NEW ORLEANS – The SEC is “reimagining” the football championship weekend and talking to a series of play-in games into the college football playoffs. This includes the somewhat fundamental possibility that the eighth-placed team will have the opportunity to knock out the top seed and win a bid.
The idea for the Play-in game has been coming from last fall as part of a proposal to get four guaranteed bids on the SEC and Big Ten expanded 14-team playoff field. The most discussed proposal was to hold two top seeds in the SEC Championship Game as usual. Both teams secured playoff bids, but played in two play-in games with goodbye, matching No. 3 and No. 6. Seeds and seeds 4 and 5.
However, the SEC is discussing more fundamental ideas. Four play-in games, No. 1 and No. 8, No. 4 and No. 5, No. Matches 2, No. 7 and No. 6.
“This is one of the ideas for the table,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said he left New Orleans on Wednesday and that the SEC and Big Ten athletic directors met to discuss some issues. .
This is not the only idea and there is no consensus yet. But it shows how much the conference will rethink the championship weekend.
“We see what happens,” Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said when asked if the format was being played.
The Big Ten debate swirls around the top two teams playing in the championship, with third facing sixth in the CFP play-in game and fourth coming in fifth. Nothing is confirmed, but the game could be played on campus.
“One of the things we’re trying to keep prioritized is trying to find ways to make the regular season as exciting as possible,” said Josh Whitman, Illinois athletic director. “How can you keep a lot of fanbase attracted to November? How can you create a meaningful football game in November? So the idea of hitting it is worth talking about. It’s something.”
Whitman’s Illinois team would have been involved in that discussion last year. Illini finished 9-3 in the regular season and tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings alongside Iowa. Illinois would have had the opportunity to qualify for the CFP spot and faced Ohio State in pits No. 5 and No. 5 of the game. Indiana would have played Iowa for another CFP berth. The play-in losers then compete for large locations outside the guaranteed allocation.
The value of the conference championship game was a hit during the expanded CFP era. All five conference champions who made the field lost their first game, including top four seeds from Oregon, Georgia, Boise and Arizona.
However, the SEC is reluctant to abolish the championship game. It was the first meeting to create the first meeting in 1992, and it was a huge advantage. The last year’s game drew the highest ratings in non-playoff college football games last season when Georgia beat Texas in overtime.
Still, the concept of play-in weekends has increased steam, especially with the opportunity for extra games to bring in more revenue. The Big Ten first brings ideas to mind, and while the SEC is on board late, many in the league believe there is now some change.
“The conversation was truly creative, innovative and robust, and we ended up with some suggestions that we can provide a commissioner, our leadership, to advance some important meetings in the coming weeks.” said Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma athletic director.
(Photo: Joshua L. Jones / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
