The forthcoming playoff is expected to include the top four teams with added emphasis on winning a conference title but no requirement to do so. Reasons for opposing a champions only format include thinking the best four teams should advance, differences between the conferences, and not wanting low ranked champions to qualify. I think these reasons are shortsighted and much ado about nothing. For starters, there is nothing wrong with a "best" four team being eliminated earlier in the process by another. The differences in conferences do not punish strong leagues. If you expect to win a national title, you shouldn't have any objection to making and winning a conference title. And if you do that, you reward yourself by eliminating your toughest competition earlier and advancing to a presumably easier playoff. And concerns over low ranked champions is minimal as the top four champions usually reside inside the top six after conference title games are played.
That said, if a champions only format is done right, conference championship weekend has the potential to serve as a quarterfinal round. Based on how I would set it up, nine teams would still be in the playoff hunt on CCG weekend this year. In previous years, as many as 12 teams still had a shot. Ultimately, I would prefer all teams belonged to a conference but to accommodate independents, I created a Wildcard Championship Game matching the top two teams that did not qualify for a league title game. Under this format, each league has a title game matching the top two teams (divisions are eliminated) based on conference record with ties broken by the Power Points Standings. Conference championship results are included in the Power Points Standings and the top four champions advance to the playoffs. Listed below are the title game qualifiers with their matchups followed by the playoff scenarios for all mathematically eligible teams. For purposes here, postseason bans are ignored.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TEAMS
1 -Notre Dame vs South Carolina
2 -Florida vs Alabama
3 -Ohio State vs Nebraska
4 -Stanford vs Oregon
5 -Oregon vs Stanford
6 -Kansas State vs Oklahoma
7 -Alabama vs Florida
8 -Nebraska vs Ohio State
9 -South Carolina vs Notre Dame
10 -Oklahoma vs Kansas State
14 -San Jose State vs Utah State
15 -Clemson vs Florida State
16 -Kent State vs Northern Illinois
19 -Florida State vs Clemson
22 -Boise State vs Fresno State
23 -Utah State vs San Jose State
24 -Arkansas State vs Louisiana-Lafayette
25 -Louisville vs Cincinnati
26 -Fresno State vs Boise State
27 -Northern Illinois vs Kent State
33 -Cincinnati vs Louisville
36 -Central Florida vs Tulsa
37 -Tulsa vs Central Florida
51 -Louisiana-Lafayette vs Arkansas State
PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
Notre Dame: Win
Florida: Win
Ohio State: Win
Stanford: Win
Oregon: Win
Kansas State: Win plus Notre Dame, Florida, or Ohio State loss
Alabama: Win plus Notre Dame, Ohio State, or Kansas State loss
Nebraska: Win plus Notre Dame or Kansas State loss
South Carolina: Win plus Kansas State loss
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