College Football Discussion

BUCKnation · Post #561 » by **BUCKnation** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 6:18 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:We've talked about this before but the regular season is still meaningful imo. Top 8 get a bye followed by a home game. Next 8 get a home game. Bottom 8 trying to get into the middle tier to get the home game. 25+ trying to get into the top 24.

Getting rid of meaningless bowl games where all draft eligible guys opt out and crowds are sparse is a good thing. On campus vs. neutral cities that don't give a crap. What would be more fun the rest of this season, wondering of the Badgers can win out and sneak into the playoffs or wondering if they'll go to the Pinstripe or Pop-Tarts Bowl.

In terms of determining a national champion of course this doesn't make a difference. Neither does 12. Who cares? Give me a playoff game at Camp Randall in December instead of the Idaho Potato Bowl. Or a road playoff game in a hostile campus stadium. Much better.

Pretty much agree with all of this. On campus playoff games is a huge win.

Mags FTW · Post #562 » by **Mags FTW** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 6:29 pm

I would argue that college football used to have the most meaningless regular season prior to the playoffs. In the BCS days, once you lost you were done. When the '99 Badgers choked at Cincy, it was basically "Welp, hopefully we can make it to the Rose Bowl again." After they made their QB change, they won 8 straight and would've been a dangerous playoff team.

MVP2110 · Post #563 » by **MVP2110** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 7:26 pm

Mags FTW wrote:I would argue that college football used to have the most meaningless regular season prior to the playoffs. In the BCS days, once you lost you were done. When the '99 Badgers choked at Cincy, it was basically "Welp, hopefully we can make it to the Rose Bowl again." After they made their QB change, they won 8 straight and would've been a dangerous playoff team.

Spot on. This makes the Regular season more meaningful imo

ReasonablySober · Post #564 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 7:56 pm

Byes don't really matter in terms of their importance in the regular season. No one is going to be dejected or elated because Auburn upsets Alabama and now Bama doesn't get a bye or a home game.

Rivalry games and Championship games used to have real stakes. You couldn't afford a second loss, which is how it should be. If you're a team that's out of it the games had stakes too, because more than anything you wanted to knock off your rivals and ruin their seasons.

The regular season in college football is what fans love. It's never been about surviving and getting to a playoffs or some bowl. It's about rivalries and **** up another fan base's season.

ReasonablySober · Post #565 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 7:59 pm

You guys are speaking as fans of one team, not a sport. I get it, and now maybe the Badgers might be able to sneak back into a meaningful post-season game. But for people who actually care about the entire sport, 24 teams is a legit abomination that misses why we love the sport in the first place. You won't find a single defender of it anywhere.

BUCKnation · Post #566 » by **BUCKnation** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:18 pm

Rivalries will still matter as long as the fans care and byes will matter too. Depth has never been lower amongst top CFB teams and avoiding a week of hits is pretty big nowadays. Contending teams will also have something to play for deeper into the season rather than just the pride of an upset.

For example last week, I can still care about Miami/ND as two top contenders, but I also might now care quite a bit more about LSU playing for its season against Bama.

Post #567 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:32 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:You guys are speaking as fans of one team, not a sport. I get it, and now maybe the Badgers might be able to sneak back into a meaningful post-season game. But for people who actually care about the entire sport, 24 teams is a legit abomination that misses why we love the sport in the first place. You won't find a single defender of it anywhere.

I couldn't disagree more. I used the Badgers this season but it applies more broadly. I already said my peace on it so I won't repeat. But if by "not a single defender" you mean the talking heads and click bait social media guys, that's not the rock solid argument you think it is. If it's friends you've talked with that's fine. Friends I've talked with like the idea for the reasons I've already outlined. Dismissing those who like it as somehow not loving the game or being blinded by focusing only on the Badgers is disingenuous. I'm speaking as a college football fan not just a Badgers fan. To say otherwise is simply incorrect.

So I'll agree to disagree as there is no right or wrong here. Simply opinions that can't be proved or disproved.

ReasonablySober · Post #568 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:41 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:You guys are speaking as fans of one team, not a sport. I get it, and now maybe the Badgers might be able to sneak back into a meaningful post-season game. But for people who actually care about the entire sport, 24 teams is a legit abomination that misses why we love the sport in the first place. You won't find a single defender of it anywhere.

Speaking only for myself and not for the others, I used the Badgers this season as an example but I couldn't disagree more. I already said my peace on it so I won't repeat. But if by "not a single defender" you mean the talking heads and click bait social media guys that's not the argument you think it is. If it's friends you've talked with that's fine. Friends I've talked with like the idea for the reasons I've already outlined. Dismissing those who like it as somehow not loving the game or being blinded by focusing only on the Badgers is disingenuous.

So I'll agree to disagree as there is no right or wrong here. Simply opinions that can't be proved or disproved.

I'm talking about the writers, podcast hosts, and college football historians for which this sport is their #1 passion. I'm talking about how only 30% of the fans actually want it, which is the same amount of people who enjoy Pat McAfee.

The sport is forcing very dumb things down the throats of its biggest fans.

ETA: The numbers are actually worse.

ReasonablySober · Post #569 » by **ReasonablySober** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:50 pm

Read on Twitter

Comments underneath this are appropriately brutal.

Post #570 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:56 pm

The McAfee reference is weird, as if those of us who favor this must be McAfee fans lol (I can't stand him). I'll gladly be in the minority of a random unscientific poll and the media.

But to be clear, I'd be fine keeping it at 12, 24 isn't something I've advocated. But I'm more likely to watch a
playoff game between 2 teams that realistically won't win the championship vs. those same 2 teams in the Duke's Mayo bowl minus their best players.

Post #571 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:59 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:
Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Comments underneath this are appropriately brutal.

Random social media posts are always going to be skewed towards those who are against something. Whether it's sports or politics.

It will be interesting to see the ratings of first round games vs. current bowl games.

MVP2110 · Post #572 » by **MVP2110** » Mon Nov 9, 2026 11:18 pm

Saying this is just Wisconsin fans is disingenuous.

Using the current AP Top 25 the first round would be

Tennessee vs LSU
Texas Tech vs New Mexico
Wake Forest vs Arizona
BYU vs Ohio St
Kentucky vs South Carolina
Houston vs Ole Miss
USC vs Oregon
Iowa vs Boise St

That sounds super entertaining imo. It features 9 teams who have never made the CFP and another 5 who have only made it once. That's a lot of new teams whose regular seasons would mean a lot more in this system than the previous one

ReasonablySober · Post #573 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 12:14 am

MVP2110 wrote:Saying this is just Wisconsin fans is disingenuous.

Using the current AP Top 25 the first round would be

Tennessee vs LSU
Texas Tech vs New Mexico
Wake Forest vs Arizona
BYU vs Ohio St
Kentucky vs South Carolina
Houston vs Ole Miss
USC vs Oregon
Iowa vs Boise St

That sounds super entertaining imo. It features 9 teams who have never made the CFP and another 5 who have only made it once. That's a lot of new teams whose regular seasons would mean a lot more in this system than the previous one

None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

MVP2110 · Post #574 » by **MVP2110** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 12:35 am

ReasonablySober wrote:
MVP2110 wrote:Saying this is just Wisconsin fans is disingenuous.

Using the current AP Top 25 the first round would be

Tennessee vs LSU
Texas Tech vs New Mexico
Wake Forest vs Arizona
BYU vs Ohio St
Kentucky vs South Carolina
Houston vs Ole Miss
USC vs Oregon
Iowa vs Boise St

That sounds super entertaining imo. It features 9 teams who have never made the CFP and another 5 who have only made it once. That's a lot of new teams whose regular seasons would mean a lot more in this system than the previous one

None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

I dont disagree necessarily. But I also never thought the #10 team truly could play for a title and Miami nearly won it last year. Besides I would watch each and every one of those first round games and basically none of them if they were a random bowl game where half the starters were no shows.

MikeIsGood · Post #575 » by **MikeIsGood** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 12:54 am

ReasonablySober wrote:
MVP2110 wrote:Saying this is just Wisconsin fans is disingenuous.

Using the current AP Top 25 the first round would be

Tennessee vs LSU
Texas Tech vs New Mexico
Wake Forest vs Arizona
BYU vs Ohio St
Kentucky vs South Carolina
Houston vs Ole Miss
USC vs Oregon
Iowa vs Boise St

That sounds super entertaining imo. It features 9 teams who have never made the CFP and another 5 who have only made it once. That's a lot of new teams whose regular seasons would mean a lot more in this system than the previous one

None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

Very unfortunately not what this is about.

ETA: Sorry, I unintentionally vauge-posted. This is a pure money grab and I have not yet decided if I like it for my selfish interests or not. I think I probably lean toward "siding" with DB, though for different reasons. I just kinda think college football sucks now (which bums me out).

ReasonablySober · Post #576 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 12:59 am

MikeIsGood wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:
MVP2110 wrote:Saying this is just Wisconsin fans is disingenuous.

Using the current AP Top 25 the first round would be

Tennessee vs LSU
Texas Tech vs New Mexico
Wake Forest vs Arizona
BYU vs Ohio St
Kentucky vs South Carolina
Houston vs Ole Miss
USC vs Oregon
Iowa vs Boise St

That sounds super entertaining imo. It features 9 teams who have never made the CFP and another 5 who have only made it once. That's a lot of new teams whose regular seasons would mean a lot more in this system than the previous one

None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

Very unfortunately not what this is about.

Right, what this is about is now ADs at mediocre programs can go to boosters and ask for money because, hey, look how we made the playoffs! Meanwhile the regular season will mean absolutely nothing. You’ll even have teams sitting players at the end of the year in what used to be rivalry games.

MikeIsGood · Post #577 » by **MikeIsGood** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 1:05 am

ReasonablySober wrote:
MikeIsGood wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:
None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

Very unfortunately not what this is about.

Right, what this is about is now ADs at mediocre programs can go to boosters and ask for money because, hey, look how we made the playoffs! Meanwhile the regular season will mean absolutely nothing. You’ll even have teams sitting players at the end of the year in what used to be rivalry games.

Right, I agree and updated my post while you were responding. I didn't intend to be so vague about it. I'm just dejected by the sport.

MVP2110 · Post #578 » by **MVP2110** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 1:20 am

ReasonablySober wrote:
MikeIsGood wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:
None of those teams can win the championship. Tennessee, Wake, and Iowa could make things interesting in the 2nd round. Maybe.

Very unfortunately not what this is about.

Right, what this is about is now ADs at mediocre programs can go to boosters and ask for money because, hey, look how we made the playoffs! Meanwhile the regular season will mean absolutely nothing. You’ll even have teams sitting players at the end of the year in what used to be rivalry games.

This is an easy fix. Move them up in the calendar like how the Red River Rivalry is played earlier in the year

Post #579 » by **MickeyDavis** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 1:21 am

Yeah that's another thing about CFB. The state of it right now really sucks, regardless of the number of playoff teams.

Mags FTW · Post #580 » by **Mags FTW** » Tue Nov 10, 2026 2:35 am

ReasonablySober wrote:You guys are speaking as fans of one team, not a sport. I get it, and now maybe the Badgers might be able to sneak back into a meaningful post-season game. But for people who actually care about the entire sport, 24 teams is a legit abomination that misses why we love the sport in the first place. You won't find a single defender of it anywhere.

That is the vast majority of the fan base for team sports though. Very few people start watching a team sport if they do not have a specific team they follow.