We now have a pretty decent idea of where everybody stands in the debate over which playoff format is the best for college football. The Big 12 and SEC want semifinals played in bowl games or neutral sites and the best four teams, regardless of conference affiliation. The Big Ten and Pac 12 want on-campus games and only conference champions (nobody really cares what the ACC or Big East). Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com says now it all comes down to forming a compromise. Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples says the SEC has drawn the line in the sand.
Not that his opinion really means a whole lot, to be honest, but NCAA president Mark Emmert says a four-team football playoff is workable. He would probably know, seeing as every level of college football utilizes a football playoff format.
It has been pretty funny watching all of the outrage over P. Diddy’s son, Justin Combs, receiving a scholarship offer from UCLA. The school defends the offer to the music star’s son as a merit-based scholarship, but some are calling for pulling the scholarship because, quite frankly, the kid does not need the financial help. Justin Combs committed to UCLA last November and is rated a two-star cornerback by Rivals.com. Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the scholarship offer, as long as UCLA truly does believe it is something they would have given another two-star recruit. But even deep down inside you have to wonder if there are other motives in play here. The Bruins are trying to get back in the game in the PAC 12 and quite frankly a little star appeal from one of the music industry moguls can help UCLA catch up with the likes of USC a little faster than normal. The school is not pulling the scholarship, and I suspect that critics of the offer will move on soon enough.
More Morning Playbook after the jump…
Meant to mention this in yesterday’s playbook, but The mtn. television network, the official Mountain West Conference TV network, is going off-air. It was launched back in 2006, before the Big Ten Network hit the airwaves, but struggled to get in to homes. Yesterday was the final day on air. It was a solid idea, but just never found the growth it needed to survive. Here is the final sign-off from the Denver television crew.
Nittany Lions Den takes a look at how conference networks are developing.
Wisconsin has lost two quarterbacks for the 2012 season, as Madtown Badgers discusses. Of course, Danny O’Brien was likely to start anyway.
Ohio State and Georgia canceled their home-and-home games for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, as first reported by FBSchedules.com. With the Big Ten’s eight-game conference schedule being complimented by the PAC 12 arrangement and the SEC mulling nine-game schedules, this clash may have been a victim of unforeseeable schedule commitments.
Speaking of Ohio State, have you been following the saga over the Michigan recruit burning his Ohio State letter? It seems one Buckeye fan has taken a cue from the New Orleans Saints. He has since offered a public apology.
Yesterday we took a look at first year coaches and made some predictions. We also started up a series of posts looking at some potential danger games. First up, Air Force at Michigan.
North Carolina State’s tight ends coach, Don Horton, is stepping down so he may take a position as assistant director of football operations.
Officially, the Big 12 is happy at ten members.
Artist rendering of new Baylor football stadium.
Good question for Oregon, via Athlon Sports. Who will be the bigger loss for the Ducks, LaMichael James or Darron Thomas? Feel free to answer this question in the comments section down below.
Why would San Diego State and Boise State decide to join the Big East? Despite being down as a power conference, the money is still worth it according to San Diego Union Tribune.
Washington has reported a secondary violation to the NCAA, as it appears assistant coach Tosh Lupoi spoke about a recruit visiting the campus. Does not seem like a huge deal here.
Reveille reminds you to go to class.
