Are Hollywood TV Corps happy with the Clemson-Alabama ratings? No matter what how about a REAL brackets next year.

How was it not real?

The two best teams from last year played again this year.

Considering how Clemson destroyed Ohio State 31-0, I think it's safe to say we could rule out the Big 10.

Those were the two best teams.

If cross country teams raced 15 times a season we would all be (rightly) up in arms that we're racing our college runners into the ground.

I've seen quite a few people on these boards advocating lengthening the football season (who's games take a much greater physical toll on the student athletes) for a playoff.

It's a rare year when anyone outside the top four can legitimately claim they could have been national champion.

If you want brackets, watch basketball.

So the teams that made it to the FCS (formerly D-1AA) championship game in football played 15 games (JMU) and 16 games (Youngstown State) and that is with a 24 team playoff system.

Alabama and Clemson both played 15 games with a 4 team playoff system.

Adding a 16 team playoff would make it a 17 game season (for those teams that advance to the finals)..which really isn't THAT much more (I get the argument that these are 18-22 year olds who need rest/recovery).

It has been mentioned that the only way this works is to reduce the schedule, but I don't see that happening. Too much TV and revenue generated.

A lot of your smaller schools (including JMU and YSU) usually play at least one "Power Five" school, on the road, basically to make their athletic budget look better. Most of the time it results in a loss, but it's all about the bottom line to ALL involved. The smaller schools gets the check and the P5 school gets a W, gets another home date to sell 65,000+ tickets to (or force it into the season ticket package) and it becomes a chance to get your 2nd strings some playing time.

Too many games wrote:

If cross country teams raced 15 times a season we would all be (rightly) up in arms that we're racing our college runners into the ground.

I've seen quite a few people on these boards advocating lengthening the football season (who's games take a much greater physical toll on the student athletes) for a playoff.

It's a rare year when anyone outside the top four can legitimately claim they could have been national champion.

Agreed. But they could shorten the regular season by at least one game by getting rid of an early season cupcake game. The conference championship game would not really be a necessity if there were an 8 or 16 team bracket, and the tourney could start earlier.

he non-Conference games don't count towards the Conf Champs so they should keep them but treat them as Pre-Season games.But No more Poll based selections i.e. old farts picking seeds.Only the players should decide the Conference Winners who then advance to a 16 team playoffs in December-January.

Former D2 now 51 wrote:

Too many games wrote:

If cross country teams raced 15 times a season we would all be (rightly) up in arms that we're racing our college runners into the ground.

I've seen quite a few people on these boards advocating lengthening the football season (who's games take a much greater physical toll on the student athletes) for a playoff.

It's a rare year when anyone outside the top four can legitimately claim they could have been national champion.

Agreed. But they could shorten the regular season by at least one game by getting rid of an early season cupcake game. The conference championship game would not really be a necessity if there were an 8 or 16 team bracket, and the tourney could start earlier.

So ... Conference champs are the only ones in the playoff? By far the best non Big 5 team, Western Michigan, go beat by what was probably the fourth best Big Ten team this year. It ain't like basketball. No way Appalachian State knocks off Clemson in a playoff.