June 3, 2025 • 18 mins
Jon Wilner of The San Jose Mercury News and Wilner Hotline joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about all the conference shifting going on in college sports, what’s changing with the new football playoff model and seeding, plus kickoff times for games.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for a weekly Pac twelve conversation with San
Jose Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you by
Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com have
the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks gear.
You w had some of the largest selection of Sonnix
gear anywhere in the world. Learn more at simply Seattle
dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're back on a busy Tuesday from Meameral
Quigasino normally on Mondays, but back here on a Tuesday.
Back at Jimmy's on first Tomorrow, but joining us right
now on the radio show. Courtesy of our friends at
simply Seattle dot com. Whatever to have your eye on,
be sureing use Cokee KJR fifteen for fifteen percent off
anything at simply Seattle dot com. Our friend Johnny Wilner
(00:40):
from the San Jose Mercury News.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
John, how are you.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm good. It seems like you've been around the world
for like eighty days.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I have I feel like youon I feel like it, man,
I mean my body feel you know what. Traveling at
the age of fifty two years old is not like
it was when I was twenty two years old.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I got no idea. Why. Oh, maybe it's because I'm old.
By John.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Let me ask you about this Texas State to the
PAC twelve thing.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Is that gonna happen?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
And if it does happen, why should Cougar fans or
Beaver fans be excited about it?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
I think there's a good chance that Texas State is
going to be the eighth football play in school. They
need one more and there aren't very many good options, right.
UNLV is an option. Uh, Dipping into the FCS ranks
as an option, and I think Texas State might be
the best option. So we'll see if if you're a
Cougar fan, Look, you want to be in Vegas, right,
(01:38):
I think you want to be in Vegas, But you
don't really want UNLV.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
I mean, they're not anything special, but you do.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
I think for the long term success of the conference,
you want to be in Texas.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
You want to have your flag planned in Texas.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
It gives you Central time zone kickoff opportunities, but it
gives you access to Texas recruiting. You know, there's a
lot of money in Texas. Football is a huge sport.
The sport in Texas Texas State itself is in a
booming area right between Austin and San Antonio. I think, like,
(02:12):
if you're a Cooper fan, you want the PAC twelve
to be the best it can be over the course
of five six years. Texas State helps you get there
better than UNLV does.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
Did I read where Memphis was a candidate and I
mean maybe that makes.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Well, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
There's one option in theory is to go try to
raid the American and get Memphis, two lane South Florida.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know good you know good.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Markets, pretty good basketball football schools. The issue, though, is
going to be the money, because the average American school
gets about eight million in media rights, but those schools
the top tier get more than that. And so the
question is, well the PAC twell be able to offer
enough that would make it a profitable opportunity for the
(03:02):
top tier schools like Memphis when you factor in travel
cross as well.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
John, in ten years from now, will you dub and
Washington State be playing for the same championship.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Which sport football?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Because I think that I really think we're gonna see,
you know, a separation of the Olympic sports. I think
there's a chance Washington Washington State are gonna be the
same conference in ten years in you know, Olympic sports, basketball,
probably not football, probably not. Will they be playing for
(03:38):
the same championship?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
The only way they wouldn't is if there's a super
league that Washington is in.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
In Washington State.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Is not right, and I think that there's a decent
chance that will happen. But I would bet I think
it's better in fifty to fifty that everybody currently in
major college football is that the conferences will be different structures,
but they'll still be playing for the same title.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
As we see the split, the chasm get larger between
SEC Big ten and everybody else, and particularly Power four
and everybody else. Why would teams like that, I'm not
just singling out Washington State, I mean Nevada, New Mexico.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Why would they want to compete.
Speaker 6 (04:24):
For the same championship as Ohio State and Michigan.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Well, I think that it's because you got If you're
a president of the university and you're gonna tell your
donors we're out on football, the backlash is significant, right,
and then you're you're dealing with regents and trustees and
university presidents like to keep their jobs.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And well, I'm not talking about gay football, John, I'm sorry.
I'm not talking about getting rid of football. I'm talking
about those teams all banding together and having what we
had in the FCS like the next level above the
f SCA yes, but below whatever the top forty teams
are well.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
But I think you're still talking about them willingly backing
out of competing at the highest level right now. It's
one thing if there's a super league and they don't
get invited, but it's another thing I think to willingly say,
you know.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
What, we're out of football at the highest level, you know,
on our own.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
And I don't know that that would play well with
the constituents for those schools, but they may not have
a choice.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I mean the other pieces.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
We don't know how this revenue sharing is going to
play out with you know how, Sharon twenty million bucks
a year.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
That's going to cause a lot of schools.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
To have to rethink with football and rethink all the
sports that they sponsor.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
John Wilders with us So I thought Greg Sank came
out the other day and you can refresh my memory
because it's a little fuzzy right now. That he said
his goal is for the Power Forward to have complete
autonomy over the way they govern themselves and splinter off
from the NC DOUBLEA.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Am I reading that writer? Is that nonsense that I
that I saw?
Speaker 5 (06:06):
He said that there are there are administrators in the
SEC that wonder why they're still part of the NCUBLEA.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Got it?
Speaker 5 (06:13):
And to that I would say that the NC DOUBLEA
does a lot of things wrong, but one thing it
does right is it runs national championships very very well.
March Madness, College World Series, Women's College World Series.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
I mean, they do championships well.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
And if you're out of the NCUBLEA and you're the
Big ten or the SEC, then you've got to put
on like twenty five national championships, and I don't think
they want to do that. So what I think may
end up happening, and what Sankee really I think wants
is that the Big four conferences can kind of set
(06:52):
their own rules, especially when it comes to football, but
their other sports are still operated under the NC DOUBLEA
and umbrella because of the postseason championships.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
John, If I'm Greg SANKI I want the five eleven
playoff model because I'm so arrogant that I believe that
my champion will get in as one of the five,
and then I can get six other teams in that
in that playoff, Whereas if you go four four two
two one, that limits the amount of at large teams
(07:28):
my conference can get. Is that what Greg Sanki and
also the Big Ten are thinking?
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Oh man, I could do like five segments on this topic.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
So. First of all, if you do an hour.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
At your run, the four the four to four two
two one is actually the four four two two one three.
We can't forget about that three. That three is at
large Berth.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Okay, right, John, hang on, let me stop me for
a second. I think people are tuning in and have
no idea what that means. What is the fourth four
two to one meaned?
Speaker 5 (08:00):
It means four automatic bids for the SEC, four automatic
bids for the Big Ten, two each for the ACC
and Big twelve, one for the best team in the
group of five, and that would include the PAC twelve.
Then three at large bids. Notre Dame's gonna have like
this special pathway to get one. But there's still two
other at large perths odds are the Big Ten and
(08:21):
the SEC are gonna get them. So it's really like
four almost five bids for each. Now the five eleven
model that the SEC is pushing for, yeah, they could
get six at large person if they want it right.
Seven absolutely, and that's what they're thinking. But here's the problem.
(08:44):
If you're the Big ten and this is the clash
of titans that is getting set up right because the
Big Ten and the SEC control what the format is
gonna be starting in twenty six. The secs were once
one model, the Big Ten once another. And the difference
is that the SEC in the eight game conference schedule,
(09:04):
the Big ten looks over there and they think, if
we have a playoff model where it's unlimited at large bids,
the SEC is going to have a huge advantage because
they only play eight conference games. So the Big ten
is digging in on the fourth on the automatic bids
four each because they think that will help level the
playing field. If the SEC is willing to go to
(09:27):
eight nine conference games, then that would change the dynamics.
I think that the Big the Big ten would maybe
be more willing to do the five to eleven if
the SEC plays nine conference games.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So okay, so refresh my memory. How many teams are
going to play for a championship this coming season?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Is it still twelve? Or is it's sixteen? Now? What's
of that?
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Now?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Wait? Have you been out of town? You haven't been
paying attention to?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
How many teams are playing for the title this coming
season in the playoff?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
How many? Twelve?
Speaker 4 (09:58):
It's twelve?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
How many?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
How long you are gone?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Okay? How many is set to be in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Okay? We don't know, Okay, but it's probably sixteen. I
don't remember when you left.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
But at some point in the last three weeks, they
they made a change for this coming season. They kept
it at twelve, but they went to a straight seating model.
So the teams are gonna be seated based exactly on
how they're ranked. That we don't know anything about twenty
six and beyond, but they are leaning toward having sixteen.
(10:33):
They're gonna skip over fourteen and go straight from twelve
to sixteen. And they have these two models that are competing,
and the Big ten wants one thing, and the Big
twelve and the SEC and the ACC wants something else.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
See John, I think the Big Tension want five to
eleven as well. Because even if the SEC still still
plays eight games, because if if my ninth game is
if I'm in the Huskies and my ninth game is
Indiana and Alabama's ninth game is Firm, how does that
help Alabama to play Furman? It doesn't help the basketball teams.
(11:06):
When you play teams like Furman in college basketball, you
get penalized when it comes to the net rankings, So
why wouldn't the same They don't.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Trust the committee.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
The thing is that they don't trust the Committee because
the Committee has shown time and again.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
That it cares more about your record.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
And your number of losses does about who you're playing.
And the SEC feels burned by that this past year,
and the Big Ten has been burned by that over
the course of years. And the committee's process is so murky,
even though when you look at what it's supposed to do,
number one is strength of schedule, it doesn't always.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Account for that, And so the Big Ten.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
Is worried that the SEC team that is ten and
two and played a weaker schedule is going to get
in ahead of the nine to three Big Ten team
that played a stronger schedule.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Okay, so here's a follow up to My last question,
at what point do we get to a number of
teams where we stop with expansion and we can sit
down and say, all right, this is what it is.
It'll be this way for five years, ten years, fifteen years.
How long until they stop goofing around with this thing
and we get some consistency over the course of at
(12:19):
least a few seasons.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
Well, I think it'll get to sixteen, and that's where
we'll stay until the end of the contract, which is
the twenty.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Thirty one season.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Got right, there's a six year deal that starts in
twenty twenty six. I think they will not get beyond sixteen.
They've got a big problem. Even with sixteen, where are
you going to put those extra games? Right right now,
they're playing four games. The opening round games are that
weekend before Christmas, when there're three NFL games on Saturday.
How are you going to put more games if you're
(12:51):
at sixteen?
Speaker 4 (12:52):
You can't. So here's what they're gonna do. They're going
to start the playoff the weekend.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
Of the Army Navy game and the Heisman, and they're
gonna have number sixteen play thirteen and fourteen play fifteen.
It's like a play in the week of Army Navy,
and then the next weekend they're gonna have the two
winners play other twelve other teams, and then you're gonna
(13:17):
have the champions of the SEC and Big Ten are
gonna have double buys and they're not gonna play until
the quarterfinals. And here's the reason they gotta do the
double buys because if they have a sixteen team playoff
and they got automatic bids, why would you play a
conference championship game?
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Right?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Who would watch a conference championship game? Who would play
their starting quarterback in the conference championship game?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
So they got to make that valuable.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
And the way they're gonna make the championship game valuable
is by giving the winner a double buy into the quarterfinals.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
Well, John, how about for this next year? That will
that we know what it's gonna be like. Do you
like the new playoff seeding rules and remind us what
they are and are you better off being a one
through four seed or maybe are you better off being
a five through eight seed this year?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
So the new rule is basically same amount of teams twelve,
but instead of reserving the top four seeds for the
highest ranked conference champions the top four seeds.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Are gonna be the top four ranked teams. It is gonna.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Follow the twelve the last rankings that get announced the
day after the conference championship game. The seeds are gonna
be correlate exactly to those rankings. So you're not gonna
necessarily have an advantage for being a conference champion.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I think the sweet spot is being five through eight,
because you get the home game, and you're gonna get
the same amount of.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Money that you would have, and you're gonna get not
have three and a.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Half weeks off. Right, we saw what happened to Oregon.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Ohio State played an opening round game one, then had
ten days off before they played the Ducks. Ducks had
three and a half weeks off. They were clearly rusty.
I think you want to host the home game. It's
awesome for your campus and it's the best competitive situation.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, John Willner again as well as courtesy is simply
Seattle dot com from the San Jose Mercury News, and John,
I thought, I saw where the number of Big ten
Friday night games in the Fox package are less today.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Than they were a year ago.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That doesn't necessarily mean less Friday games. That just means
less Friday games on Fox, or does it mean less
Friday games?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
This year for the Big Ten, though there are fewer games.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
I think the Big twelve is filling a couple of spots,
but overall, there are fewer Friday games, and I think
that there's the main reason is that they is the
Saturday schedule. So going into the weeds, just briefly here,
some years the calendar works out that each team has
(15:51):
two buys, right, and some years it works out that
every team has one. By this coming season, there's two bys,
which means there's a lot of Saturdays when there aren't
very many games being played. And if you pull one
of those games out on the Big ten schedule and
move it to Friday, there's even fewer games on Saturday
for the TV networks.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
To pick from.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
And I think that that was an issue last year,
so that's why they're backing off. When we get to
twenty six, I believe that is a season which there's
only one by, and you'll see more games on Fridays
because there'll be a longer list of options on Saturdays.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Now that we've seen some of these games slotted in
time wise, what's the percent chance that Ohio State U
DUB is twelve thirty on CBS.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I think that is almost a lock because the late game,
the NBC game is Oregon at Penn State. Right, that's
a whiteout game. It's at Happy Valley, and they can't
play the Big Noon. They can't play Big Noon in
Seattle because the kickoff time. So I would be very
(16:59):
surprised if it is not the CBS game.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
At twelve thirty.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
John, before you go, the College Football Hall of Fame
is lowered their win percentage for entry, and they've done
it for one reason for Mike Leach.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Did they make the right call?
Speaker 6 (17:14):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yeah they did.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
I just think first of all, the cutoff was six hundred.
He was at five ninety five and they don't round up,
you know, so or no, he was at five ninety
six and you don't round up. So it's basically one
win if you take one loss and move it too
the win column for him, he would.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Have been in.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
But his system has changed football at every level. And
so when you're talking about both his success at places
that are traditionally hard to win Rubbock, Starkville and Pullman
and the impact he's had on the sport. I mean,
he's a he's a first ballot Hall of Famer in
(17:56):
my mind, and they had to change the formula or
else he was never going to get.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
In, right, John, great stuff. Great to hear your voices.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I'm sitting there looking over the GNC enjoying a nice
class of Greek wine with my wife. I said, Honey,
this is great, but it'd be so much better if
i could talk to John Wilner.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
So I'm glad that we finally got a chance to
catch up.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
We'll talk in a week, buddy.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Thanks, welcome back. I'll see you guys all right.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
John Wilner with us on the radio show.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Brian Schmittzer is going to join us at five forty five,
and apparently the Sounder players are not happy with how
much they're getting paid for this club World Cup thingy.
We'll address that with him at five point forty five
tonight right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
It's time for a weekly Pac twelve conversation with San
Jose Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you by
Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com have
the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks gear.
You w had some of the largest selection of Sonnix
gear anywhere in the world. Learn more at simply Seattle
dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we're back on a busy Tuesday from Meameral
Quigasino normally on Mondays, but back here on a Tuesday.
Back at Jimmy's on first Tomorrow, but joining us right
now on the radio show. Courtesy of our friends at
simply Seattle dot com. Whatever to have your eye on,
be sureing use Cokee KJR fifteen for fifteen percent off
anything at simply Seattle dot com. Our friend Johnny Wilner
(00:40):
from the San Jose Mercury News.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
John, how are you.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm good. It seems like you've been around the world
for like eighty days.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I have I feel like youon I feel like it, man,
I mean my body feel you know what. Traveling at
the age of fifty two years old is not like
it was when I was twenty two years old.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I got no idea. Why. Oh, maybe it's because I'm old.
By John.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Let me ask you about this Texas State to the
PAC twelve thing.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Is that gonna happen?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
And if it does happen, why should Cougar fans or
Beaver fans be excited about it?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
I think there's a good chance that Texas State is
going to be the eighth football play in school. They
need one more and there aren't very many good options, right.
UNLV is an option. Uh, Dipping into the FCS ranks
as an option, and I think Texas State might be
the best option. So we'll see if if you're a
Cougar fan, Look, you want to be in Vegas, right,
(01:38):
I think you want to be in Vegas, But you
don't really want UNLV.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
I mean, they're not anything special, but you do.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
I think for the long term success of the conference,
you want to be in Texas.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
You want to have your flag planned in Texas.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
It gives you Central time zone kickoff opportunities, but it
gives you access to Texas recruiting. You know, there's a
lot of money in Texas. Football is a huge sport.
The sport in Texas Texas State itself is in a
booming area right between Austin and San Antonio. I think, like,
(02:12):
if you're a Cooper fan, you want the PAC twelve
to be the best it can be over the course
of five six years. Texas State helps you get there
better than UNLV does.
Speaker 6 (02:22):
Did I read where Memphis was a candidate and I
mean maybe that makes.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Well, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
There's one option in theory is to go try to
raid the American and get Memphis, two lane South Florida.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You know good you know good.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Markets, pretty good basketball football schools. The issue, though, is
going to be the money, because the average American school
gets about eight million in media rights, but those schools
the top tier get more than that. And so the
question is, well the PAC twell be able to offer
enough that would make it a profitable opportunity for the
(03:02):
top tier schools like Memphis when you factor in travel
cross as well.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
John, in ten years from now, will you dub and
Washington State be playing for the same championship.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Which sport football?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Because I think that I really think we're gonna see,
you know, a separation of the Olympic sports. I think
there's a chance Washington Washington State are gonna be the
same conference in ten years in you know, Olympic sports, basketball,
probably not football, probably not. Will they be playing for
(03:38):
the same championship?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I think so.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
The only way they wouldn't is if there's a super
league that Washington is in.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
In Washington State.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Is not right, and I think that there's a decent
chance that will happen. But I would bet I think
it's better in fifty to fifty that everybody currently in
major college football is that the conferences will be different structures,
but they'll still be playing for the same title.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
As we see the split, the chasm get larger between
SEC Big ten and everybody else, and particularly Power four
and everybody else. Why would teams like that, I'm not
just singling out Washington State, I mean Nevada, New Mexico.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Why would they want to compete.
Speaker 6 (04:24):
For the same championship as Ohio State and Michigan.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Well, I think that it's because you got If you're
a president of the university and you're gonna tell your
donors we're out on football, the backlash is significant, right,
and then you're you're dealing with regents and trustees and
university presidents like to keep their jobs.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And well, I'm not talking about gay football, John, I'm sorry.
I'm not talking about getting rid of football. I'm talking
about those teams all banding together and having what we
had in the FCS like the next level above the
f SCA yes, but below whatever the top forty teams
are well.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
But I think you're still talking about them willingly backing
out of competing at the highest level right now. It's
one thing if there's a super league and they don't
get invited, but it's another thing I think to willingly say,
you know.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
What, we're out of football at the highest level, you know,
on our own.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
And I don't know that that would play well with
the constituents for those schools, but they may not have
a choice.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I mean the other pieces.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
We don't know how this revenue sharing is going to
play out with you know how, Sharon twenty million bucks
a year.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
That's going to cause a lot of schools.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
To have to rethink with football and rethink all the
sports that they sponsor.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
John Wilders with us So I thought Greg Sank came
out the other day and you can refresh my memory
because it's a little fuzzy right now. That he said
his goal is for the Power Forward to have complete
autonomy over the way they govern themselves and splinter off
from the NC DOUBLEA.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Am I reading that writer? Is that nonsense that I
that I saw?
Speaker 5 (06:06):
He said that there are there are administrators in the
SEC that wonder why they're still part of the NCUBLEA.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Got it?
Speaker 5 (06:13):
And to that I would say that the NC DOUBLEA
does a lot of things wrong, but one thing it
does right is it runs national championships very very well.
March Madness, College World Series, Women's College World Series.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
I mean, they do championships well.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
And if you're out of the NCUBLEA and you're the
Big ten or the SEC, then you've got to put
on like twenty five national championships, and I don't think
they want to do that. So what I think may
end up happening, and what Sankee really I think wants
is that the Big four conferences can kind of set
(06:52):
their own rules, especially when it comes to football, but
their other sports are still operated under the NC DOUBLEA
and umbrella because of the postseason championships.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
John, If I'm Greg SANKI I want the five eleven
playoff model because I'm so arrogant that I believe that
my champion will get in as one of the five,
and then I can get six other teams in that
in that playoff, Whereas if you go four four two
two one, that limits the amount of at large teams
(07:28):
my conference can get. Is that what Greg Sanki and
also the Big Ten are thinking?
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Oh man, I could do like five segments on this topic.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
So. First of all, if you do an hour.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
At your run, the four the four to four two
two one is actually the four four two two one three.
We can't forget about that three. That three is at
large Berth.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Okay, right, John, hang on, let me stop me for
a second. I think people are tuning in and have
no idea what that means. What is the fourth four
two to one meaned?
Speaker 5 (08:00):
It means four automatic bids for the SEC, four automatic
bids for the Big Ten, two each for the ACC
and Big twelve, one for the best team in the
group of five, and that would include the PAC twelve.
Then three at large bids. Notre Dame's gonna have like
this special pathway to get one. But there's still two
other at large perths odds are the Big Ten and
(08:21):
the SEC are gonna get them. So it's really like
four almost five bids for each. Now the five eleven
model that the SEC is pushing for, yeah, they could
get six at large person if they want it right.
Seven absolutely, and that's what they're thinking. But here's the problem.
(08:44):
If you're the Big ten and this is the clash
of titans that is getting set up right because the
Big Ten and the SEC control what the format is
gonna be starting in twenty six. The secs were once
one model, the Big Ten once another. And the difference
is that the SEC in the eight game conference schedule,
(09:04):
the Big ten looks over there and they think, if
we have a playoff model where it's unlimited at large bids,
the SEC is going to have a huge advantage because
they only play eight conference games. So the Big ten
is digging in on the fourth on the automatic bids
four each because they think that will help level the
playing field. If the SEC is willing to go to
(09:27):
eight nine conference games, then that would change the dynamics.
I think that the Big the Big ten would maybe
be more willing to do the five to eleven if
the SEC plays nine conference games.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So okay, so refresh my memory. How many teams are
going to play for a championship this coming season?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Is it still twelve? Or is it's sixteen? Now? What's
of that?
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Now?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Wait? Have you been out of town? You haven't been
paying attention to?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
How many teams are playing for the title this coming
season in the playoff?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
How many? Twelve?
Speaker 4 (09:58):
It's twelve?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
How many?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
How long you are gone?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Okay? How many is set to be in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Okay? We don't know, Okay, but it's probably sixteen. I
don't remember when you left.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
But at some point in the last three weeks, they
they made a change for this coming season. They kept
it at twelve, but they went to a straight seating model.
So the teams are gonna be seated based exactly on
how they're ranked. That we don't know anything about twenty
six and beyond, but they are leaning toward having sixteen.
(10:33):
They're gonna skip over fourteen and go straight from twelve
to sixteen. And they have these two models that are competing,
and the Big ten wants one thing, and the Big
twelve and the SEC and the ACC wants something else.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
See John, I think the Big Tension want five to
eleven as well. Because even if the SEC still still
plays eight games, because if if my ninth game is
if I'm in the Huskies and my ninth game is
Indiana and Alabama's ninth game is Firm, how does that
help Alabama to play Furman? It doesn't help the basketball teams.
(11:06):
When you play teams like Furman in college basketball, you
get penalized when it comes to the net rankings, So
why wouldn't the same They don't.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Trust the committee.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
The thing is that they don't trust the Committee because
the Committee has shown time and again.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
That it cares more about your record.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
And your number of losses does about who you're playing.
And the SEC feels burned by that this past year,
and the Big Ten has been burned by that over
the course of years. And the committee's process is so murky,
even though when you look at what it's supposed to do,
number one is strength of schedule, it doesn't always.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Account for that, And so the Big Ten.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
Is worried that the SEC team that is ten and
two and played a weaker schedule is going to get
in ahead of the nine to three Big Ten team
that played a stronger schedule.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Okay, so here's a follow up to My last question,
at what point do we get to a number of
teams where we stop with expansion and we can sit
down and say, all right, this is what it is.
It'll be this way for five years, ten years, fifteen years.
How long until they stop goofing around with this thing
and we get some consistency over the course of at
(12:19):
least a few seasons.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
Well, I think it'll get to sixteen, and that's where
we'll stay until the end of the contract, which is
the twenty.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Thirty one season.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Got right, there's a six year deal that starts in
twenty twenty six. I think they will not get beyond sixteen.
They've got a big problem. Even with sixteen, where are
you going to put those extra games? Right right now,
they're playing four games. The opening round games are that
weekend before Christmas, when there're three NFL games on Saturday.
How are you going to put more games if you're
(12:51):
at sixteen?
Speaker 4 (12:52):
You can't. So here's what they're gonna do. They're going
to start the playoff the weekend.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
Of the Army Navy game and the Heisman, and they're
gonna have number sixteen play thirteen and fourteen play fifteen.
It's like a play in the week of Army Navy,
and then the next weekend they're gonna have the two
winners play other twelve other teams, and then you're gonna
(13:17):
have the champions of the SEC and Big Ten are
gonna have double buys and they're not gonna play until
the quarterfinals. And here's the reason they gotta do the
double buys because if they have a sixteen team playoff
and they got automatic bids, why would you play a
conference championship game?
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Right?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Who would watch a conference championship game? Who would play
their starting quarterback in the conference championship game?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
So they got to make that valuable.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
And the way they're gonna make the championship game valuable
is by giving the winner a double buy into the quarterfinals.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
Well, John, how about for this next year? That will
that we know what it's gonna be like. Do you
like the new playoff seeding rules and remind us what
they are and are you better off being a one
through four seed or maybe are you better off being
a five through eight seed this year?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
So the new rule is basically same amount of teams twelve,
but instead of reserving the top four seeds for the
highest ranked conference champions the top four seeds.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Are gonna be the top four ranked teams. It is gonna.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Follow the twelve the last rankings that get announced the
day after the conference championship game. The seeds are gonna
be correlate exactly to those rankings. So you're not gonna
necessarily have an advantage for being a conference champion.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I think the sweet spot is being five through eight,
because you get the home game, and you're gonna get
the same amount of.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Money that you would have, and you're gonna get not
have three and a.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Half weeks off. Right, we saw what happened to Oregon.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Ohio State played an opening round game one, then had
ten days off before they played the Ducks. Ducks had
three and a half weeks off. They were clearly rusty.
I think you want to host the home game. It's
awesome for your campus and it's the best competitive situation.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Well, John Willner again as well as courtesy is simply
Seattle dot com from the San Jose Mercury News, and John,
I thought, I saw where the number of Big ten
Friday night games in the Fox package are less today.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Than they were a year ago.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That doesn't necessarily mean less Friday games. That just means
less Friday games on Fox, or does it mean less
Friday games?
Speaker 4 (15:25):
This year for the Big Ten, though there are fewer games.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
I think the Big twelve is filling a couple of spots,
but overall, there are fewer Friday games, and I think
that there's the main reason is that they is the
Saturday schedule. So going into the weeds, just briefly here,
some years the calendar works out that each team has
(15:51):
two buys, right, and some years it works out that
every team has one. By this coming season, there's two bys,
which means there's a lot of Saturdays when there aren't
very many games being played. And if you pull one
of those games out on the Big ten schedule and
move it to Friday, there's even fewer games on Saturday
for the TV networks.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
To pick from.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
And I think that that was an issue last year,
so that's why they're backing off. When we get to
twenty six, I believe that is a season which there's
only one by, and you'll see more games on Fridays
because there'll be a longer list of options on Saturdays.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Now that we've seen some of these games slotted in
time wise, what's the percent chance that Ohio State U
DUB is twelve thirty on CBS.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I think that is almost a lock because the late game,
the NBC game is Oregon at Penn State. Right, that's
a whiteout game. It's at Happy Valley, and they can't
play the Big Noon. They can't play Big Noon in
Seattle because the kickoff time. So I would be very
(16:59):
surprised if it is not the CBS game.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
At twelve thirty.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
John, before you go, the College Football Hall of Fame
is lowered their win percentage for entry, and they've done
it for one reason for Mike Leach.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Did they make the right call?
Speaker 6 (17:14):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Yeah they did.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
I just think first of all, the cutoff was six hundred.
He was at five ninety five and they don't round up,
you know, so or no, he was at five ninety
six and you don't round up. So it's basically one
win if you take one loss and move it too
the win column for him, he would.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Have been in.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
But his system has changed football at every level. And
so when you're talking about both his success at places
that are traditionally hard to win Rubbock, Starkville and Pullman
and the impact he's had on the sport. I mean,
he's a he's a first ballot Hall of Famer in
(17:56):
my mind, and they had to change the formula or
else he was never going to get.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
In, right, John, great stuff. Great to hear your voices.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I'm sitting there looking over the GNC enjoying a nice
class of Greek wine with my wife. I said, Honey,
this is great, but it'd be so much better if
i could talk to John Wilner.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
So I'm glad that we finally got a chance to
catch up.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
We'll talk in a week, buddy.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Thanks, welcome back. I'll see you guys all right.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
John Wilner with us on the radio show.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Brian Schmittzer is going to join us at five forty five,
and apparently the Sounder players are not happy with how
much they're getting paid for this club World Cup thingy.
We'll address that with him at five point forty five
tonight right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
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