The NCAA Division I Council has relaxed the restrictions for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football conference championship games, it was announced on Wednesday.
As a result of the change, FBS conferences will now be able to determine their conference championship game participants with or without divisions. Previously, NCAA rules stated that conferences were required to be split into divisions in order to stage a championship game.
Conferences can still keep divisions if they desire, however. Should a conference opt to eliminate divisions, they would likely deem the two teams with the highest winning percentage in conference play as the championship game participants.
Division I Council relaxes restrictions for FBS football conference championship games; FBS conferences to determine their championship game participants. All Council actions are not final until today’s meeting ends. pic.twitter.com/cHjD4nfVle
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) May 18, 2022
Shortly following the NCAA release, the Pac-12 announced a change in their football championship game format. Beginning in 2022, the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage will face off in the championship game.
“Our goal is to place our two best teams in our Pac-12 Football Championship Game, which we believe will provide our conference with the best opportunity to optimize CFP invitations and ultimately win national championships,” said Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff. “Today’s decision is an important step towards that goal and immediately increases both fan interest in, and the media value of, our Football Championship Game.”
Good news for all conferences. Surprisingly none of the huge underdogs won a game and sent a team out of the CFP. It can still happens but the underdog will atleast be the 2nd best team in the conference (unless a team in ineligible)
OK, then why would the Pac 12 Conference stay in two divisions for football?
Good question. What is the point of divisions then in their case?
Likely just for scheduling
This can lead to conferences adopting a model schools play a few rivals every year and the remainder of the conference every other year. I also think that the regular season champion should be able to opt out of the Championship game especially in a power-5 league. For example lets say in a division less system USC goes 11-1 with its loss coming to Notre Dame but beat Oregon by 3 who is 10-2 with its other loss coming to Georgia. Why let USC potentially miss a chance at the playoff by losing? Have Oregon play say 9-3 Arizona for a New Years Six spot and declare USC conference champs and not hurt the league’s chances of getting in the Playoff. I think a rule like this should have been in place in 2020 when Notre Dame already beat Clemson. Notre Dame should have been declared ACC champs and Clemson could have played somebody else. Notre Dame already beat Clemson that year.
DaveMealy517,
When 2 Teams play each other in the regular Season & then rematch in the Conference Championship it sometimes does feel Lame.
Maybe there would be more Variety in the Exhibition bowl Season if the #2 Conference Teams didn’t play in their Conference Championship when they had already played the higher ranked #1 Team.
It would be more entertaining to Not see the same Teams in the Trust Five Conferences play 90% of the Conference Championship Games then I’m forced ( In which case I elect Not to watch the NY6 Exhibition Games) with the same few Teams playing another Trust Five Conference’s same few Teams.
Yawn producing redundancy Year after Year.
Get rid of conference championship games and expand the playoffs to 8 teams. Then the teams in the playoffs will be playing same number of games that they currently play.
There is merit to what you have said.
There is too much money in Conference Championship games to be discontinued.
The NCAA had no business in conference affairs to begin with.