What a Proposed 24 Team FBS Playoff Would Look Like (Full Simulation)

There have been many debates about the college football world as to what the next step should be with the evolution of the college football playoffs. With ESPN losing subscribers at what some would see as an alarming rate, that answer may come sooner or later as the once sports leader starts to lose ground in contract negotiations and loses their financial well that they use to dominate the TV contract landscape when it comes to all sports. Once the ESPN well goes dry, and at this rate it will, the system that supports the current bowl environment becomes untenable, and many of the current bowls will go away, as nobody other than ESPN is showing the desire to pay for 40 bowls or more. A choice will have to be made between a bowl system that largely is outdated and irrelevant and a playoff environment that makes a ton of cash, and does not require 40 locales to make it work. Here is what a 24 team playoff model would look like in 2016, of course, if I were in charge of laying it out...

The first 8 seeds are from the 8 highest ranked conference champs. Divisional champs, even if they lose in their conference title games, will still be seeded higher than any teams ranked below them, or reside under them in the standings. This would eliminate a scenario such as USC bypassing Colorado, or Ohio State bypassing Penn State. Group of Five schools are eligible. As long as they reside in "FBS" football, or the renamed Division 1-A, they play in the playoffs. The highest ranked G5 school will be entitled to one of the top eight spots annually.

Here are the top 24 teams for a 2016 playoff

1. Alabama (13-0)
2. Washington (12-1)
3. Clemson (13-1)
4. Oklahoma (10-2)
5. Penn State (10-2)
6.  Ohio State (11-1)
7. Wisconsin (10-3)
8. Western Michigan (13-0)

These 8 teams get a first round bye. Here are the next 16, as seeded based on AP rankings...

9. Colorado (10-3)
10. Michigan (10-2)
11. USC 9-3
12. West Virginia (10-2)
13. Virginia Tech (9-4)
14. Florida (8-4)
15. Oklahoma State (10-2)
16. Florida State (9-3)
17. Temple (10-3)
18. Louisville (9-3)
19. Stanford (9-3)
20. Auburn (8-4)
21. Utah (8-4)
22. Western Kentucky (10-3)
23. San Diego State (10-3)
24. Appalachian State (9-3)

1st Round matches are as follows:

#24 Appalachian State at #9 Colorado
#23 San Diego State at #10 Michigan
#22 Western Kentucky at #11 USC
#21 Utah at #12 West Virginia
#20 Auburn at #13 Virginia Tech
#19 Stanford at #14 Florida
#18 Louisville at #15 Oklahoma State
#17 Temple at #16 Florida State

2nd Round simulation as follows:

#16 Florida State at #3 Clemson
#18 Louisville at #2 Washington
#19 Stanford at #1 Alabama
#13 Virginia Tech at #4 Oklahoma
#12 West Virginia at #5 Penn State
#11  USC at #6 Ohio State
#10 Michigan at #7 Wisconsin
#9 Colorado at #8 Western Michigan

3rd Round Simulation:

#4 Oklahoma vs. #6 Ohio State...Ohio State wins
#1 Alabama vs. #12 West Virginia...Alabama wins
#2 Washington vs. #10 Michigan...Washington wins
#3 Clemson vs. #9 Colorado...Clemson wins

Semifinals:

Alabama vs. Ohio State...Alabama wins
Washington vs. Clemson...Washington wins

Finals: Alabama vs. Washington...Alabama wins