If you would like to read more extensively of our Division 1 College Football Play-offs read here and here. With our system, every conference winner gets in, 4 at-large bids make it and all of the traditional bowls hold their history and legacy. The article below is what 2019 would look like if we made the decisions.

This year seems to have sorted itself out pretty well for College Football, unlike years past. Four of the five Power 5 Conference Champions made the final four, with only a 2-loss PAC-12 Conference Champion being excluded. We have no problem with the four, but would like to point out that one of Oregon’s losses was a controversial non-conference setback against #12 Auburn. Meaning that Oregon missed out on the tournament by scheduling that game. This was a tougher non-conference game than any of the other four teams that made the Playoff had (the next best being Ohio State’s win over # 21 Cincinnati). The other three didn’t play anybody, no- conference, who finished in the top 25. It is disappointing to see few tough opponents in the non conference scheduling.

Our system does not punish teams for that. If you win your conference, you’re in. If implemented, we would see more of those kind of inter-conference match-ups early in the season, and that would be good for college football. 

To implement our tournament would only take one major scheduling change. The non-Power 5 Conferences would have to play their Championship Games Thanksgiving Weekend. We don’t think that’s a major burden for them, since the winner has an automatic invitation into the big tournament. 

First Round pits Non-Power Five Conference Champs and best Independent at the home field of top rated conference champions. All would be seeded by the CFP Committee.

Round 1 (Weekend after Thanksgiving)

#17 Memphis (American Athletic) hosts Miami-Ohio (Mid American)

#19 Boise State (Mountain West) hosts Florida Atlantic (Conference USA)

#20 Appalachian State (Sun Belt) hosts #15 Notre Dame (Independent)

The App St. vs Notre Dame Game would be interesting, the other two not so much this year. Assumption is higher seeds would win all three. This makes a very interesting Round II.

Round II (Around December 20th)

Memphis/Miami-Ohio Winner vs #8 Wisconsin at Liberty Bowl

Boise State/Florida Atlantic Winner vs #7 Baylor at Holiday Bowl

Appalachian State/Notre Dame Winner vs #5 Georgia at Citrus Bowl

Anybody think any of the Round I Winners couldn’t stay with their Power 5 counterparts? We think Wisconsin, Baylor and Georgia would be favored, but at least one of the lower seeds would advance. Boise State’s record against Power 5 teams is impressive (they’ve beaten both Oklahoma and Georgia when given the opportunity). Georgia and Notre Dame played earlier this season, in Georgia, with Georgia winning 23-17. This is probably the best team Memphis has ever had. They’ve only faced one Power 5 team this year, Ole Miss, they won 15-10. Since the game against Wisconsin would be in Memphis, we think Memphis would definitely be in the game.

Round III (New Years Day)

#1 LSU (SEC Champ) vs Liberty Bowl Winner at Sugar Bowl (Noon ET)

#4 Oklahoma (Big-12 Champ) vs Citrus Bowl Winner at Cotton Bowl (3PM ET)

#2 Ohio State (Big-10 Champ) vs #6 Oregon at Rose Bowl (6PM ET)

#3 Clemson (ACC Champ) vs Holiday Bowl Winner at Orange Bowl (9PM ET)

The Rose Bowl is back to their traditional Pac-12 vs Big-10 Match-up. The Cotton Bowl has the potential to be a great game. Oklahoma would not be a big favorite over either Georgia or Notre Dame. In fact they would probably be a slight underdog against Georgia. Clemson would be favored in the Orange Bowl, but they haven’t beaten anybody as good as Baylor or Boise all year. The Sugar Bowl would probably be non-competitive, but who knows? Could Memphis continue a magical run? Or might Wisconsin have the game to defeat LSU? Probably not, but isn’t that why we watch, to see the results of games like these?

The greatest day ever for college football. Four games that all matter in determining the National Champion.

Round IV ( 2nd Weekend in January)

Sugar Bowl Winner vs Cotton Bowl Winner at Peach Bowl (Atlanta)

Rose Bowl Winner vs Orange Bowl Winner at Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix)

The Fiesta and the Peach Bowls are the least traditional of the six Major Bowls. It seems logical to move them away from New Years Day. Their consolation is they get the National Semi-Finals.

Round V (3rd Weekend in January)

Peach Bowl Winner vs Fiesta Bowl Winner rotated between New Orleans, Dallas, Pasadena,  and Miami

To read more about our Playoff System and the strengths of it, read here.