PRESS PICKS: Absurdity arrives as new 24-team playoff nears reality
STAFF REPORT
The word came down late last week that the 24-team College Football Playoff is all but approved.
The debate has begun whether this is the right or wrong decision and is this what we as fans really want?
You have to understand the reasoning behind all of this - and it’s not just the money.
it has to do with “fairness” to the little guy, the mid-majors who often get left out.
An opinion piece was recently written by a member of the staff of The Athletic begging the new system to allow more teams from the smaller conferences to fill the extra spots.
An excerpt…
“What if the (Mountain West Conference) champion was guaranteed a playoff bid, rather than having to hope Boise State and JMU lose in other conferences so the sole G6 bid can come open? How much more fun does NDSU-New Mexico sound now? So much at stake!
“It's good for fans of the entire sport to be invested in the (conference) championship, even if only a few teams have realistic chances of winning it, which feels so obvious that I still cannot believe we're having to spell it out to the people who run big-time college football.” - Jason Kirk
Give every conference champion a place at the table, they say. It’s only…. fair. And it would be exciting!
Besides, it’s working in college basketball. We need Cinderella in football, too.
That’s a typical response to the new 24-team playoff structure - smaller schools need a chance too….
Why? Are we fans of socialism? Because that’s what you are pushing….
Let’s use this idea in another sport - say Major League Baseball. Take this year’s playoff bracket and use this line of thinking - adding a couple of teams to the list so that eight teams make the playoff in each league but the last two are the ones most deserving based on the lack of funds. How about Pittsburgh and Miami in the National League and Baltimore and Minnesota in the American.
No, they don’t necessarily have the best records among the non-qualifiers but they are the smaller markets. They played hard enough to catch the attention of the baseball experts and should be rewarded for giving their all. Besides, there was probably a game or two where they were cheated out of a win.
That’s the same precedent you set when you think about who should be in a playoff as an at-large team. No reasoning other than trying to be fair to the little guy. There is no basis for it except an idea of fake compassion or leniency to make somebody feel better.
It’s also a type of “virtue signaling” that is rampant in our society.
We’ve seen the results with teams with little or no resume make the bracket. You get blowouts. Sure, TCU beat Michigan a couple of years ago so non-worthy opponents are basically 1-8 in that category.
We are supposed to look forward to watching that? What else will Big Brother do? Set up our TV sets or computers to make it impossible to change the channel? Sounds Orwellian, doesn’t it?
But that’s where we are. And that’s why this 24-team playoff will eventually fail. It might make the athletic programs a little more money and maybe the likes of ESPN, as well. But the fans will not tune in if the games are not worth watching. And as history proves, they won’t be.
This is nothing new. TV ratings have been plummeting over the last several years and this will not make it stop.
It’s amazing hearing networks brag about 20 million viewers for a game when the average 10-15 years ago was more like 30-40 million on an average day.
But that toothpaste ain’t going back in the tube. This plan is here to stay. Unless you are a James Madison or Utah State fan, it’s doubtful you will tune in to the first or second rounds.
But, hey! It will be exciting, right? (Sarcasm intended)
2026 Standings (Last week)
1. Rosie Langello 94-36 (8-8) .723
Wesley Lyle 94-36 (9-7) .723
3. Michael Butler 93-37 (10-6) .715
4. Lindsey Bonner 90-40 (9-7) .692
5. Doug Amos 89-41 (8-8) .685
Graham Dunn 89-41 (10-6) .685
7. Tim Gayle 87-43 (10-6) .669
8. Mike Peacock 84-46 (9-7) .646
9. Barry McKnight 82-48 (6-10) .631
10. Rick Hendrick 81-49 (9-7) .623
11. Mike Tankersley 80-50 (8-8) .615
Rosie Langello (WSFA Ch. 12 New and Sports)
94-36 (8-8) .723
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Wetumpka
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - St Michael
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - Wisconsin
Va Tech at Clemson - Va Tech
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports)
94-36 (9-7) .723
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Wetumpka
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Ole Miss
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Michigan
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Va Tech
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
93-37 (10-6) .715
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - St. Michael
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ole Miss at Texas - Ole Miss
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
90-40 (9-7) .692
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Wetumpka
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - Auburn
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Ole Miss
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - Wisconsin
Va Tech at Clemson - Va Tech
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
89-41 (8-8) .685
Opelika at Carver - Carver
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - Auburn
Oklahoma at Miss St - Miss St
Tennessee at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ole Miss at Texas - Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Michigan
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Va Tech
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
89-41 (10-6) .685
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - St. Michael
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ole Miss at Texas - Ole Miss
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - Wisconsin
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
87-43 (10-6) .669
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Miss St
Tennessee at South Carolina - Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas -Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio analyst)
84-46 (9-7) .646
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina -Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
82-48 (6-10) .631
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - Auburn
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina - Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Ole Miss
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Indiana
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
81-49 (9-7) .623
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Stanhope Elmore
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - Trinity
Catholic at St. Michael - Catholic
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - Auburn
Oklahoma at Miss St - Oklahoma
Tennessee at South Carolina -Tennessee
Ole Miss at Texas - Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Michigan
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - USC
Va Tech at Clemson - Clemson
Mike Tankersley (River Region Sports/WTLS contributor)
80-50 (8-8) .615
Opelika at Carver - Opelika
Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore - Wetumpka
Vestavia Hills at Prattville - Prattville
Montgomery Academy at Trinity - MA
Catholic at St. Michael - St. Michael
Texas A&M at Alabama - Alabama
LSU at Auburn - LSU
Oklahoma at Miss St - Miss St
Tennessee at South Carolina - South Carolina
Ole Miss at Texas - Texas
Vanderbilt at Kentucky - Kentucky
Indiana at Michigan - Michigan
Houston at Utah - Utah
USC at Wisconsin - Wisconsin
Va Tech at Clemson - Va Tech