Mike Gundy Fixes the College Football Playoff (and It’s Smart)

Mike Gundy sometimes says things that don’t appear to be very smart. I think we can all agree on that. The reality of the deal, though, is that I believe he actually knows what’s going on more than he lets on. Consider his plan to shift the College Football Playoff to eight teams.

“If you win your conference, you’re in. That’s five teams. Then you have one wild card from the Memphis, the Houston this year, the non-Power Five … If Houston is the highest ranked team from the non-Power Five conference, they’re in. So that’s six. Then, let them argue over two wild cards. It could be whoever.”

As has been pointed out, it’s hilariously awful that there are four slots and five major conferences. I used to be in favor of the 16-team affair with 11 conference champs and five wild cards as laid out in Death to the BCS, but that seems like a lot, especially with the Power 5 conferences having been established.

So let’s look at how an eight-teamer would look as of right now using the CFP rankings.

1. Clemson (champ) vs. 8. Navy (best of little schools)
2. Alabama (champ) vs. 7. Michigan St. (wild card)
3. OU (champ) vs. 6. Notre Dame (wild card)
4. Iowa (champ) vs. 5. Stanford (champ)

Bring me all of that. It should also be noted how different this will look in about three days. Even more so in 10. I love it, though. No more bickering about teams winning monster conferences and being left out (which is just ludicrous to begin with). You don’t have an excuse anymore. You don’t have to go undefeated, just make sure you win your conference. That’s a good way to do it.

The wild cards would produce much angst, but that’s OK. For the first time ever, there would be a clear on-the-field path to winning a national title. Win your conference and then win three playoff games.

How would you do travel and stuff, though? That’s a lot of games in a single month. “If you’re the highest ranked team, then you get the home game,” said Gundy. Then you could go into a playoff.”

Perfect.

[Oklahoman]