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BYU Football: Different scenarios for a 12 team playoff

By Adam Gibby

BOISE, ID - NOVEMBER 6: Running back Andrew Van Buren #21 of the Boise State Broncos breaks through the BYU Cougars' defensive line during first half action at Albertsons Stadium on November 6, 2020 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID - NOVEMBER 6: Running back Andrew Van Buren #21 of the Boise State Broncos breaks through the BYU Cougars' defensive line during first half action at Albertsons Stadium on November 6, 2020 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /
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BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 22: Running back Toa Taua #35 of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks for running room during second half action against the Tulane Green Wave at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium on December 22, 2020 in Boise, Idaho. Nevada won the game 38-27. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 22: Running back Toa Taua #35 of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks for running room during second half action against the Tulane Green Wave at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium on December 22, 2020 in Boise, Idaho. Nevada won the game 38-27. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /

No Automatic Qualifiers

This model would essentially be the current model of the four teams that make the Playoff. In this scenario, the top twelve teams would make the Playoff and it wouldn’t matter if all twelve teams come from the SEC or if six of them are G5. If a team is ranked as a Top 12 team at the end of the season, they make the Playoff.

This model is unlikely because it takes away from Conference Championship Games as well as opens up some serious credibility issues on the Playoff Committee.

This past season, BYU Football fans and fans in general felt like BYU was given a terrible ranking in large part due to the Committee probably wanting to avoid having up to three teams in the NY6. Had Cincinnati lost in the AAC Championship they likely would have still been a top 10 team, the auto-bid would have gone to San Jose State, and then BYU would have potentially been the third team. This would have been a disaster for the NY6 so they ranked BYU No. 14 in the first rankings.

For this to work, the rankings would need to revert back to a computer model as to not show “favoritism”.

What this means for BYU

This model would give more access to a team like BYU. Unlike the last model, if BYU is higher ranked than the Pac 12 Champion or a G5 team, they wouldn’t get jumped. This would also be good because the Playoff Committee is much more likely to rank the best G5 team in the Top 12 and not worry about automatic qualifiers messing things up like I suspect they were this year.

Essentially, if BYU is a top 12 team, they will get into the Playoff, especially if there aren’t other G5 teams ahead of them making the Committee make “interesting” moves.

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