If I ran the P5...(long)

[ragtimejoe1]

I did a quick run through of teams and you can certainly debate a few. However, this gives an overall idea. Basically, 8 conferences of 5 teams per conference. Each conference contributes 1 team to a playoff. You could add additional wild card spots if necessary. The conferences could be split east west or whatever (similar to AFC and NFC). Collectively bargain a TV deal for the new division. If you look at it like this, it is a much easier debate about kicking teams out rather than what team to add. I tried to include TV markets somewhat (i.e. keeping Utah, Mizzou, CU--only reps from their state). There is one odd ball conference so there might be a better way to line the teams up? I didn't get Iowa in so they might need to replace someone?

Conference 1
Florida State
Miami (FL)
Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
Conference 2
Clemson
Auburn
Alabama
Mississippi State
Ole Miss
Conference 3
LSU
Arkansas
Texas A&M
Texas
Missouri
Conference 4
NC State
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Virginia
South Carolina
Conference 5
Wisconsin
Kansas State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Nebraska
Conference 6
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn State
Notre Dame
Conference 7 (oddball conference)
Washington
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
Utah
Conference 8
Stanford
UCLA
USC
California
Oregon

 

[BJC]

Conf#1 is way stronger than conf#4...........etc etc......

 

[ragtimejoe1]

Conf#1 is way stronger than conf#4...........etc etc......

True, but it shouldn't matter as long as the post-season and other schedules are set appropriately. It works in the NFL for the most part. You could either do NFL style of playing each team twice or just do 6 to 8 "OOC" games.

I would probably do a 12 team playoff. 8 teams play in a wild-card round. 4 teams get bye.

This would give 4 "at-large" spots. Every team would have an adequate chance to make playoffs and very seldom (if ever) would the best team stay home.

 

[BJC]

I wasn't knocking it but I think that is the main problem...creating system of conf winners yet still rewarding the best teams while still keeping the number of teams involved small enough.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

There is probably a better way to split them up, but parity is a hard target. I would imagine parity would increase with time.

Still, my main point is that, really, some sort of contraction like this makes way more sense than the nonsense being debated on the MWC board. I mean think about it. Is it easier to justify booting Washington State or including CSU?