Fall camps begin soon for many FBS football programs, so why not have a little fun.
Many have been calling for a playoff system in college football for years, so here you have it. This is what a 68-team bracket would look like if the preseason rankings stayed the same all the way through the season. Obviously that never happens, but let’s just pretend.
Bracket format:
- 68 teams make the bracket, and the final eight teams in play a ‘First Four’ similar to the college basketball bracket. The four winners move on to play the top four seeds in the round of 64.
- The higher seeded team is the home team in the first four rounds. In the final three rounds (Elite Eight), things change.
- The four regional finals will be the BCS bowls and will be played at the four BCS bowl sites. The #1 overall seed gets first right to have the game played at their affiliated bowl. Since Alabama is #1 in this bracket, they get the Sugar Bowl, since it is an SEC-contracted bowl, and also happens to be the closest to Tuscaloosa. Oklahoma is #2, and because the Fiesta Bowl is the Big 12′s contracted bowl, Oklahoma must choose that for its region’s regional final. Had the Fiesta Bowl been taken by the #1 seed, Oklahoma would then have the choice of any of the three remaining BCS bowls. This particular bracket works out perfectly, as each of the regional top seeds get the bowl not only contracted to their conference, but also closest to home.
- The Final Four and BCS National Championship game will be played at that year’s BCS title game host site. In 2012, The Superdome in New Orleans hosts.
- The college season will be shortened to eliminate byes and conference championship games in order to get this tournament in. The championship will be played the second weekend in January.
Matchup notes for this bracket:
- There were originally three first/second round matchups between teams from the same conference. Based on overall seeding, #21 Michigan State was supposed to play #44 Northwestern, #13 Stanford was supposed to play #52 Oregon State, and #30 N.C. State was originally set to play #35 North Carolina. Because no first/second round games can include team from the same conference, those matchups were adjusted by swapping the lower seed in the matchup with the closest available seed.
- Nevada plays San Diego State in a first four game, but those schools will not be the same conference until 2012.
- USC is not in this bracket due to a postseason ban in 2011. They would have been the #20 seed.
- Two programs revitalized by Urban Meyer face off in the second round as #18 Florida hosts #47 Utah. If the Utes pull off the upset, they’ll likely have a third round date with the powerhouse team (TCU) from the conference they ditched (Mountain West) for the Pac 12.
- If the 10th seeded Huskers and 23rd seeded Longhorns both win, Texas will get a shot at eliminating the team that packed up and left the Big 12 for the Big Ten.
- There is only one first/second round game between two BCS teams from a year ago. Defending ACC Champion,#7 Virginia Tech, hosts Big East Champion, #58 UConn.
- After winning the national title last year, Auburn is a #41 seed in a rebuilding year. If the Tigers upset Missouri in the second round, it’s likely a date with Ohio State in round three.
- If Oklahoma and Oregon both win their regionals, they will meet in the Final Four for the first time since meeting in 2006 when two questionable calls helped the Ducks come from 13 down in the final minutes to beat the Sooners.
- The rankings are based on Athlon Sports’ preseason rankings back in June 2011.
Click bracket to enlarge
