Introduction
Yesterday, we discussed a new playoff system based on old conference alignments and what I’m assuming would be the cause of a very angry fanbase. For whatever reason, college football fans believe that the potential of a cinderella story team rising from unexpected places to compete for a National Championship would be the death of college football for all eternity. I strongly disagree, but it is what it is.
The conversation really boils down to one problem: there are simply too many teams competing for one title.
In the Football Bowl Subdivision there are 128 teams competing for 12 spots in the playoffs. If there was any normal operating procedure in playoff selection, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing. But just ask Florida State how that worked for them in 2023.
What if FBS football was actually structured in a way that made sense? Enter in promotion and relegation.
What is promotion and relegation?
If you’re not familiar with these terms I’m guessing it is because you don’t follow international soccer where the promotion and relegation system primarily exists.
In the intricate tapestry of sports leagues worldwide, promotion and relegation stand as a unique and compelling system that adds an unparalleled layer of drama and unpredictability. At its core, promotion and relegation are mechanisms that determine the rise or fall of teams within a league hierarchy based on their performance in a given season. Unlike traditional closed-league structures, where teams’ positions remain static, promotion and relegation inject a dynamic element that keeps fans on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the fate of their favorite teams.
This dynamic system operates on a simple yet profound principle: excel, and you ascend to the upper echelons of competition; falter, and you risk descent to a lower tier. It’s a perpetual dance of triumph and tribulation that has become synonymous with the essence of competitive sports.
Promotion and relegation aren’t merely abstract concepts but rather integral components that breathe life into the sporting landscape. Beyond the goals scored and victories celebrated, this system fosters an environment where every match carries profound consequences. The significance lies not only in the pursuit of championships but also in the battle for survival, as teams strive to avoid the dreaded drop or achieve the coveted ascent.
Why promotion and relegation in FBS football?
As I mentioned before, there are simply too many teams in FBS. Every other sports leagues (excluding college hoops) can survive on very structured playoff system because there are only so many teams that can literally make it into the playoffs. In other words, having half of the NFL in a playoff looks very different than having half of FBS in a playoff.
The beauty of a promotion/relegation system in FBS is that all of the teams can compete in the FBS with the added bonus of actually making regular season games matter.
Let’s take a look at my proposed structure to help explain what I mean.
Promotion and Relegation in FBS Football
Basic Structure:
2 Tiered FBS
- 128 total teams
- 64 teams per Tier
- 4 geo-specific Conferences per Tier (NE, SE, Central, West)
- 16 teams per Conference
- 8 teams per Division
The basic structure is geolocating the conferences and putting the best 16 teams from each region into the Upper Tier and the other 16 teams in the Lower Tier. During the regular season, the teams compete against the other 7 division teams plus 5 other teams from the other Division or other Upper Tier Conferences (I’m open to persuasion).
After the regular season concludes, the playoff format is simple. The top 2 teams in each division compete in a single elimination Semifinal game and the Divisional Champions play in the Conference Final Game. Then the 4 Conference Champions compete in a single elimination National Semifinal and National Championship Game. Easy! This allows the top 16 teams based on their regular season record to advance to the playoffs and compete in single elimination games to the top.
In the lower tier, I’d love to see each conference also play a divisional and conference championship game as well. They don’t get to have their own National Championship game, but the more games to be played, the better in my opinion.
I could easily see a world where a Divisional Championship weekend and a Conference Championship Weekend are advertised and played, adding an extra weekend of college football. Can someone please explain to me how that would be a bad thing?
Okay, now for the fun part. I believe that all 128 teams should have a shot at the Championship game if they are worthy. Crowing a Champion should not be a beauty pageant, but a tournament. So, how do Lower Tier teams get their shot?
At the end of the regular season, promotion and relegation occurs. The bottom two teams from every Upper Tier division are relegated to the Lower Tier and the top 2 teams from the Lower Tier divisions are promoted to the Upper Tier. If you’re a Lower Tier team and get promoted, you have your shot next year to go all the way. In a world where players are playing for 5-6+ years, every school should be able to have a shot and competing for the National Title.
Promotion/Relegation Benefits
Is this too wild of a scenario? Maybe. But I enjoy dreaming of the what ifs.
In this system I imagine every year having new, exciting matchups. The regular season games will have so much more meaning. Wouldn’t this update level the playing field? It would no longer matter who has the most money, but who can put together and coach a winning team. It would also avoid stacking schedules with BS games that are automatic blowouts. And yeah a 0-12, 1-11, or 2-10 team probably doesn’t deserve to continue playing with the elites. Let them go into the Lower Tier where they can rebuild and take a shot next year.
With all of the turbulence and the politics of college football I would think setting up the league in this new way would help to remove some of that.
Conclusion
Am I naive enough to think that this will fix everything and college football would become a utopia of global sport? Of course not. There are always ways for corrupt people to corrupt the system and I’m sure that would happen here. But, I think the benefits of a promotion and relegation system that is geographically specific would help in taking some of the money bias and talent bias out of the sport. Talented players could go to a local school if they choose, get the education they want, and still be able to compete for a National Title because the bias against schools for not being the “chosen ones” would be gone. Plus, I think it would also rejuvenate some fanbases that would be excited to compete against teams their own caliber on both ends of the spectrum. Leveling the playing field and evening the competitive edges would do wonders for the sport.
What do you think? Am I too crazy for dreaming? Or is this the future of college football we all deserve? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Tomorrow, I really blow up college football and do terrible things to it. Stay tuned.