COLLEGE FOOTBALL-EVERYONE STARTS AT THE SAME PLACE

 

FORGET COMMITTEES, EYE TEST, COMPUTERS, POLLS

With the interest in a smaller and more competitive Division One, here is a plan that would work.  No eye-test, no opinions, and no committee.  Everything settled on the field except a possible coin flip that would not be ideal, but fair.

I have never thought of college football at the highest level as having a fair process of “choosing” a National Championship team.  With money at the top of the list of reasons, the universities and their leadership, from the presidents of said institutions through the different governing bodies (NCAA for one) , down to the sponsors and money changers (that include the corporations and bowl committees), college football has been a fraud.  Picking teams to “have” a chance to win a National Championship from men and women on committees, or from polls of coaches and sports writers, continues to muddy the waters of a “true on-the-field champion.” That should be accomplished through play on the field and not in someone’s mind as an opinion.  Every team at the highest level should have an opportunity to be the National  Champion, no matter of past history or feelings from the “choosers”.  Until we get to a system as proposed in this article, all National Championships won by every school from day one back when Rutgers took the field in the 1800s are tainted titles as of the teams “chosen” to play for it or “chosen” as the best.

This football system would consist of 64 teams in one classification and the next 32 in another lower classification, as of requirments.  Certification in one or the other classification is decided on attendance statistics and size of stadium, program brand, and money put forth by the school to participate in this sport.  Budgets toward the football program would be included, including NIL money.  The teams that are included in the system at the top level 64, called the “C64”  (can you think of a name?) can be changed out after a five-year run, and if certain teams do not meet the criteria of being worthy of a Top 64 team ranking/certification, they would be replaced, again, after that initial five-year run. That allows up-and-coming schools/programs to get into that highest group.  The 65th through the 96th  school would have the opportunity to join the newly branded “C32”  class of schools.  That classification would crown their own National Champion on their level of play.  So for the 96 schools we have two National Champions each year.

Schools are not set in stone on who is in the Top 64, but the qualifications are. The following 32 schools that aim to join the highest group have a fair opportunity to replace a program that is not meeting expectations in the top 64, as already mentioned.  Not all schools in the 32 would want to move up as per the requirements.  In this model,  forget the SEC, the Big Ten, the ACC, and the Big 12 for football only.  Those associations, per se, for football, would not exist.  More on that later.   Those conferences can continue to exist in all other sports.  However, for football, all schools that want to participate, including the top 64 and the next 32, are subject to the same rules. There would be one commissioner who would oversee the organization.

Four (4) conferences of 16 teams divided into two (2) eight-team divisions for each conference in C64.  Winning a division in a conference gives you the eight playoff teams.  Each of the 64 teams will play 7 division  games that will decide on the  the division champions, 2 in each conference. If teams that tie within their division, the champion would be settled in one of two ways.
First:  Head-to-head determining the champion in case of a tie. In a three-way tie, the point differential between the three teams would be the decider, and in case of a tie in that scenario, you would again go back to head-to-head with the two that remained tied. In case of a three-way tie after point differential, the fewest points allowed would be followed by the most points scored, and finally, a coin flip. (I do not think you would ever get to that coin flip as the odds of that happening are probably a billion to one.)

Second: 1. Head-to-head;  2.  Three-headed coin flip; 3. Four-headed coin flip.  (Under no circumstances will opinion/eye test be used).

To make the top 64 schools,  minimum requirements must be met.

1.  Stadium size:  Minimum of 30k

2. Attendance (5 year period)  25k

3. Budget:  can show that school/athletic department budgetary numbers are in the top 96 schools in the two classifications

4. can meet the finincial model of the NIL for the C64 classification

5. C64 schools can schedule one C32 school per season

To make the next 32, minimum requirements must be met.

1.  Stadium size:  Minimum of 25k

2.  Attendance (3 year period) 15k

3.  Budget:  can show that the school/athletic department budgetary numbers are in the top 96   schools in the two classifications

4. can meet the finincial model of the NIL for the C32 classification

5. Conference affilication for football can stay the same but the other requirement must be met within that conference schedule.

6. C32 schools can schedule as many C64 schools as they wish in any given season

The initial 64 schools that start with the 2028 football season are based on the top 64 home attendance schools in the 2024 season.  Beginning in the school year 2028 teams in the College Footall League will publish their NIL budget and program budget for football.  Those monies will factor in the ranking of hte top teams for the C64 and C32 Conferences.  Schools outside the 96 schools can join as a member, working toward gaining a top 96 ranking.  No team is guarenteed a spot and the Conferences realign every 5 years. The next 32 follow the first 64 for seasons 2028 through 2032.

Attendance for 2024 home games:

• BIG 12
  25. BYU (5) – 63,576
  29. Texas Tech (6) – 59,596
  32. Iowa State (6) – 58,160
  36. West Virginia (6) – 54,415
  37. Utah (5) – 53,123
  39. Colorado (5) – 52,810
  40. Oklahoma State (5) – 52,202
  41. Kansas State (5) – 51,645
  47. Arizona State (5) – 47,700
  50. Arizona (6) – 46,236
  51. TCU (5) – 44,931
  52. Baylor (5) – 43,445
  53. UCF (6) – 43,430
  60. Cincinnati (5) – 37,933
  65. Kansas (5) – 35,996
  78. Houston (5) – 26,074

  ACC
  14. Clemson (5) – 80,768
  24. Virginia Tech (5) – 65,632
  31. Miami (5) – 59,076
  33. NC State (7) – 56,919
  34. Florida State (5) – 55,107
  38. Pittsburgh (7) – 53,077
  42. Louisville (5) – 51,148
  48. North Carolina (6) – 47,217
  54. Boston College (5) – 42,346
  56. Syracuse (5) – 39,595
  57. Virginia (5) – 39,537
  59. Georgia Tech (4) – 39,122
  64. California (6) – 36,964
  70. SMU (6) – 32,564
  72. Wake Forest (6) – 30,563
  75. Duke (5) – 26,927
  79. Stanford (6) – 26,035

  BIG TEN
  1. Michigan (7) – 110,650
  2. Penn State (6) – 109,101
  3. Ohio State (6) – 103,663
  12. Nebraska (6) – 86,896
  17. Wisconsin (6) – 76,057
  18. USC (5) – 71,237
  19. Michigan State (5) – 69,911
  20. Iowa (6) – 69,250
  22. Washington (6) – 68,865
  27. Purdue (6) – 59,887
  30. Oregon (6) – 59,096
  35. Illinois (7) – 54,750
  44. Rutgers (6) – 48,477
  45. Minnesota (6) – 48,001
  46. Indiana (7) – 47,701
  49. UCLA (4) – 46,585
  63. Maryland (6) – 37,011
  114. Northwestern (6) – 15,985

  SEC
  4. Texas (6) – 102,315
  5. Tennessee (6) – 101,915
  6. Texas A&M (6) – 101,817
  7. LSU (5) – 101,439
  8. Alabama (6) – 100,077
  9. Georgia (4) – 93,033
  10. Florida (6) – 90,029
  11. Auburn (7) – 88,043
  13. Oklahoma (6) – 83,423
  15. South Carolina (6) – 79,371
  21. Arkansas (6) – 69,073
  23. Mississippi (6) – 67,284
  26. Missouri (6) – 62,621
  28. Kentucky (7) – 59,645
  43. Mississippi State (6) – 48,973
  73. Vanderbilt (6) – 27,950

  AAC
  58. South Florida (4) – 39,389
  61. East Carolina (5) – 37,750
  69. Navy (5) – 32,586
  74. Army (5) – 27,701
  82. Memphis (7) – 24,552
  84. North Texas (5) – 24,149
  85. Tulane (5) – 23,771
  93. Tulsa (5) – 21,445
  94. UTSA (5) – 21,247
  96. Florida Atlantic (5) – 20,386
  99. UAB (5) – 19,764
  107. Rice (5) – 18,485
  118. Charlotte (5) – 15,346
  122. Temple (5) – 13,919

  CUSA
  97. Liberty (5) – 20,373
  101. UTEP (5) – 19,393
  106. Jacksonville State (5) – 18,599
  111. Louisiana Tech (5) – 16,261
  119. Western Kentucky (5) – 15,284
  121. New Mexico State (5) – 14,149
  123. Florida International (5) – 13,585
  125. Middle Tennessee (5) – 13,427
  130. Sam Houston State (4) – 11,559
  132. Kennesaw State (5) – 9,572

  MAC
  90. Toledo (5) – 22,914
  102. Western Michigan (4) – 19,217
  103. Ohio (5) – 18,808
  105. Central Michigan (5) – 18,681
  112. Eastern Michigan (5) – 16,186
  117. Buffalo (5) – 15,359
  120. Bowling Green (5) – 14,161
  124. Miami, OH (5) – 13,454
  126. Northern Illinois (5) – 13,425
  131. Ball State (4) – 10,523
  133. Kent State (4) – 8,867
  134. Akron (4) – 6,789

  MWC
  55. Fresno State (5) – 40,812
  62. Boise State (5) – 37,175
  68. Colorado State (6) – 34,467
  71. UNLV (5) – 30,619
  76. Air Force (6) – 26,226
  77. San Diego State (5) – 26,115
  91. Wyoming (5) – 22,706
  109. Nevada (6) – 18,131
  110. Utah State (5) – 17,874
  113. New Mexico (5) – 16,001
  116. San Jose State (5) – 15,924
  127. Hawaii (6) – 13,116

  SUN BELT
  67. Appalachian State (4) – 34,776
  80. James Madison (5) – 25,417
  83. Troy (5) – 24,452
  87. Texas State (6) – 23,379
  88. Marshall (6) – 23,022
  89. Southern Miss (5) – 22,933
  92. Georgia Southern (5) – 22,343
  95. Old Dominion (5) – 20,709
  98. Arkansas State (4) – 19,903
  100. Coastal Carolina (5) – 19,435
  104. South Alabama (5) – 18,689
  108. Louisiana (5) – 18,443
  115. Louisiana-Monroe (5) – 15,963
  128. Georgia State (5) – 12,845

  INDEPENDENTS
  16. Notre Dame (6) – 77,622
  66. Oregon State (6) – 35,431
  81. Connecticut (7) – 25,375
  86. Washington State (5) – 23,478
  129. Massachusetts (5) – 12,650

  

A baseline selection below is based only on home attendance.  Figure in the budget and NIL for a re-arrangement can be easily done, using any set dates wanted.

Conference of 64

EAST CONFERENCE

Division A

Virginia Tech

Maryland

East Carolina

South Florida

Miami

Syracuse

Central Florida

Boston College

 

 

Divison B

West Virginia

North Carolina

North Carolina State

South Carolina

Clemson

Louisville

Virginia

Georgia Tech

 

 

 

 

 

MID EAST CONFERENCE

Division A

Penn State

Notre Dame

Rutgers

Iowa

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Purdue

Pittsburgh

 

Division B

Tennessee

Mississippi State

Kentucky

Alabama

Georgia

Auburn

Mississippi

Florida

 

MID WEST CONFERENCE

Division A

Ohio State

Indiana

Illinois

Michigan State

Iowa

Iowa State

Michigan

Cincinnait

 

 

Division B

Missouri

Arkansas

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Kansas State

Colorado

Louisville

Nebraska

 

 

WEST CONFERENCE

Division A

Texas

Texas A&M

Baylor

Boise State

BYU

UTAH

Texas Tech

TCU

 

Division B

USC

UCLA

Fresno State

Oregon

California

Arizona State

Arizona

Washington

 

 

Conference of 32

65.  Kansas

66.  Oregon State

67.  Appalachian State

68.  Colorado State

69.  Navy

70.  SMU

71.  UNLV

72.  Wake Forest

73.  Vanderbilt

74.  Army

75.  Duke

76.  Air Force

77.  San Diego State

78.  Houston

79.  Stanford

80.  James Madison

81.  Connecicut

82. Memphis

83.  Troy

84.  North Texas

85.  Tulane

86.  Washington State

87.  Texas State

88.  Marshall

89.  So. Miss

90.  Toledo.

91.  Wyoming

92.  Georgia So.

93. Tulsa

94.  UTSA

95.  Old Dominion

96.  Florida Atlantic

 

To note:  This setup is void of opinion. It can be revised by allowing some opinion but that would defeat the purpose.  The way to get to the top 64 and the following 32 can also be revised by including all SEC, Big 1o, Big 12, and ACC teams and Notre Dame, but the number of teams in each division/conference would need to be revised, allowing for an uneven number ot school in each.  And with the selection of schools in each conference/divisoin could be reworked.  My selection was unbiased trying to keep teams in a certain region of the nation to cut down on travel expenses. Also, the number of playoff teams could include two per divisoin, giving the model 16 qualifying teams and not 8.  Other revisions could be made keeping in mind that the “selection” of teams to play in the playoffs should not be by opinion, polls, or the “eye test.”  

 

A typical schedule cold look like this:

Oklahoma Sooners schedule for 2028

H- North Texas

A-Ohio State

H-California

A-Clemson

N-Texas

H-Missouri

A-Arkansas

H-Kansas State

H-Colorado

A-Louisville

H-Nebraska  (Thanksgiving)

A-Oklahoma State

 

OU plays Texas in a non-conference game and the regional schedule pits OU and OSU and OU and Nebraska back on the schedule.  This could be a goal for many programs. As you see, OU plays one game against a C32 team by choice.  Only one game allowed by a C64 team but a C32 team, such as North Texas, could also schedule other C64 teams.