OPPORTUNITY LOST - Oh, what it might've been. - It's all those teams, their conferences, their times to shine, and from where they and their athletes socially and financially might've benefited throughout two decades.
HYPOTHICAL AND HISTORICAL INVITEES:
CFCS PLAYOFF/INVITATIONAL INVITEES BY CONFERENCE 2004-2019; 2021-2024
(U) = Undefeated during the regular season
(PO Bye) = 2024 Playoff Bye
(PO1) = 2024 Playoff Round 1
(PO2) = 2024 Playoff Round 2
(PO3) = 2024 Playoff Round 3
(PO4) = 2024 Playoff Round 4
(S) = Semi-finalist - The CFP during years 2014-19; 2021-23 (skip COVID 2020)
(F) = Finalist - The BCS during years 2004-2013 - The CFP during years 2014-19; 2021-2023 (skip COVID 2020)
National Champions = Year underlined
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (11)
Army - 2024
Central Florida - 2013, 2014, 2017(U), 2018 (U)
Cincinnati - 2021(S)
Houston - 2015
Memphis - 2019
S. Methodist - 2023
Temple - 2016
Tulane - 2022
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE (29) - 3 championships
Boston College - 2007
Clemson - 2011, 2015(U)(F), 2016(S)(F), 2017(S), 2018(U)(S)(F), 2019(S)(F), 2022, 2024 PO1
Florida State - 2004, 2012, 2013(U)(F), 2014(U)(S), 2023(U)
Georgia Tech - 2009
Louisville - 2016
Miami - 2004, 2005, 2017, 2024
North Carolina - 2015
Pittsburgh - 2021
So. Methodist - 2024 PO1
Virginia Tech - 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010
Wake Forest - 2006
BIG EAST CONFERENCE (11)
Cincinnati - 2007, 2008, 2009(U)
Louisville - 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013
South Florida - 2007
West Virginia - 2006, 2007, 2011
BIG TEN CONFERENCE (54) - 3 championships
Indiana - 2024 PO1
Iowa - 2004, 2009, 2015, 2021
Michigan - 2004, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021(S), 2022(U)(S),2023(U)(S)(F)
Michigan State - 2013, 2014, 2015(S)
Oregon - 2024 - POBye,2
Ohio State - 2005, 2006(U)(F), 2007(F), 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014(S)(F), 2015,
2016(S), 2017, 2018, 2019(S), 2021, 2022(S), 2023, 2024 PO1,2,3,4,
Penn State - 2005, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 PO1,2,3
Wisconsin - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019
BIG 12 CONFERENCE (38) - 1 championship
Arizona St - 2024 POBye, 2
Baylor - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021
Kansas - 2007
Kansas State - 2012, 2022
Missouri - 2007, 2010
Nebraska - 2010
Oklahoma - 2004(U)(F), 2006, 2007, 2008(F), 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015(S), 2016,
2017(S), 2018(S), 2019(S), 2023
Oklahoma State - 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021
Texas - 2004, 2005(U)(F), 2006, 2008, 2009(U)(F),2023(S)
Texas Christian - 2014, 2022(S)(F)
CONFERENCE-USA (19)
Alabama-Birmingham - 2018
Central Florida - 2007, 2010
Florida Atlantic - 2017, 2019
Houston - 2006, 2009, 2011
Liberty -2023 (U)
Louisville - 2004
Marshall -2014
Rice - 2013
So. Mississippi - 2011
Texas San Antonio - 2021, 2022
Tulsa - 2008, 2012
Western Kentucky - 2015, 2016
MID AMERICAN CONFERENCE (13)
Ball State - 2008
Bowling Green - 2013, 2015
Central Michigan - 2009
Miami (Ohio) - 2023
No. Illinois - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Ohio - 2024
Toledo - 2004, 2017
Western Michigan - 2016(U)
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE (26)
Boise State - 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 POBye,2
Brigham Young - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Fresno State - 2013, 2018
San Diego State - 2015, 2016, 2021
Texas Christian - 2005, 2008, 2009(U), 2010(U), 2011
Utah - 2004(U), 2008(U), 2010
Utah State - 2018, 2021
PAC-10 (12) CONFERENCE (36) - 1 championship
Arizona - 2023
Arizona State - 2007
California - 2004
Colorado - 2016
Oregon - 2008, 2009, 2010(U)(F), 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014(F), 2019, 2022, 2023
So. California - 2004(U)(F), 2005(U)(F), 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2022
Stanford - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015
UCLA - 2005
Utah - 2019, 2021, 2022
Washington - 2016(S), 2018, 2022, 2023(U)(S)(F)
Washington State - 2018
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE (53) - 12 championships
Alabama - 2005, 2008, 2009(U)(F), 2010, 2011(F), 2012(F), 2013, 2014(S)
2015(S)(F), 2016(U)(S)(F), 2017(S)(F), 2018(U)(S)(F), 2019, 2021(S)(F), 2022, 2023(S)
Arkansas - 2006
Auburn - 2004(U), 2006, 2010(U)(F), 2013(F), 2017
Florida - 2005, 2006(F), 2007, 2008(F), 2009, 2012, 2015
Georgia - 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014, 2017(S)(F), 2018, 2019, 2021(S)(F), 2022(U)(S)( F), 2023, 2024 POBye,2
Louisiana State - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007(F), 2011(U)(F), 2019(U)(S)(F)
Mississippi - 2014
Mississippi State - 2014
Missouri - 2013
South Carolina - 2012
Tennessee - 2022, 2024 PO1
Texas - 2024 PO1,2,3
SUN BELT CONFERENCE (14)
Appalachian State - 2016, 2018, 2019
Arkansas State - 2011, 2012, 2015
Coastal Carolina - 2021
Georgia Southern - 2014
Louisiana - 2021
Marshall - 2024
Troy - 2009, 2017, 2022, 2023
WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (8)
Boise State - 2004(U), 2005, 2006(U), 2008(U), 2009(U), 2010
Nevada - 2010
Utah State - 2012
INDEPENDENTS (8)
Notre Dame - 2005, 2012(U)(F), 2017, 2018(U)(S), 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 PO1,2,3,4,
DID YOU KNOW THAT:
Under the CFCS Playoff/Invitational format and throughout the 2004-2019; 2021-24 seasons (20 years), three-hundred and twenty (320), eighty-eight (88) different names, would've had the opportunity to play toward a national championship. Throughout the same period of time, and under the BCS and CFP systems, only sixty-eight (68) teams, twenty-three (23) different names had the same opportunity to play toward a national championship. Seventeen (17) of the twenty-three names are "repeaters" - And, as of 2004-2013 under the BCS; 2014-2019, 21-24 under the CFP, only eleven (11) different names have appeared as "National Champions." - The Southeastern Conference has dominated with Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida and LSU capturing five "name titles"; while Clemson and Florida State of the Atlantic Coast Conference account for two; and Ohio State and Michigan of the Big Ten Conference account for three more "name titles". Texas, formerly of the Big 12, now of the Southeastern Conference plus former Pac-12, So. California now of the Big Ten Conference make up the tenth and eleventh "name title" holders. - Note that "COVID-19 year" 2020 is not included in my analysis nor hypothesis.
Show me the money! - During the 20-year period, while under the CFCS Project format, the "elite" conferences plus Notre Dame would've totaled 229 playoff opportunity appearances as compared to 91 opportunity appearances for the "underdog" conferences and two remaining Independents .
Revenue far surpassing the previous BCS and CFP playoff pool "handouts" would've resulted had their inequitable and unfair systems been replaced by THE CFCS PROJECT years ago, and alike for elites and non-elites. - Just imagine, twenty CFCS Project type playoffs at $750M-$900M each distributed among the above equals a whole bunch of money, possibly well spent to intellectually benefit those athletes who've contributed so greatly to their universities' coffers; most who will not have had the physical capacity that a few of their teammates had to be emancipated by the "pros."
Now that the 2024 season of college football in freefall is thankfully over, let's hope someone (be it person or governing agency) steps forward to salvage what's left of the sport for us despairing fans. - OH! WHAT IT MIGHT'VE BEEN!
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