As the dust has settled over the past week on how flawed the first-year, expanded college football playoff process is, Jon Wilner, of the San Jose Mercury’s “Wilner Hotline,” (sorry, paywall) came up with three major points on improving the CFP format and selection process.
1) Eliminate the Weekly Rankings
Wilner feels the five Tuesday night broadcasts on ESPN to unveil the current playoff rankings need to be eliminated, but does not see that happening as it provides “must-see” programming for ESPN. He believes it undermines the credibility of the playoff committee, as it opens the door to contradictions regarding how the ranking process works.
2) Add Transparency
The transparency would come in the form of the true criteria for the ranking instead of the currently-stated criteria, which is often contradicted as Wilner sees the “number of losses” as the overwhelming top criterion, and states, “It’s clear the process, designed before realignment, doesn’t work with engorged conferences. The disparities in schedules are too great.”
In order, the CFP’s website currently lists these four as its core principles:
— Strength of schedule
— Head-to-head competition
— Comparative outcomes of common opponents
— Other relevant factors (e.g., availability of key players and coaches)
The No. 1 Ducks have a tough playoff road. (Photo by Eric Becker)
3) Give the Top Seeds More Advantages
As Oregon supporters, we feel this one, big time! As already discussed throughout the college football world, allowing the fifth and sixth seeds an easier path than the top seeds is criminal.
Simply put: Need to reseed after each round.
Should the Heisman Come After the Playoff?
The Heisman Trophy Ceremony has always come a week after the season has ended. This long-standing tradition made sense in the early decades of college football, as very few teams played in bowl games. As the bowl games multiplied like rabbits, it still made sense, since most bowl games were completely meaningless with many top players opting out.
But, now, with a full playoff, it seems right to move the ceremony back to consider the playoff games — the off weekend before the Super Bowl would appear to be a good time to have this.
What do you think?
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Eric Becker
Natalie Liebhaber, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in technology in SLC, Utah
Share your thoughts about this team in the only free, “polite and respectful” Oregon Sports message board, the Our Beloved Ducks forum!
Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.