In the post below, I have set up what I think would be the most likely format if there were an FBS playoff. A couple other less likely, but fun to look at, formats are discussed below:
Instead of just giving auto bids to the six BCS conference champions, how about giving auto bids to all the champions from the FBS conferences? This would give 11 auto bids, including to the champions from the WAC, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt and CUSA conferences. Then, extend five at-large berths instead of just two, and make a 16-team playoff. Based on BCS rankings, this what the first-round would look like:
No. 1 Auburn (SEC champ) vs. No. 16 Florida International (Sun Belt champ)
No. 8 Arkansas (at-large) vs. No. 9 Michigan State (at-large)
No. 7 Oklahoma (Big 12 champ) vs. No. 10 Boise State (WAC champ)*
No. 2 Oregon (PAC-10 champ) vs. No. 15 Miami, Ohio (MAC champ)
No. 3 TCU (Mountain West champ) vs. No. 14 Connecticut (Big East champ)
No. 6 Ohio State (at-large) vs. No. 11 LSU (at-large)
No. 4 Stanford (at-large) vs. No. 13 Central Florida (CUSA champ)
No. 5 Wisconsin (Big 10 champ) vs. No. 12 Virginia Tech (ACC champ)
*Boise State wins the WAC via BCS standings tie breaker over Nevada and Hawaii. How controversial would that be, especially right after Nevada beat the Broncos?
At-large berths, in order, are Stanford, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan State and, last in, LSU. Missouri was just left out.
Like the eight-team playoff, this format also creates some cool-looking matchups. In the first round, we get a game like LSU-Ohio State right off the bat. Oklahoma-Boise State would be a rematch of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl when Boise shocked the college football world.
Lastly, one other format I've thought about is allowing the six BCS champs auto bids and then give six at-large berths for a 12-team format, where the top 4 seeds would get first-round byes, and reseeding would not occur, meaning Auburn would play the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 game even if say, a lower-seeded Boise team defeated Wisconsin in the first round. Auburn would not get to automatically play the lowest seed left in the tourney in each round.
Byes: Auburn, Oregon, TCU, Stanford
At-large berths: TCU, Stanford, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan State and, last in, Boise State. LSU is just left out in this format.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Connecticut>>>winner plays No. 4 Stanford
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech>>>winner plays No. 3 TCU
No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Boise State>>>winner plays No. 2 Oregon
No. 8 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Michigan State>>>winner plays No. 1 Auburn
Even in this format, Oklahoma still has to play Boise! Haha, the Sooners are just destined to always come up against a non-BCS school. In all three of the playoff formats, they face one in the first round.
Instead of just giving auto bids to the six BCS conference champions, how about giving auto bids to all the champions from the FBS conferences? This would give 11 auto bids, including to the champions from the WAC, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt and CUSA conferences. Then, extend five at-large berths instead of just two, and make a 16-team playoff. Based on BCS rankings, this what the first-round would look like:
No. 1 Auburn (SEC champ) vs. No. 16 Florida International (Sun Belt champ)
No. 8 Arkansas (at-large) vs. No. 9 Michigan State (at-large)
No. 7 Oklahoma (Big 12 champ) vs. No. 10 Boise State (WAC champ)*
No. 2 Oregon (PAC-10 champ) vs. No. 15 Miami, Ohio (MAC champ)
No. 3 TCU (Mountain West champ) vs. No. 14 Connecticut (Big East champ)
No. 6 Ohio State (at-large) vs. No. 11 LSU (at-large)
No. 4 Stanford (at-large) vs. No. 13 Central Florida (CUSA champ)
No. 5 Wisconsin (Big 10 champ) vs. No. 12 Virginia Tech (ACC champ)
*Boise State wins the WAC via BCS standings tie breaker over Nevada and Hawaii. How controversial would that be, especially right after Nevada beat the Broncos?
At-large berths, in order, are Stanford, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan State and, last in, LSU. Missouri was just left out.
Like the eight-team playoff, this format also creates some cool-looking matchups. In the first round, we get a game like LSU-Ohio State right off the bat. Oklahoma-Boise State would be a rematch of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl when Boise shocked the college football world.
Lastly, one other format I've thought about is allowing the six BCS champs auto bids and then give six at-large berths for a 12-team format, where the top 4 seeds would get first-round byes, and reseeding would not occur, meaning Auburn would play the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 game even if say, a lower-seeded Boise team defeated Wisconsin in the first round. Auburn would not get to automatically play the lowest seed left in the tourney in each round.
Byes: Auburn, Oregon, TCU, Stanford
At-large berths: TCU, Stanford, Ohio State, Arkansas, Michigan State and, last in, Boise State. LSU is just left out in this format.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Connecticut>>>winner plays No. 4 Stanford
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech>>>winner plays No. 3 TCU
No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Boise State>>>winner plays No. 2 Oregon
No. 8 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Michigan State>>>winner plays No. 1 Auburn
Even in this format, Oklahoma still has to play Boise! Haha, the Sooners are just destined to always come up against a non-BCS school. In all three of the playoff formats, they face one in the first round.
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