Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott asked the College Football Playoff management committee on Wednesday to think about broadening this years playoff to eight groups but the proposal was declined, playoff executive director Bill Hancock informed USA TODAY Sports.
” After extensive, civil and considerate discussion, they decided that the finest outcome would be to make no changes in the format, since it would have been such a significant change and would come with many challenges, specifically considered that the season is already underway,” Hancock said.
Scott asked the committee to think about expansion due to the fact that of the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020 season, notably in how limitations and differed start dates have many conferences playing different numbers of video games.
ACC groups are playing an 11-game schedule with one non-conference video game. The Big 12 and SEC are playing 10-game schedules, with the Big 12 adding one intersectional matchup and the SEC playing just conference challengers. The Big Ten will play 9 video games starting on Oct. 24, while the Pac-12 will play 7 beginning on Nov. 6.
Due to the leagues minimal variety of games compared to its Power Five peers, the Pac-12 would have stood to benefit most from increasing the number of groups in this years playoff.
The lack of scheduling uniformity throughout the Power Five — leagues are set up to play the same number of games overall or the very same variety of league games, however no 2 conferences play the same variety of total games and conference video games — will make it harder for the playoff selection committee to choose the leading four teams.
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” The committees task is to select the very best 4 teams based on the schedules as established by each conference. This is why we have this committee of 13 experts,” Hancock said.
” Clearly there will be obstacles this year. We will see what those difficulties work and are through them. But the committees essential objective has actually not altered. Whatever the season looks like, the committee will select the best four groups based upon the protocol.”
Constantly a subject of conversation, the fractured routine season and chances of included debate during this years playoff race will unquestionably sustain calls to expand the postseason format beyond the present four-team bracket. The playoff remains in the midst of a 12-year contract that lasts through the 2025-26 postseason.
” Whether its six or 8, at some point in time its going to happen. We all understand it. We all think it. Were simply going to do it very gradually and very systematically,” said Stanford coach David Shaw.
” Thats the only thing that makes good sense now since youll have some teams who have a 12-game schedule, that they may play 10. Some that have an eight-game schedule, they might play 6. We may have some in our conference that have a seven-game schedule or a six-game schedule, technically, and they may play 5 or four.”
The playoff management committee is made up of the 10 Bowl Subdivision conference commissioners and Notre Dame sports director Jack Swarbrick.
ACC teams are playing an 11-game schedule with one non-conference game. The Big 12 and SEC are playing 10-game schedules, with the Big 12 adding one intersectional matchup and the SEC playing just conference challengers. The Big Ten will play nine video games starting on Oct. 24, while the Pac-12 will play seven starting on Nov. 6.
” Thats the only thing that makes sense now because youll have some teams who have a 12-game schedule, that they may play 10. We may have some in our conference that have a seven-game schedule or a six-game schedule, technically, and they may play 5 or four.”
