The NCAA got themselves into this when they went to this format and decided that someone had to be the national champion. The old adage “on any given day” applies to sports like college football. And who owns the crystal ball tht can look at records and determine a certain team is better than another one. Variables like injuries, weather, location based upon travel, and player availability are just a few of the major elements that drive the capacity of a team. And then there’s dumb luck at just the right time.
I saw this failure in their thinking start when they took the Rose Bowl away from the PAC 12 and now ultimately the PAC 12. This whole thing can be summed up with a little five letter word...money. And I’ll even give you a prediction:
By allowing the vacating of the PAC 12 to create games on the east coast, they are going to lose their shirts. A lot of people would drive south to see USC versus CAL but they won’t drive to Pennsylvania. And just like trying to sell out the superbowl, the locals won’t be that interested in a west coast team they have been told are substandard for years. It might sell the first year, maybe two. But it’ll die after that when the novelty is gone. I wonder what conferences they are going to erase then. Or do they start with bowl games that are a dime a dozen now?
wy69
The west coast teams, student athletes, and fans will be on the losing end since the Pacific Athletic Conference is most part gone. They are going to get their asses kicked by them and it will drive more fans away.
Greed (money) caused it all.
They should have had the option of having one or two play-in games if necessary, like this year. Conference championship should have been considered CFP preliminaries, with losers eliminated. The future 12-team format is too many games, and reduces the interest/value/need of conference championships.