For You and Me: Thank you for that insightful post. ROFL. LMAO. Har har.

WhiteandGold: Look, all I’m saying is that it isn’t in the best interest of a junior to stick around for his senior year if he’s a first day pick. Football players have limited snaps in them. There’s no reason for them to use any up in college and risk ruining the rest of their lives.

The guys coming back for their senior years are not what makes college football great. We could lose every junior every year and college football would not be lessened in any way. College basketball is very different, requiring players to stay only one year. All that requirement does is create confusion and a lack of continuity in a program. 3 years versus 4 in football doesn’t make nearly as big a difference.

Sam Bradford has had no impact on this season’s college football landscape, except making thousands of people feel bad for him now that his stock has dropped for no return (And yes, it has definitely dropped. We just don’t know how much yet.) Tim Tebow has not had much impact on this year’s college football landscape. That defense (and Brandon Spikes) is carrying that team while the offense has been struggling to find its way (because Percy did the smart thing and left while he still had his health… Tebow put his future in jeopardy with his concussion). Vince Young did not stay an extra year. Colt McCoy did, and he has been almost as much of a non-event as Tebow.

You were disappointed to hear I’m a GT fan because I care about the well being of the players I cheer for every Saturday? How is that a disappointing attitude?

Bambi

November 10th, 2009
3:25 pm

The bowls are too wealthy and will never give up their power. But lucky for us, we have a President now that doesn’t believe in power and wealth and will hopefully make the bowls do the “fair” thing and have a playoff. LOL!! Maybe some good will come from our new found Socialism afterall!!!

BIG BEE

November 10th, 2009
3:26 pm

Is it better for 90,000 fans see you lose or 30,000 see you win? Hope those numbers are not too staggering for you>

GT For You And Me

November 10th, 2009
3:29 pm

It’s not all about money Blago. It’s about these kids wanting to play football… Most of them will never set foot on the grassy turf for an NFL program!!!

CollegeFootballFan

November 10th, 2009
3:30 pm

Blago, quick question for you. Say the year ends with 5 undefeated teams (Florida, Texas, Boise, TCU, and Cincy). How do you justify your arguement to 3 of those undefeated schools left out of the title game? “I am sorry you miss out on playing for the title. But it honestly does not matter because my school’s game against Tennessee Tech, Elon, Jacksonville State (fill in the blank) really, really mattered in the current system. And if we included you in a playoff system that would make that game less important. Let’s overlook the fact that a USC, Ohio State, or Notre Dame is consistently perceived to be a national title contender even in down years. Excuse the current system for giving them a chance at the title even while losing a game (even a pathetic lose like Washington). But hey, try scheduling some better non-conference games next year and try to get lucky. I mean, they say the odds of getting hit by a meteorite are like 1 in 500,000, and I think your odds may be slightly better than that. Or maybe not.”

Stinger

November 10th, 2009
3:36 pm

EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.
EVERY OTHER COLLEGE SPORT, AT EVERY OTHER LEVEL USES A PLAYOFF SYSTEM.

Stinger

November 10th, 2009
3:38 pm

BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.
BCS is a corrupt cartel.

GT For You And Me

November 10th, 2009
3:39 pm

NFL has a playoff. High Schools have a playoff. Why not at the college level..It’s like everyone said. MMMMOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYY!!

Re-boot the system

November 10th, 2009
3:41 pm

The biggest obstacle to developing and implementing a playoff system is determining WHICH teams would be “invited”. If the playoff is for the top eight teams, who gets to decide which teams fall in that group? If it’s based on coaches or writers polls, then we won’t be any better off than we are now. Eric suggests that the rankings should be done by computers, but each computer programmer has his/her own bias … otherwise they would all yield the same result.

I submit that a big part of the problem is that there are too many teams in FBS (Division 1A) football to make an effective comparison. People talk about the “mighty SEC” … yet even the most die-hard SEC fans recognize that certain schools are going to lose 75%+ of their conference games EVERY SEASON. (I don’t even have to list the names … you KNOW who I’m talking about!) Perhaps those schools should be relegated to FCS (1-AA) status for football purposes.

Here’s a suggestion … establish eight FBS conferences, with no more than eight teams in each conference, and require that each school MUST play every other conference opponent during the season. (I hate the fact that you can currently have two undefeated “co-champions” in the Big 10, for example … simply because they didn’t have to play EACH OTHER.) Also require each school to play four additional games AGAINST OTHER FBS SCHOOLS. If we’re going to keep a 12-game schedule, then one game against a FCS opponent would be permitted. No conference championship games would be played. Champions would be determined solely on the basis of results on the field. At the end of the season, the eight conference champions would qualify for the national playoff.

This idea is far too radical to ever be implemented, but I believe it would provide better entertainment through the regular season and a more meaningful national championship at the end.

Blago

November 10th, 2009
3:42 pm

GT For You And Me: Those kids who will never see a down in the NFL are the ones who will be coming back for their senior years, no questions asked. But if a player can get to the NFL and set up a nice nest egg as soon as possible, I say go for it. What is WRONG with that?

CollegeFootballFan: If 5 teams end up undefeated this year, it will be a first. And honestly, yes, I would tell Boise, TCU, and Cincy pretty much what you just said. And we would have 3 programs who are disappointed they didn’t get a shot, 1 program that is disappointed it got a shot and lost, 114 programs that are disappointed because they didn’t play well enough to earn a shot, and 1 program that is ecstatic because it got its shot and made the most of it. So that’s 118 mostly disappointed teams (with 30 or so being a little happier because they at least ended bowl season with a win) and 1 thrilled team. That doesn’t sound much different from the result of a playoff: 118 disappointed teams and 1 thrilled team.

Quick question for you. Say the playoffs end with the so-far-undefeated Patriots losing to the 10-6 Giants. How do you justify to the Patriots that their victory over the Giants at the very end of the regular season doesn’t count, because it wasn’t a week later?

The worst thing that can happen with the BCS in place is that a deserving champion is crowned and a few other teams might also be able to say they deserved a shot at least. The worst thing that can happen in a playoff system? The barely over .500 2006 Cardinals come to mind as a good example.

ABQJacket

November 10th, 2009
3:45 pm

If you want a true “national championship” in football, you have to have national (balanced) scheduling. Make LSU’s schedule, Boise’s State’s schedule, and everyone else’s schedule as equal as possible. Re-done every year without regard to conferences. If you don’t, you’re back in the same situation, comparing teams with a difference of two or three games in the loss column for the 8th… or worse, the 16th… spot.

To those who advocate a playoff with conference champions: that’s totally unfair to powerful conferences. With a playoff system, the goal changes from “win a national championship” to “make the playoffs” (see other sports for numerous examples). There are plenty of seasons where two or even three teams from the same conference ended up in the top 8.

I’m not saying you can’t still have rivalry games. Heck, I’m not even saying that this is the answer (I happen to favor Blago’s argument). I will just point out in closing that college football teams play a third of the games that basketball teams play, the basketball tournament lets in 64 teams, and they still have a dozen programs whining in March about not getting in.

GT For You And Me

November 10th, 2009
3:46 pm

Could anyone please tell me if Hershel Walker contributed anything to the NFL. I never watched him,so I don’t know……

Sun Tzu 7

November 10th, 2009
3:53 pm

Re-boot,

It’s all about the money. There are 120 FBS teams, (1-A), and 125 FCS teams, (1-AA).

Just take the top 8 in the BCS and put them in primetime playoff bowl games with the top 4 having buys and let the rest of the teams play in the other 25 bowl games that don’t mean anything.

This way the sanctity of the regular season is preserved and we would get to see match-ups like USC vs Fla and Texas vs Alabama and each week the games get bigger and more exciting.

johnny weissmuller

November 10th, 2009
3:56 pm

ABQJacket

Good Call

CollegeFootballFan

November 10th, 2009
4:00 pm

The US thrives on the underdog. A 8 team playoff would satisfy both of our arguments. You would limit the playoffs to only the teams that consistently performed well throughout the entire season, but you would also provide the underdog the shot at the title. Also, think about your argument for a second. Say the NFL was structured like college football, and the top 2 voted teams play for the title. Hypothetically, Tom Brady goes down with a sprained ankle in the middle of the 2007 season. He misses 4 weeks of which the Patriots lose 3 games. He then comes back and the Patriots win out the rest of the season. The exact same team finishes the year that you argue was the best team that season, but the NFL voting system give the nod to the 13-3 Colts and the 13-3 Cowboys to play for the title…. now what? You have 2 teams playing for a title that never made it to the title game in a playoff system playing for the title. All because the QB was injured for a 4 game stretch on what could arguably be the best team in NFL history. That exact scenario happens every season in college football. You do not hear this arguement in the NFL because they avoid it by creating a playoff. Then the 2 best teams get the shot to win it. If they don’t, that is their own fault. But they still had a shot. You don’t eliminate great teams because of one instance of bad luck. A fumble that wasn’t a fumble, a blown call by the refs, a freak injury… the playoff system neutralizes those and gives each team a fair opportunity.

Side arguement, I would argue that the time between the conference championships and the bowl games creates an unfair advantage to teams that are better at scheming. If every game is important during the season, then why give teams multiple weeks to prepare for a bowl game? Completely contradicts what makes the regular season so important… another reason a playoff system creates a more level playing field.

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