Fun to think about....What If.....I know you have thought it

[Rekdiver]

To be honest...I’ve not thought about it once.....

[Yosefus]

We will never make a 4 team playoff as it is currently. This year even undefeated we will need help from the G5's ranked higher than us and not get passed by a Memphis, Navy or Tulane to make a NY6. We shall see in about 3 weeks what the selection committee thinks of us if we stay 1-0.

[UncleClark174]

App could score 300 points a game, while holding all remaining opponents scoreless and still not make the playoff, even in the original scenario. It would take 5-7 years of top 15 play for App to ever even realistically be included in the conversation. Even then, the plausibility of us making a 4 team playoff is about as good as my chances of getting married to Jennifer Lawrence. In other words, it could happen, but it won't.

I know Beau. He’s saying there’s a chance.

[John-N-Houston]

If ANY G5 team were to make the play-offs, even Boise State, Nick Saban would have such a hissy fit that the NCAA would immediately relegate all G5 teams to the equivalent of the old 1AA system. The sad thing is that, and someone correct me if I’m wrong, G5 football players are the only group of college athletes that are NOT eligible to play for an NCAA championship. In big-time college sports, money rules and the high-budget teams are not going to allow teams with 1/10 the sports budget into the party.

[BeauFoster]

I’m becoming too well known around here...

[bigdaddyg]

...not sure I want to see APP be a sacrificial lamb in this hypothetical situation in an expanded playoff and get curb stomped by 30+ points.

I'd sign App up to be a sacrificial lamb for the exposure/paycheck as there has basically been an azz whooping every year in the playoffs. It would make our program no different than the following "big time" programs who got "curb stomped":

2015:
Oregon - 59
FSU - 20

OSU - 42
Oregon - 20


2016:
Clemson - 37
OU - 17

AL - 38
MSU - 0.


2017:
AL - 24
UW - 7

Clemson - 31
OSU - 0


2018:
AL - 24
Clemson - 6


2019:
Clemson - 30
ND - 3

ok:
1- It ain't never gonna happen
2- If it did happen do you know how much freaking money we would make?
3- 1-0
4- LOL

[Black Saturday]

...not sure I want to see APP be a sacrificial lamb in this hypothetical situation in an expanded playoff and get curb stomped by 30+ points.

I'd sign App up to be a sacrificial lamb for the exposure/paycheck as there has basically been an azz whooping every year in the playoffs. It would make our program no different than the following "big time" programs who got "curb stomped":

2015:
Oregon - 59
FSU - 20

OSU - 42
Oregon - 20


2016:
Clemson - 37
OU - 17

AL - 38
MSU - 0.


2017:
AL - 24
UW - 7

Clemson - 31
OSU - 0


2018:
AL - 24
Clemson - 6


2019:
Clemson - 30
ND - 3

ok:
1- It ain't never gonna happen
2- If it did happen do you know how much freaking money we would make?
3- 1-0
4- LOL

We aren't part of the country club or cartel that gets any money, just second class citizens in the football world.

[bigdaddyg]

...not sure I want to see APP be a sacrificial lamb in this hypothetical situation in an expanded playoff and get curb stomped by 30+ points.

I'd sign App up to be a sacrificial lamb for the exposure/paycheck as there has basically been an azz whooping every year in the playoffs. It would make our program no different than the following "big time" programs who got "curb stomped":

2015:
Oregon - 59
FSU - 20

OSU - 42
Oregon - 20


2016:
Clemson - 37
OU - 17

AL - 38
MSU - 0.


2017:
AL - 24
UW - 7

Clemson - 31
OSU - 0


2018:
AL - 24
Clemson - 6


2019:
Clemson - 30
ND - 3

ok:
1- It ain't never gonna happen
2- If it did happen do you know how much freaking money we would make?
3- 1-0
4- LOL

We aren't part of the country club or cartel that gets any money, just second class citizens in the football world.

Obviously. The (somewhat) funny comment I was making was that if under some crazy set of circumstances we happened to end up in the playoff (ain't never happening) we would make a boatload of money. Yep it is probably going to get even more divided. The power conferences will probably ultimately break off into their own football division.

[PoplarHillApp]

I'm not being a "Negative Nancy", but rather just being realistic. We could do all of those things, yet we would still be in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl as Sun Belt Champions. It's just the environment of college football nowadays, and how they choose to select the national champion and the popularity contest that the selection process for some of the big bowl games .

I am proud that our program and all involved are doing everything to succeed and be the best in where we are.

It's a shame, but that is the unfortunate side effect of too many bowl games nowadays, conference/bowl tie-ins, a pathetically small playoff, and the pollution of the college football championship process by $$$.

In addition, those programs swimming in the big pond (P5) certainly don't want anyone from the smaller pond (G%) coming by for a swim. That would interrupt the stream of $$$ flowing into their big pond. They don't want to share.

[BallantyneApp]

If we were undefeated and beat the ACC and SEC champions (who would presumably get an invite to the playoff), i would support bringing a suit against the NCAA under Antitrust.

This is a nuclear option as we would undoubtedly be making plenty of enemies of the moneyed programs, but f***'em in that case.

[bigdaddyg]

here is how you fix it:

P5's that are relegated to G5 for football- Ga Tech, Vandy, Kansas, Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois
G5's that are elevated to P5 for football- Cincinnati, Temple, UCF, SMU, Boise and App State

[Rick83]

Hopefully there's a lot of controversy surrounding the 4 teams selected for this year's playoff so that momentum will build for playoff expansion to hopefully 10 or 12 teams at least.

[moonshine]

ok:
1- It ain't never gonna happen
2- If it did happen do you know how much freaking money we would make?
3- 1-0
4- LOL

I agree. Trust me, I have no delusions of grandeur when it comes to making the "invitational". My response was to BS about being a sacrificial lamb. I'd sign App up to be a sacrificial lamb in a heartbeat as there has been a beat down in basically every "invitational" since it's inception. It would not make our program any different than those who have participated before App. Just by virtue of playing in the semi-final, App would earn the Sun Belt $6m and $2.25m payout for travel expenses. Maybe someone else can chime in on how the Sun Belt distributes funds but I assume it would be equal shares so roughly $600k + remainder of travel budget would be App's take. Not a ton of money but would be a nice injection to the athletic department.

Good catch 89...edited for accuracy

[appst89]

Alabama lost last year's invitational championship by 4 scores.

[Black Saturday]

if we finish undefeated, we are still going to the same bowl we did last year.

do you welcome a G5 playoff or do you embrace the current status?

[Rick83]

If we finish undefeated and UNC and USC perform decently the rest of their seasons then we have a shot at the NY6 bowl. Granted we need AAC teams to beat each other up and we need either Boise St to stumble or for the CFP powers to realize that their SOS sucks.

[Deano]

I have argued for an expanded playoff system in FBS for years (even wrote a piece that was published), right now without controversies each year the 4 playoff system is here until the contract expires at the end of the CFP game in 2026. While there have been some talk of expansion to an 8 team format, I just can't see them expanding it that much more than 8 to 10 teams. With an 8 team format all of the P5 Conference champs will automatically make it, 5 teams, with 2 at large bids (probably coming from the SEC) and that leaves 1 slot for a potential best G5 program, But how could this G5 school be picked? Another playoff for the conference champs of G5? I could easily see with an 8 team playoff with the powers that be still not wanting to allow a G5 school to make it, but it would make for some great ratings and fan hysteria.

[appstatealum]

Here is what I don’t understand- there is more excitement around March Madness than probably any other sporting event in America. The biggest storylines are passion (college) and Cinderella stories. There is no way that converting these low tier bowls into “Ranked playoff matchups” wouldn’t increase the TV money and draw to college football. I love college football, but I’m sort of burnt out on watching Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St and one or two other teams playing each other. Go to a 16 or 20 team format like FCS, do a new TV deal with the 3-4 big networks, and have a bucket of tv cash for the Ranked teams who make the playoff. The highest ranked teams get a larger percentage of the bucket each year, and as the field shrinks, the teams that make it to each “round of” gets another round of cash. Under this structure, the “top P5s” have access to more potential cash (larger tv deal), and opportunity to earn their worth if they handle their business and beat the teams that they claim to be better than.

Nothing has to change, maybe have some of the bowl sponsorships switch over to Conference championships and whatever bowls remain after the top 20 TV playoff games, those can be compensatory games for teams that missed the playoff (a la an NIT type of thing). If these conference runner ups or whatever play an inter conference game, it can help them in preseason rankings the next season.

[ericsaid]

It doesn't matter if App is in real consideration for the CFP or not. What would matter is the discussion that an undefeated App, with wins against the ACC Champ and SEC Championship participant would do for national perception and recruiting. ESPN and other outlets would have no choice but to post graphics of App's season, show highlights, and discuss their schedule and performance if this scenario were to happen.

Effectively, it improves efficacy of improved recruiting, fundraising, and national spotlight on the university. Increased fundraising may also lead to improved attention to other sports, such as basketball, as well as result in an increase in overall athletic budget leading to the plausibility of an AAC invite during the next round of conference movements.

Obviously some of these would take several years to take place but assuming App continues to get good coaching and recruiting continues to improve, there is no reason to think App won't be considered Boise - East, or better.

[ericsaid]

I have argued for an expanded playoff system in FBS for years (even wrote a piece that was published), right now without controversies each year the 4 playoff system is here until the contract expires at the end of the CFP game in 2026. While there have been some talk of expansion to an 8 team format, I just can't see them expanding it that much more than 8 to 10 teams. With an 8 team format all of the P5 Conference champs will automatically make it, 5 teams, with 2 at large bids (probably coming from the SEC) and that leaves 1 slot for a potential best G5 program, But how could this G5 school be picked? Another playoff for the conference champs of G5? I could easily see with an 8 team playoff with the powers that be still not wanting to allow a G5 school to make it, but it would make for some great ratings and fan hysteria.

I think the P5/G5 labels should be disbanded should the playoff expand. 8 to 16 team playoffs would require a larger pool than 65 teams to pull from, I'd think. The problem is that there is a rather large gap between Numbers 1 through 4 and number 10. Regardless of if it's Boise or not, the first seed is going to most likely blowout the eighth seed 9 times out of 10.