College Football Playoffs: BCS Commissioners Agree On Four Team Model

by Sailor Ripley on Jun 20, 2025 6:21 PM CDT

A victory for the forces of DeLoss Dodds and Nick Saban! More info here.

Via multiple sources, commissioners prefer a selection committee that picks "best four," emphasizes but not requires conference champions.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 20, 2025

Several commissioners mentioned the NCAA basketball committee guidelines as an example of what they're looking for.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 20, 2025

To sum up: Commissioners will present consensus playoff model to presidents next week. Presidents will also discuss plus one ... (continued)
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 20, 2025

.... (Part 2) Since only Big Ten, Pac 12 prez want plus one, that part seems like a courtesy. Commissioners all want the playoff.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 20, 2025

Selection committee will have guidelines giving more weight to conference champs. Semifinals in bowls also very, very likely
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyCBS) June 20, 2025

Selection committee members should be required to travel in designated regions and watch a bunch of games on video just like BKB members.
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) June 20, 2025

Committee also needs a FB version of the RPI. Pick up the phone and call Jerry Palm right now.
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) June 20, 2025

Now with Mack's reaction:

Be excellent to each other.

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Mack on the blower

On ESPN

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by Sailor Ripley on Jun 20, 2025 7:44 PM CDT reply actions

Via multiple sources, commissioners prefer a selection committee that picks "best four," emphasizes but not requires conference champions.

WTF. Playoff with wiggle room. So the SEC can potentially place two out of the four?

by mdhorn on Jun 20, 2025 8:55 PM CDT reply actions

Yes

or the Big XII or any other conference. What’s the big issue?

by DoubleB on Jun 21, 2025 1:18 AM CDT up reply actions

I can definitely see two teams from one conference being in the top 4. It only really takes one conference to have a down year or a year where everyone wipes everyone else out.

TEXAS FIGHT

by Darklust on Jun 21, 2025 3:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Fine--who chooses the rankings?

SEC coaches will just vote Big 12 one loss teams further down.

by mdhorn on Jun 21, 2025 9:01 AM CDT up reply actions

actually there's a lot of change

If the Big 12 winner and the SEC winner play a championship game for the right to play in the “playoffs” then it would be fine. And hopefully, the committee overrides a coaches poll.

by mdhorn on Jun 21, 2025 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Unlikely

Given the way the national media fellates the SEC, I don’t think the Big 12 or any other conference will be as likely to have a 2nd team in this mini-playoff than the SEC is.

by Joetx on Jun 21, 2025 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions

Well, I'm glad they're finally deciding it on the field

You know, instead of running this thing like some kind of beauty contest.

Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel.

by BrickHorn on Jun 21, 2025 8:23 AM CDT up reply actions

Potentially could place 4 out of the 4

by Horncasting on Jun 21, 2025 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions

"FB version of RPI"

Sagarin predictor?

@ccommand3r

by CMDR on Jun 21, 2025 8:44 AM CDT reply actions

Let me get this straight

We have removed the only objective measure from college football polling (computers) and replaced the whole poll system with a committee?

Oh good. Committees are so good at things.

by pleaseplaykindle on Jun 21, 2025 1:00 PM CDT reply actions

you must not like boxing much either?

Apparently Pacman lost on sympathy votes. I love it when people are involved.

by mdhorn on Jun 21, 2025 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

The problem with the computers

Is that they fail to be swayed by the fickle media tide each year.

I mean, they thought TEXAS was the best team in 2005. When everyone knew that USC was clearly the best team that year and arguably of all time. Clearly the computers had not seen that one run by Reggie Bush against against Fresno State.

by Horncasting on Jun 21, 2025 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions

8 vs. 4

If the selection committee were choosing 8 teams, would everybody be cool?

Follow @BarkingCarnival

by Sailor Ripley on Jun 21, 2025 3:50 PM CDT reply actions

I would.

"ABC welcomes you back to Vince Young Field"
-Rose Bowl sign

by Andrew Wiggin on Jun 21, 2025 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Probably worse

A selection committee only can estimate the best 2,4,8 teams based on college football’s statistically insignificant regular season results. All other team sports leagues in the world takes the bulk of postseason inclusion away from voters and gives each team a clear path to the postseason - auto bids for conference champions.

If you were to start a fantasy football league with 120 owners, there’s no way in the world you would want a selection committee pick the playoff entrants. You’d want some combo of conference champs and wildcards. In college football, that’s 11 auto bids and 5 wildcards. Or, you could cut the crap (Sun Belt, MAC) and have 6 Top Conference Champs and 2 wildcards.

by Eskimohorn on Jun 21, 2025 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions