How Would the New Proposed CFP Format Have Played Out for Past Cowboys Teams?
STILLWATER – As our Zach Lancaster put the story together yesterday on the initial announcement of the new proposition for the College Football Player, a 12-team bracket with four initial byes for top conference champions, a first round at home campus sites, two rounds that will include the traditional bowl games, and mid-January finish to the college football season. I like it! My affection for the new plan is for several reasons, but the first and most passionate is purely being a homer on my part. I want a greater chance for my school, for Oklahoma State, the school I graduated from and that I broadcast on football Saturdays to have a better chance of playing for that crystal football trophy.
Head coach Mike Gundy told me that when the proposal was released he got a message from incoming athletic director Chad Weiberg on his excitement about the expanded CFP format.
“‘We’ being the A5 commissioners – (underestimated) how difficult it was to be on the outside looking in on a four-team playoff. I think that was a factor,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said during the news conference when asked about the number of 12 being in the playoff. “There was certainly lots of consternation around those of us that were left out at one time or the other, so I think that was an element of it.
“I think the idea that greater participation could take place was always sort of underlying the very essence of talking about this, but we also -- I have to say, I was proud of our subgroup because I think we started at very different positions,” continued Bowlsby. “I think we -- and I want to give particular credit to Jack as our leader and to Greg, because the SEC is going to do just fine whether we stay at four or go to eight or move to some other number, and I really feel like everybody that was in the room was looking at this from the standpoint of what is best for college football and what is best for the participants.”
Also, I would disagree with the multitude of opinions out there that this will devalue the college football regular season. I realize that a slim margin created great pressure, but now there will be more teams and many more players, coaches, and fans feeling the pressure of games from mid to late season that could be the difference of playing in the 12-team bracket or playing in a bowl game and watching the show that will now consist of four rounds of games or a championship game.
“The practical effect of this will be that with four or five weeks to go in the season, there will be 25 or 30 teams that have a legitimate claim and practical opportunity to participate,” added Bowlsby. “That should make for an extraordinarily good October and November.”
“You know, as we start to see some young people opt out of their postseason experiences, you wonder if there will be as much of that among a larger number of teams that have a dog in the fight for a National Championship,” Bowlsby said hitting on one of the great and recent concerns in the sport.
As for Oklahoma State, The Athletic went back and applied the new proposed college football playoff plan to the results, records, and where applicable the CFP rankings in previous season in this decade. In our review, Oklahoma State was close in several seasons, but the only years where we could place them in the bracket in good conscience was 2011 and 2016.
2011
1. LSU
2. Oklahoma State
3. Oregon
4. Wisconsin
No. 12 TCU at No. 5 Alabama (at-large)
No. 11 Clemson at No. 6 Stanford (at-large)
No. 10 South Carolina (at-large) at No. 7 Arkansas (at-large)
No. 9 Kansas State (at-large) at No. 8 Boise State (at-large)
The seeding for 2011 is a little sketchy as Alabama and Stanford did not win their conferences. Oklahoma State and Wisconsin (No. 10 in the BCS) moved up to byes. Oklahoma State would have been there anyway, but likely not at two.
This playoff does not include 10-2 USC due to its postseason ban but does give two Mountain West squads a shot to surprise.
Alabama over TCU, Stanford over Clemson, South Carolina surprises Arkansas, and Kansas State edges Boise. LSU beats Kansas State, Oklahoma State edges South Carolina. Oregon takes care of Stanford in a repeat. Alabama beats the tar out of Wisconsin. Alabama beats LSU, just as they did that year in the BCS Championship Game and Oklahoma State shoots down the Ducks leaving the Cowboys and Crimson Tide.
Alabama evens up the series in a game that never took place, but should have. Maybe I’m wrong and Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon terroize the Crimson Tide.
2016
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Penn State
No. 12 Western Michigan at No. 5 Ohio State (at-large)
No. 11 Florida State at No. 6 Michigan (at-large)
No. 10 Oklahoma State (at-large) at No. 7 Wisconsin (at-large)
No. 9 Colorado (at-large) at No. 8 Oklahoma (at-large)
There was a log jam of solid at large teams in the 10-12 range and Southern Call ended up being the off team out. Western Michigan and Oklahoma are the other conference champions that get in. The first round is littered with cold weather sites, but Oklahoma State gets the nod along with Ohio State, Michigan, and Colorado.
Alabama gets Oklahoma and easily beats the Sooners. Clemson takes care of Oklahoma State in an orange-out game. Washington disposes of Michigan, but Ohio State takes advantage at another crack at the Nittany Lions. Alabama and Clemson win the semifinals and you know the rest.