8 is too many. I like 4. The conference championship games serve as play-in games. Clemson, Alabama and Mich St all HAD to win in order to get it. Stanford had to win in order to have an outside shot as well. And going back over the last couple of weeks, there were other elimination games: Ohio St - Mich St, Oklahoma-Oklahoma St, Notre Dame's loss to Stanford, and Bama had it's back to the wall after losing to Ole Miss. A 4 team playoff makes the regular season matter. Clemson, Alabama, etc could NOT afford to lose their rivalry games. If it were an 8 team playoff.... Clemson might have rested some players and those fans might not have gotten the best game.
8 teams would require too much travel for many of the fan bases. For example, #6 Stanford would have to play of 14th game and travel to #3 Michigan State. If they win, they'd meet #2 Alabama or #7 Ohio State in a bowl game? That would be their 15th game. Win that one and play for the National Championship.... their 16th game????
Which is why 1st round is a home game for the higher seed. Would bring more money for the higher seed university or you could split revenue between both schools after the home cost is paid for.
That doesn't seem to bother the lower division teams in 24 and 32 team playoffs. Besides, with 8 teams the higher seed would host the first round.
Who'd okie light lose too? Bama lost to the #1 team (was it in OT). Conference champ though, I agree with you there. I don't think I'd have Bama in unless you have a stipulation that the #1 and #2 rated teams get in. Two team playoff era was a joke, what we have now is better.
