The latest playoff announcement is a bit stunning.
6 highest ranked conference champs & next 6 highest ranked teams will make @CFBPlayoff. 4 highest-ranked conference champs seeded 1-4 will receive 1st-round bye. Teams 5-12 will play 1st round at home field of highest-ranked team. Notre Dame/Independents can’t get 1st round bye
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 10, 2021
We already said how the 12 team playoff benefits the ACC, but at the time of that article some important details weren’t known.
With this new format, I believe big changes will be coming to the ACC.
The new playoff could also push the ACC to a 1 vs 2 championship game – no divisions, as an upset for example with an ACC team ranked #10 loses to an unranked opponent. That’s leaves both out, while a 1 vs 2 virtually guarantees at least 1 gets in.
— Jeff or Jeffrey Fann (@TalkinACCSports) June 10, 2021
I can’t imagine the ACC would risk not being in the playoffs. The scenario of getting left out is a real possibility in the current divisional alignment. I fully expect the ACC Championship game to feature the #1 and #2 teams in the ACC ala 2020 which seemed to work out pretty well for the ACC.
This also likely eliminates divisions. Now how the ACC manages that is up for debate. Is it a pure rotational schedule? Does the conference go to 9 games? Does a 3 5 5 schedule format get introduced?
As always does this affect Notre Dame going to the ACC? Good questions, and the answer is complicated.
Brian Kelly and the Irish goes 12-0 and are ranked #1 in the nation. Their reward is to play 4 straight top 12 teams to win a national title. You are Clemson and you ranked #9 in the country at 10-2 playing #15 Miami who is 9-3. Clemson wins moved to #7 at 11-2, and ends up one ranked of the top 4 conference champions and gets a BYE week.
You tell me if Brian Kelly is happy about that.
Now I’ve seen some say well Notre Dame rests without playing a conference championship. When is the BYE more valuable?
The obvious answer is after the conference championship game, as the top 4 conference championship winner will get nearly 4 weeks to prepare for a playoff opponent. Notre Dame gets a week off, then it’s a playoff game reducing their rest time in half.
What football program wouldn’t want the potential for nearly a month of rest near the end of the season, especially as you prep 3 weeks of football in January.
Even CBSSports.com in their analysis of the new playoff format recognizes Notre Dame is a loser in this model.
However, because they operate as an independent, they can never finish in the top four (guaranteed to conference champions) and avoid the play-in game. That means, each and every year Notre Dame qualifies, it must win four straight games (16 total) to become national champions.
What if Notre Dame is ranked in the final playoff poll at #15 as they were in 2019? Guess what they are left out. If they are in the ACC they would have played Clemson as the #2 ranked team in the ACC to get in. Anytime Notre Dame is ranked anywhere from 13-20 they are probably getting left out.
Notre Dame has more access to the playoff as there will be 6 available at large spot, but they are at far greater disadvantage when compared to their contemporaries like Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Oklahoma who have virtually guaranteed they will not miss the playoffs with all 12 potential spots available to them, while the Irish have 6.
Brian Kelly can do math too….
It’s simple if this doesn’t encourage Notre Dame to move to the ACC, it’s not happening in the foreseeable future.
Notre Dame may very well choose to remain independent.
Make sure you follow the All Sports Discussion Twitter account at @AllSportsDACC and please like our Facebook Page
3 pings
Terry says:
June 10, 2021 at 10:12 pm (UTC -5)
Not at all. That would have required a conference champs only format to force ND into a conference.
Other than that, carry on.
There would now be six at large spots for ND to compete/qualify for under this proposal.
That cements ND’s Indy status indefinitely.
Lack of a bye? No problem, no CCG to play, either. Tee up the ball.
When asked about not having a bye, ND AD Jack Swarbrick said “I look forward to never hearing again about how we played one less game or don’t have a conference championship.”
(He is Chairman of this Committee. He also is indicating that ND intends to remain an indy)
Jfann says:
June 11, 2021 at 7:14 am (UTC -5)
It puts Notre Dame at a disadvantage compared to their contemporizes in football. I don’t see how any other conclusion can be reached.
That said I’m under no illusion that this will have Notre Dame in the ACC.
My expectation is they remain an independent.
Hokie Mark says:
June 11, 2021 at 8:20 am (UTC -5)
Brian Kelly may want his team to join the ACC now. It just doesn’t matter – it isn’t his decision to make.