December already? Where did the year go? Well, for football fans, it starts in the heat of summer, when so much promise abounds – only to be dashed by the harsh winds of November. A time when for most teams it means the pompoms fade, the beer warms, and the appetizers spoil.
But not for everybody. No, Skippy, this year the college football gods have brought us a cornucopia of collegiate clashes, one where the calendar for football – brace yourself football widows – will provide a college (or professional game) for 30 straight days, from December 19 through January 20. That’s right, a month of football. Nonstop. More action than any Vegas casino could dream of, and more opportunities for those inclined to wager a dollar or two on the outcomes. Who’s responsible for this month of madness, this December delirium? Well, as the wise man once said – just follow the money. In this case the money appears in the form of an expanded 12-team college football playoff, featuring a hoopslike tournament wherein there will be one-week byes, home field advantages, and a championship finale to rival the Super Bowl.
As referenced above, the fun starts the weekend of December 19, when four schools will host the first round of playoff action, with corresponding seeds to allow for matchups based upon each school’s regular season success. The action begins when the 12th ranked school visits the 5th ranked school, the 11th ranked one takes on the 6th, the 10th ranked travels to the 7th ranked squad, while the 9th ranked team battles number 8.
A seasoned viewer might ask, “Hey what about the Bowls? Do they get shut out?” Nope. The gurus of the game factored that part in, and for the second weekend, the quarterfinals will be played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, featuring the Fiesta, Rose, Peach and Sugar Bowls. The semifinals will take place on January 9 and 10 in Miami and
Dallas with the Orange and Cotton Bowls, respectively. Finally, the championship game, rotated amongst bidding cities (think Super Bowl sites) will culminate in Atlanta on January 20 when a new champion (and a new president) will be inaugurated.
On its face, a person might be tempted to say it’s too much: too much football packed into too much time. That it diminishes the regular season, makes irrelevant conference champions, and relegates the bowl games to mere sideshows in the race for pennies and publicity (though it will be many pennies – the TV rights went for $ 1.3 Billion dollars over a seven-year period). And who benefits? For starters, a lot of teams, as it will be harder to omit a deserving squad (looking at you, 2023 FSU). It’s more difficult to argue the 13th best team deserved a shot, and doesn’t carry the same weight it would for a 5th ranked squad left out of party of 4.
The other winners are the fans. For all the griping about overexposure, my guess is this first year will be a smashing success. So much so, there will be calls to expand the playoff to 16 teams, when the contract comes up for renewal after the 2031 season.
Crazy you say? Sure, just tell it to the networks who will be printing money over the holidays as the ratings explode. So folks, get ready for pennies, presents and a lot of people watching - should be epic. Let’s go!
