I just saw this as it pertains to the ACC, Big 10 and Pac12. Enjoy.

[BattleshipTexas]

I suppose I'm coming from the angle that recently there has been a large separation between the top 3 and the rest.

And I start to question if teams that didn't win their own division really deserve the shot. But that's talking "deserve" and not counting on a team getting hot at the end of the season. I remember the Bama example, and that falls under the "deserved" debate, imo. But I also think that's an outlier, and not the norm.

Even if it is an outlier, some seasons there won't be a top 3 and the rest, but instead a top 5 and the rest. If that 5th team is undefeated, there will always be a question about the legitimacy of the champion. If you go to 8 instead of 12, it isn't the same deciding between 8th and 9th like it is 4th and 5th. You can let those undefeated Boise State's and Cincinnati's be in the field of eight and watch them get slaughtered by 12-1 major conference teams. yet every legitimate contender has their shot.

So what are you going to do if Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State are all as good as ever and win their conferences? But Notre Dame is undefeated and USC returns to form and is undefeated winning the Pac-10? Who do you drop? A 12-1 Alabama that just dominated a strong LSU in the SEC championship game? An undefeated Clemson that beat a strong FSU in their championship game? A Ohio state that rolled through the BIg Ten and beat a top ten Penn State in their Championship game?

Four is just not enough, with 8 you can't have the type issues in the paragraph above.

 

[Legendary Cock]

Even if it is an outlier, some seasons there won't be a top 3 and the rest, but instead a top 5 and the rest. If that 5th team is undefeated, there will always be a question about the legitimacy of the champion. If you go to 8 instead of 12, it isn't the same deciding between 8th and 9th like it is 4th and 5th. You can let those undefeated Boise State's and Cincinnati's be in the field of eight and watch them get slaughtered by 12-1 major conference teams. yet every legitimate contender has their shot.

So what are you going to do if Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State are all as good as ever and win their conferences? But Notre Dame is undefeated and USC returns to form and is undefeated winning the Pac-10? Who do you drop? A 12-1 Alabama that just dominated a strong LSU in the SEC championship game? An undefeated Clemson that beat a strong FSU in their championship game? A Ohio state that rolled through the BIg Ten and beat a top ten Penn State in their Championship game?

Four is just not enough, with 8 you can't have the type issues in the paragraph above.

Overall I agree. But this scenario is impossible under the current format. Hoping it changes for the better though.

 

[Lurker123]

Even if it is an outlier, some seasons there won't be a top 3 and the rest, but instead a top 5 and the rest. If that 5th team is undefeated, there will always be a question about the legitimacy of the champion. If you go to 8 instead of 12, it isn't the same deciding between 8th and 9th like it is 4th and 5th. You can let those undefeated Boise State's and Cincinnati's be in the field of eight and watch them get slaughtered by 12-1 major conference teams. yet every legitimate contender has their shot.

So what are you going to do if Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State are all as good as ever and win their conferences? But Notre Dame is undefeated and USC returns to form and is undefeated winning the Pac-10? Who do you drop? A 12-1 Alabama that just dominated a strong LSU in the SEC championship game? An undefeated Clemson that beat a strong FSU in their championship game? A Ohio state that rolled through the BIg Ten and beat a top ten Penn State in their Championship game?

Four is just not enough, with 8 you can't have the type issues in the paragraph above.

One thing that struck me is the "what if the 5th team is undefeated" idea. I get the comment, and I can't say "never", but I seriously doubt that happens.

And in the above scenario, notre dame plays usc, right?

But seriously, I agree mostly with what you say. Arguing between 8 and 9 isn't the same as between 4 and 5. The more you include, the less that decision impacts anything, since those teams will just get rolled.

I actually prefer 8 to 12, as I really don't want to start introducing byes or home games, as I don't want to see obviously better teams (the top 4) get large advantages added on top.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

One thing that struck me is the "what if the 5th team is undefeated" idea. I get the comment, and I can't say "never", but I seriously doubt that happens.

And in the above scenario, notre dame plays usc, right?

But seriously, I agree mostly with what you say. Arguing between 8 and 9 isn't the same as between 4 and 5. The more you include, the less that decision impacts anything, since those teams will just get rolled.

I actually prefer 8 to 12, as I really don't want to start introducing byes or home games, as I don't want to see obviously better teams (the top 4) get large advantages added on top.

8 seems like the sweet sport to me. 11 and 12 aren't going to win it. But 5 sure could and might be the best team. Replace USC with an undefeated Oregon winning the Pac-10. Are they really going to be left out? Four just isn't enough, but 12 is a bit overkill. I don't know why 8 isn't talked about more.