EastHallApp wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:48 pm

Has been floated in some form many times. I just have no interest in it. I do not want a new 1-AA, let alone a G5 "champion" that's not even really the G5 champion since the best team is in the CFP. Also don't want the prospect of playing three tournament games in short order, which is a travel nightmare for any fans who actually want to go.

Would rather have a G5 version of the major bowl games with an NIL component. Take a group of four bowls in cool locations (this part is a must), and each conference champion that's not in the CFP gets an auto bid. Either play each other or play decent, middle-of-the pack P4 teams.

Create an NIL carve-out that allows for players to be compensated for postseason games, with larger prizes for winning teams. (This is already happening in basketball with the Player's Era tournament, except they have to do an end-run and call it "sponsorship money.") This should happen for all bowls anyway IMO, to combat the widespread opt-outs.

Tie in the existing games in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando (Cure) plus one more. Schedule the games a few days before Christmas or right before New Year's for optimal travel availability.

Would this be economically viable? I have no idea. But it's what I'd like to see as a fan.

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:24 am

Unless things drastically change, there won't be a "P4" for much longer. It will be a "P2". We are in reality at least 80% of the way there already. It's getting close to time to make this a full on cut. Let the haves go spend their billions of dollars on renting teenagers for a year at a time. The rest of us living in the real world need a place where we can compete against schools in similar situations without the need of an unsustainable arms race.

Quite frankly, given the general distaste I believe is more prevalent than people think for this new NIL driven landscape, I can see this idea, or something similar, being quite popular. I am for it.

MAD Doctor wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 9:19 am

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:24 am

Unless things drastically change, there won't be a "P4" for much longer. It will be a "P2". We are in reality at least 80% of the way there already. It's getting close to time to make this a full on cut. Let the haves go spend their billions of dollars on renting teenagers for a year at a time. The rest of us living in the real world need a place where we can compete against schools in similar situations without the need of an unsustainable arms race.

Quite frankly, given the general distaste I believe is more prevalent than people think for this new NIL driven landscape, I can see this idea, or something similar, being quite popular. I am for it.

Good post. Instead of sniffing for crumbs, perhaps the large number of programs relegated to "G5" status, should unite, re-organize geographically, and get back to what amateur athletics was supposed to be. Let the Big Ten/SEC be a semi-pro farm league, financed by narcissistic big wigs, desperate to overpay teenagers big bucks to somehow make themselves and their institution more relevant. No matter what you call it, the revised "G5" product would be competitive college athletics, where athletes actually go to class, and students aren't defaulting on loans used to pay athletes from student fees. Fans would get to know their players again, without wondering which college they'd bolt to in January. I'd much rather see passionate regional rivalries than Wisconsin vs Kentucky on a Saturday afternoon. I remember the great days of beating Michigan and Texas A&M, and competing with Penn State, Tennessee, etc... but the landscape has changed drastically, and the divide continues to grow by design. Past history has shown that we are never going to be taken by a big time conference. Hell, we weren't even taken by the old CUSA and then AAC when we were at our best, and winning championships. I think many of us are wishing that somehow, sanity will be restored, and suddenly, everything will be fine again, but the fact is, the ones in control are doing just fine, and have no desire to going back.
Time for the "have nots" to blow this thing up, and go full throttle proactive, because reactive has been nothing more than a retreat headed toward a rout. It may be time to give the "Big 2" the finger, and get back to the real college football that hooked us years ago.

AppWyo wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 9:50 am

Any G-6 Tournament would not be fun because we would be relegated to the new FCS, Division II, Division III purgatory that we escaped when we moved to FBS.

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 10:12 am

How about the G5 conference champs (after the playoff representative) get matched up in bowl games- there are 5 G5 conferences and the highest rated champ gets the playoff spot so the other 4 champs square off. No need to crown a G5 champ but those two games would be better than what is normally done.

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 2:19 pm

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 24, 2025 10:12 am

How about the G5 conference champs (after the playoff representative) get matched up in bowl games- there are 5 G5 conferences and the highest rated champ gets the playoff spot so the other 4 champs square off. No need to crown a G5 champ but those two games would be better than what is normally done.

It's just one additional game to get to a G5 pseudo-champ from there. If we are going to do it, should do it all I think. It also puts a premium on the regular season for everyone. You want in? Win your conference.