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Probable New CFP Schedule

africamurphy

Well-Known Member
Apr 1, 2019
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Here's what the next three years would look like (note: it doesn't actually start until 2024 season at the earliest...but I'm confident that they'll make it work since the dollars are calling their name)

First round on campus (two weeks after CCG)--Fri and Sat, Dec. 16 and 17, 2022; Dec. 15 and 16, 2023; Dec. 13 and 14, 2024

Quarterfinals in NY6 Bowls--Rose for B1G, Sugar for SEC, Fiesta for PAC, Cotton for Big 12, Orange for ACC...if their conference champs are in the top 4. Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023; Jan. 1 and 2, 2024; Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan 1, 2025

Semfinals in neutral cities (non bowls)--Thursday and Friday, Jan.19 and 20, 2023; Jan. 18 and 19, 2024; Jan. 16 and 17, 2025

Championship game in neutral city (non bowls)--Saturday before Pro Bowl (week before Super Bowl), Feb. 4, 2023; Feb. 3, 2024; Feb. 1, 2025

Basically, this format will allow for enough times to travel and study and practice sanely for the college teams. It preserves the bowl tradition to an extent. It does stretch the season an additional three weeks for 2 teams (and two more weeks for 2 more teams than in the current model). But by having an on-campus round in mid-December, you're really only cutting down on that finals/Christmas stretch that is currently very long in this CFP system.

I love it. And as was noted elsewhere, PSU would have been in 4 of the first eight of these if this new system had begun in 2014.
 
Here's what the next three years would look like (note: it doesn't actually start until 2024 season at the earliest...but I'm confident that they'll make it work since the dollars are calling their name)

First round on campus (two weeks after CCG)--Fri and Sat, Dec. 16 and 17, 2022; Dec. 15 and 16, 2023; Dec. 13 and 14, 2024

Quarterfinals in NY6 Bowls--Rose for B1G, Sugar for SEC, Fiesta for PAC, Cotton for Big 12, Orange for ACC...if their conference champs are in the top 4. Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023; Jan. 1 and 2, 2024; Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan 1, 2025

Semfinals in neutral cities (non bowls)--Thursday and Friday, Jan.19 and 20, 2023; Jan. 18 and 19, 2024; Jan. 16 and 17, 2025

Championship game in neutral city (non bowls)--Saturday before Pro Bowl (week before Super Bowl), Feb. 4, 2023; Feb. 3, 2024; Feb. 1, 2025

Basically, this format will allow for enough times to travel and study and practice sanely for the college teams. It preserves the bowl tradition to an extent. It does stretch the season an additional three weeks for 2 teams (and two more weeks for 2 more teams than in the current model). But by having an on-campus round in mid-December, you're really only cutting down on that finals/Christmas stretch that is currently very long in this CFP system.

I love it. And as was noted elsewhere, PSU would have been in 4 of the first eight of these if this new system had begun in 2014.
I wish the quarterfinals were at the conference winner but can't be picky--this is a huge improvement
 
Here's what the next three years would look like (note: it doesn't actually start until 2024 season at the earliest...but I'm confident that they'll make it work since the dollars are calling their name)

First round on campus (two weeks after CCG)--Fri and Sat, Dec. 16 and 17, 2022; Dec. 15 and 16, 2023; Dec. 13 and 14, 2024

Quarterfinals in NY6 Bowls--Rose for B1G, Sugar for SEC, Fiesta for PAC, Cotton for Big 12, Orange for ACC...if their conference champs are in the top 4. Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023; Jan. 1 and 2, 2024; Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan 1, 2025

Semfinals in neutral cities (non bowls)--Thursday and Friday, Jan.19 and 20, 2023; Jan. 18 and 19, 2024; Jan. 16 and 17, 2025

Championship game in neutral city (non bowls)--Saturday before Pro Bowl (week before Super Bowl), Feb. 4, 2023; Feb. 3, 2024; Feb. 1, 2025

Basically, this format will allow for enough times to travel and study and practice sanely for the college teams. It preserves the bowl tradition to an extent. It does stretch the season an additional three weeks for 2 teams (and two more weeks for 2 more teams than in the current model). But by having an on-campus round in mid-December, you're really only cutting down on that finals/Christmas stretch that is currently very long in this CFP system.

I love it. And as was noted elsewhere, PSU would have been in 4 of the first eight of these if this new system had begun in 2014.
So the Peach Bowl is no longer in the playoff picture?
 
Terrible weather up north for any first round games in B1G territory.
Depends--like if Michigan wins they'll probably play the game at Ford Field. I hope not but it seems like stuff like that would happen. Thankfully no domes in Philly or Pittsburgh so if we finish top 12 we should get to host.
 
Depends--like if Michigan wins they'll probably play the game at Ford Field. I hope not but it seems like stuff like that would happen. Thankfully no domes in Philly or Pittsburgh so if we finish top 12 we should get to host.
I don't know. Why would Michigan allow that to happen. Lose true home field and a much smaller stadium. It's football. This isnt the Super Bowl thats more of a spectacle than football game. Suck it up and play in whatever weather.
 
I don't know. Why would Michigan allow that to happen. Lose true home field and a much smaller stadium. It's football. This isnt the Super Bowl thats more of a spectacle than football game. Suck it up and play in whatever weather.
Hopefully it doesn't play out that way but it's set up for that. I wish all games until the title game were at the higher seed. I'd love to see a warm weather team play in a blizzard.
 
I don't know. Why would Michigan allow that to happen. Lose true home field and a much smaller stadium. It's football. This isnt the Super Bowl thats more of a spectacle than football game. Suck it up and play in whatever weather.

Yes, of course they would. It's all about the money.

Would still be a home game effectively.

LdN
 
The best part will be seeing SEC teams travel north in December for a playoff game. Imagine Florida, which almost never travels above the Mason-Dixon line, unless it's indoors, playing outdoors at Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State or Wisconsin in mid-December! I love it!

One caveat is the host team can pick where the game is to be played. Beaver Stadium's pipes aren't winterized so Penn State could host the game in Philadelphia.

Now winterize Beaver Stadium's pipes Pat Kraft! Ask the hotels and restaurants in State College to pay for it. They'd make more money hosting 107,000 fans in mid-December than covering all the pipes instead of Philadelphia getting all that hotel and restaurant revenue from a cfp playoff game.

The second round games would be regionalized using bowl sites instead of pre-determined ahead of time. Suppose Alabama and Georgia met in the second round. It would be stupid to have that game at the Rose or Fiesta Bowl instead of in the southeast. Or USC-Washington play in the southeast instead of out west. Otherwise, attendance would be down significantly which would look bad on TV.
The choice then becomes for a fan: Do I go to the first-round game possibly far away or do I hope we win and go to the second-round game, a tougher game and a more likely loss? How many fans could make both trips, hotel and airfare travel cost, and time off from work? Retired fans! :)

A team ranked 5-16 could have four playoff games. Round of 16, 8, 4 and 2. Who can travel to four playoff games?

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/c...m-format/?mc_cid=d8d17e8dd7&mc_eid=a1374c1edc
 
Would the hotels and restaurants in State College want to lose out on all the money from hosting a playoff game crowd for a weekend and instead have all those people go to Philadelphia's football stadium because they're pipes are winterized? Every home game at Beaver Stadium benefits State College businesses and others all the way to Altoona. How much revenue did those businesses lose when there was no crowd at the Penn State football games during Covid? Great economic impact.

Heck, Kraft could be like Howard Baldwin who couldn't stand to see six inches of space go without advertising on it in the Civic/Mellon Arena. Kraft could turn that into revenue. I could see this happening: Penn State's pipes are insulated by Owens-Corning. Owens-Corning, the official insulator of Penn State football and Penn State athletics and fine homes - (dramatic pause) like yours.
 
Maybe. But 100k+ at these stadiums is a huge advantage. Plus revenue lost for concessions, plus local economy losses.

You think they will 'lose' by having the game at one of these stadiums?

Local economy perhaps, but concessions? No chance they make more at a college than pro.

That's why they move the game. A lot more money.

LdN
 
Depends--like if Michigan wins they'll probably play the game at Ford Field. I hope not but it seems like stuff like that would happen. Thankfully no domes in Philly or Pittsburgh so if we finish top 12 we should get to host.
Why in the world would they do that? You are stupid if you think they would do that. Michigan held the NHL winter classic in January they aren’t moving a playoff game in December due to cold.
 
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Why in the world would they do that? You are stupid if you think they would do that. Michigan held the NHL winter classic in January they aren’t moving a playoff game in December due to cold.
I didn't say due to it being cold nor did I say I want them to do that. That is what the playoff is set up for. Read the whole thing.
 
Here's what the next three years would look like (note: it doesn't actually start until 2024 season at the earliest...but I'm confident that they'll make it work since the dollars are calling their name)

First round on campus (two weeks after CCG)--Fri and Sat, Dec. 16 and 17, 2022; Dec. 15 and 16, 2023; Dec. 13 and 14, 2024

Quarterfinals in NY6 Bowls--Rose for B1G, Sugar for SEC, Fiesta for PAC, Cotton for Big 12, Orange for ACC...if their conference champs are in the top 4. Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023; Jan. 1 and 2, 2024; Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan 1, 2025

Semfinals in neutral cities (non bowls)--Thursday and Friday, Jan.19 and 20, 2023; Jan. 18 and 19, 2024; Jan. 16 and 17, 2025

Championship game in neutral city (non bowls)--Saturday before Pro Bowl (week before Super Bowl), Feb. 4, 2023; Feb. 3, 2024; Feb. 1, 2025

Basically, this format will allow for enough times to travel and study and practice sanely for the college teams. It preserves the bowl tradition to an extent. It does stretch the season an additional three weeks for 2 teams (and two more weeks for 2 more teams than in the current model). But by having an on-campus round in mid-December, you're really only cutting down on that finals/Christmas stretch that is currently very long in this CFP system.

I love it. And as was noted elsewhere, PSU would have been in 4 of the first eight of these if this new system had begun in 2014.
They are not going to drag it out like that. The whole studying is excuse is a joke.

The first and second round will be back to back week. First round 12/16, second round 12/23, semifinals 1/1 and the the Monday following the national championship game. They are not going to push it through February.

Personally I would like for them to move the season up 1 week. Play the conference championships games Thanksgiving weekend. I loath home games after thanksgiving because the stadium is always dead. No students and half the fans don’t bother to show up. First and Second Rounds on campuses. Then bowl game semis and neutral site championship following.
 
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They are not going to drag it out like that. The whole studying is excuse is a joke.

The first and second round will be back to back week. First round 12/16, second round 12/23, semifinals 1/1 and the the Monday following the national championship game. They are not going to push it through February.

Personally I would like for them to move the season up 1 week. Play the conference championships games Thanksgiving weekend. I loath home games after thanksgiving because the stadium is always dead. No students and half the fans don’t bother to show up. First and Second Rounds on campuses. Then bowl game semis and neutral site championship following.
IMHO this makes more sense. 2 weeks between every rounds would drag it out far too long and 3 neutral site games will crush attendance, not to mention 1-2 extra months of practice for a number of teams.
 
The best part will be seeing SEC teams travel north in December for a playoff game. Imagine Florida, which almost never travels above the Mason-Dixon line, unless it's indoors, playing outdoors at Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State or Wisconsin in mid-December! I love it!

One caveat is the host team can pick where the game is to be played. Beaver Stadium's pipes aren't winterized so Penn State could host the game in Philadelphia.

Now winterize Beaver Stadium's pipes Pat Kraft! Ask the hotels and restaurants in State College to pay for it. They'd make more money hosting 107,000 fans in mid-December than covering all the pipes instead of Philadelphia getting all that hotel and restaurant revenue from a cfp playoff game.

The second round games would be regionalized using bowl sites instead of pre-determined ahead of time. Suppose Alabama and Georgia met in the second round. It would be stupid to have that game at the Rose or Fiesta Bowl instead of in the southeast. Or USC-Washington play in the southeast instead of out west. Otherwise, attendance would be down significantly which would look bad on TV.
The choice then becomes for a fan: Do I go to the first-round game possibly far away or do I hope we win and go to the second-round game, a tougher game and a more likely loss? How many fans could make both trips, hotel and airfare travel cost, and time off from work? Retired fans! :)

A team ranked 5-16 could have four playoff games. Round of 16, 8, 4 and 2. Who can travel to four playoff games?

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/c...m-format/?mc_cid=d8d17e8dd7&mc_eid=a1374c1edc
Wintering the Beave is a problem that could somewhat easily be fixed. The issue that’s harder to fix is parking for 100K people when the field lots are full of snow.
 
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They are not going to drag it out like that. The whole studying is excuse is a joke.

The first and second round will be back to back week. First round 12/16, second round 12/23, semifinals 1/1 and the the Monday following the national championship game. They are not going to push it through February.

Personally I would like for them to move the season up 1 week. Play the conference championships games Thanksgiving weekend. I loath home games after thanksgiving because the stadium is always dead. No students and half the fans don’t bother to show up. First and Second Rounds on campuses. Then bowl game semis and neutral site championship following.

Agree, there is no way they try to compete with the NFL Playoffs in January/February.
 
Wintering the Beave is a problem that could somewhat easily be fixed. The issue that’s harder to fix is parking for 100K people when the field lots are full of snow.
Don't they close field lots when it rains and things are muddy? How would this be any different?
 
Depends--like if Michigan wins they'll probably play the game at Ford Field. I hope not but it seems like stuff like that would happen. Thankfully no domes in Philly or Pittsburgh so if we finish top 12 we should get to host.
If I'm not mistaken the decision to move to a different stadium is completely up to the host school which is nice. I'm sure the networks and media will try to exert influence but I believe the plan calls for the host school to make the decision. I wouldn't think PSU would move it unless it's somewhere that they get a bigger cut of ticket sales (NFL stadium with more luxury boxes?) since there certainly aren't any options with as many seats in the area. If they were to get an option to host and elect not to the fan base would lose their minds. I'd probably be more interested in attending a first round game at PSU than I would a later round game at a neutral site. The home environment will be insane.
 
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If I'm not mistaken the decision to move to a different stadium is completely up to the host school which is nice. I'm sure the networks and media will try to exert influence but I believe the plan calls for the host school to make the decision. I wouldn't think PSU would move it unless it's somewhere that they get a bigger cut of ticket sales (NFL stadium with more luxury boxes?) since there certainly aren't any options with as many seats in the area. If they were to get an option to host and elect not to the fan base would lose their minds. I'd probably be more interested in attending a first round game at PSU than I would a later round game at a neutral site. The home environment will be insane.
The later round games should be at the higher seed as well until the title game. It's a horrible idea to have teams play as many as 3 neutral site games.

I think there will be lots of factors that determine if a game was played in Beaver Stadium or elsewhere but I'm sure Penn State/Big Ten would have a huge say in it.
 
The choice then becomes for a fan: Do I go to the first-round game possibly far away or do I hope we win and go to the second-round game, a tougher game and a more likely loss? How many fans could make both trips, hotel and airfare travel cost, and time off from work? Retired fans! :)

A team ranked 5-16 could have four playoff games. Round of 16, 8, 4 and 2. Who can travel to four playoff games?

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/c...m-format/?mc_cid=d8d17e8dd7&mc_eid=a1374c1edc
PSU isn't giving away a home game. Nor could they. This game won't be decided until Sunday after CCG...so even if Heinz or Philly were available, I doubt they could get the game wedged in that fast. The first round WILL BE at home sites.

And why does one fan need to go to all four games? Goodness gracious. The "path" to a championship for PSU would look more like this, if we're a seed 5-8...
Dec. 17 in Happy Valley
Jan. 1 in Pasadena
Jan 20 in a neutral site like Miami
Feb 4 in a neutral site like Dallas

Not many fans are going to all 4 games...but rich ones can make it to 2 or 3. And powers like Penn State have fans in each region that'll flock when PSU is local. (I'm in San Diego...and I could probably splurge on the Pasadena game...but I'd root fervently from my couch for the other 3 games...)

But this notion that it won't work because one fan can't go to all 4 games is non sequitur.
 
IMHO this makes more sense. 2 weeks between every rounds would drag it out far too long and 3 neutral site games will crush attendance, not to mention 1-2 extra months of practice for a number of teams.
1. It's a TV event.
2. Local businesses buy up these tickets in major cities as company expenses.
 
Wintering the Beave is a problem that could somewhat easily be fixed. The issue that’s harder to fix is parking for 100K people when the field lots are full of snow.
Campus will be closed for winter break. You can bus in fans from parking lots 2 or 3 miles from the stadium. It could be a different experience than a regular season game.
 
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The later round games should be at the higher seed as well until the title game. It's a horrible idea to have teams play as many as 3 neutral site games.

I think there will be lots of factors that determine if a game was played in Beaver Stadium or elsewhere but I'm sure Penn State/Big Ten would have a huge say in it.
Horrible.

Like the NCAA tournament where teams travel to three different cities in three consecutive weekends.

Terrible.
 
Agree, there is no way they try to compete with the NFL Playoffs in January/February.
You're right. You don't want to compete with the NFL playoffs.

But if you look at the above schedule, there is not one competition. No overlap at all. A big college game on a Thursday or Friday doesn't ding interest in an NFL game on Saturday or Sunday.

In fact, you might draw in those NFL fans to the college games as they wait for the weekends and the NFL playoffs.
 
No chance they allow empty stands for signature games
"Empty stands" is exaggeration. They don't need every seat occupied...but of course, they don't want the stadium 1/3 full. And it won't be. It's a major sporting event and will gather marginal fans into the stadium. It's the national semifinal and championship for college football. They'll be able to get 75% full at least...and that's enough to look good on TV. Most of the revenue comes from TV...as we saw during COVID, empty seats don't preclude the show from going on.
 
sure, the ESPN-created bowl games between barely .500 teams is one thing. The NY6 and marquee playoff games is something entirely different.
I'm pretty sure we've seen a ton of empty seats at "NY6" and other bigger bowls.
 
It sure won't be the Bama's, Bulldogs, and LSU's of the world... that's why they do not want it expanded.
 
I mean, I get that the elements affect the game...but do you really think that the Southern schools are lamenting going north? First off, they're so cocky that they can only imagine a world where they are always the higher seed and hosting. Secondly, the only reason they'd be against it is they are completely dominating the current structure. Is it like 7 of the first 8 CFP's they've won? And before that, wasn't it like 6 or the prior 7 in the BCS?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. They're doing just fine with their current set-up. Four OOC games...a couple of FCS teams...and then play their games against supposed entirely "top 25" teams in the SEC....and it's a smooth ride to the playoffs.

There could be a scenario where they get 3 teams in the CFP this season if UT can end up with 1 loss or less like Bama and Georgia. A 12-team playoff makes them prove it on the field.
 
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