24-Team Playoff?

[Marc Wigim]

I just cruised over to AGS and apparently the FCS is throwing around the idea of a 24-team playoff, including expanding autobids to include the PFL and NEC.

I have my own thoughts on this, but I want to hear everyone else's first.

[JayJ79]

of course fans would like it.
but there'd still be just as many disgruntled fans of teams #25, 26, 27... being left out.
and you'd be adding another week to a season that is already potentially 16 weeks long.

[ubuntuCAT]

If they were to add another week why not make it 32 then?

[joecooll6]

It would be good for the non auto bid conferences, it would end the debate if there were a good one like San Diego last year, and it also would be good for the top teams because they wouldnt have to play an extra game and would face a tired team in their first game.

I like the idea.

[joecooll6]

It also would create a Cinderella type thing like in the NCAA BBall tourney.

[Newsbreaker]

I don't know if I see a point to adding an auto-bid for a Patriot League team.

In a 24-team system, the top-8 would get a 'bye' week. That means the PL team, seeded 24th, would just get smoked by #9 every. single. year.

[GonzoCat]

As long as UNI was a top 8 seed I'd be okay with it. What they really need though is to get some kind of TV contract that pays some money into FCS football. The NCAA needs to flex it's muscle a little bit and capitalize on the ASU upset of Michigan to sell the story of the quality of FCS football and expand the coverage of it. They've forced networks to televise womens sports that frankly very few people want to watch in order to get the rights to televise the mens sports.

If FCS playoff games were televised people would watch them. They are after the season and before the bowls, it is a perfect time.

[ubuntuCAT]

I don't know if I see a point to adding an auto-bid for a Patriot League team.

In a 24-team system, the top-8 would get a 'bye' week. That means the PL team, seeded 24th, would just get smoked by #9 every. single. year.

Just like a team like Drake would never win at Illinois State, a North Dakota over UNI, or an appy state at Michigan

[Newsbreaker]

Just like a team like Drake would never win at Illinois State, a North Dakota over UNI, or an appy state at Michigan

Apples to oranges, honestly. Going to a stadium early in the year, during OOC play, or really any time in the regular season, is very different from being the people coming in trying to end your season.

Yes, there would be the odd occasional upset, but let's be honest. The non-scholly auto-invites are going to be the 23rd, 24th, maybe as high as the 20th seed. Normally, however, 23rd, 24th.

IF they can get by a top-10 team in the first round, they get sent on the road to the #1 or #2 team in the country. Enjoy your off-season.

The question has to be asked...what's the point of the field? Is it to get the 24 teams most likely to have a shot to win the championship, or to find a number of teams that can win the championship, and reward a few teams for a good season with an extra game?

In FCS football, I think the answer is clear. We have had a 16th seed win the title. So why expand? Is it because some believe the 17th - 24th teams have a shot at winning it all, or because we feel we need to reward more teams?

If it's the latter, and it is therefore believed that teams 17-24 really don't have a shot at winning it all, then by all means add an auto bid for a non-scholly team.

If, however, the feeling is that championship capable teams are in that 17-24 range, specifically the end of it, then there is no place for a non-scholly...those are not teams capable of winning the FCS Championship.

[Mountain Panther]

and you'd be adding another week to a season that is already potentially 16 weeks long.

This country is screaming for more football.....which is why college went to a 12th game and why there is more NFL coverage then ever. Too physically demanding on the player's bodies? Perhaps, but if you're like me, the football season is the best time of year and I quite frankly want it to last as long as possible.

[Back2BackCats]

If it would have been 24 teams last year wouldn't we have been in that 17-24 group. I guess maybe we would have been ranked higher, in front of some of the auto bids, but if that's the case it's a flawed system either way. I say extend the season one more week, add 8 more teams and let's enjoy.

[Matt Trump]

I don't know if I see a point to adding an auto-bid for a Patriot League team.

The Patriot League already has an autobid.

[jegbomb52]

16 is enough. If you are not one of the top 16, you DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE NATIONAL TITLE! That is the point of the play-offs isn't it? If you don't like 16 that just means that you are not winning and getting in. Do you have a problem with that? Win! In Iowa next year they are expanding the play-offs to 32 teams. Thats 2/3's of the teams in each division. Ridiculous!

[TH1974]

16 is enough. If you are not one of the top 16, you DO NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE NATIONAL TITLE! That is the point of the play-offs isn't it? If you don't like 16 that just means that you are not winning and getting in. Do you have a problem with that? Win! In Iowa next year they are expanding the play-offs to 32 teams. Thats 2/3's of the teams in each division. Ridiculous!

I seldom agree with Jeg, but I do whole-heartedly here. If you're not in the top-16, you probably aren't a championship team.

[UNI05Alum]

I seldom agree with Jeg, but I do whole-heartedly here. If you're not in the top-16, you probably aren't a championship team.

The problem I see with this logic is that the selection committee refuses to take the top 16 teams, let alone the best at-large bids. The last two 7-4 UNI teams have been head and shoulders above many playoff teams, but due to one extra loss were excluded. Last year's team arguably could have played with any of the 16 playoff teams and would have beaten most of them.