Don't use Arkansas as excuse to further ruin College Football Playoff

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — People are giving SEC commissioner Greg Sankey a hard time about being resistant to expanding to a 24-team playoff at the Big Ten's urging, but for many reasons, he is making the right stand.

The two biggest arguments for this, even though we know the actual argument is one word — money, are the resulting games that will excite fans and the fact teams like Arkansas will suddenly have a chance to squeeze into the field.

Let's tackle the claim that there are going to be a bunch of games people are going to be pumped to see. Apparently the thought is the world is dying to see Georgia take on Kennesaw State in an intra-state playoff game in Athens.

Yes, the playoffs will put in a long list of undeserving teams if the number goes to 24, but all that results in is a lot of mismatches and blowouts that put players who are legitimately competing for the national championship in unnecessary risk.

Every year, back when the playoffs were at four, it was hard to cobble together a full slate of actual contenders. Someone always got their doors blown off.

So much of the 12-team playoffs were unwatchable this past year and felt pointless. Having a well-known name on the front of the jersey of an average team when facing a great opponent doesn't prevent blowouts, otherwise, there would have been a need to see Alabama square off with Indiana despite only having nine wins.

Until this thing got down to the Final Four, the playoffs were downright boring for the most part. Even then, the rematch of Indiana vs. Oregon wasn't worth more than a few minutes of viewing, which is almost exactly how things used to play out with only four teams getting in.

As far as Arkansas goes, the best the Hogs have done in well over a decade is the 2021 season under Sam Pittman. Ultimately, after a Outback Bowl win over Penn State in what was the first of a long trend of bowls being played with very few remaining players, Arkansas finished ranked No. 21.

However, heading into the week that determined who made the playoffs, the Razorbacks were No. 22 with Conference USA champion UTSA not far behind them. The 24-team format will likely require all conference champions to get automatic bids.

It helps that American Athletic Conference champion Cincinnati was ranked so high that the Bearcats even got into the four-team playoff, but the champion requirement certainly would have caused problems for the Hogs.

The inclusion of Northern Illinois and Utah State creates just enough havoc to knock Arkansas out because their automatic addition to the field makes the Razorbacks the first team out. Instead of squeezing into the playoffs, the Hogs still play the same bowl game against an unranked Penn State team they ended up playing anyway.

But let's say through some weird twist of fate, Arkansas finds a way in as the last team accepted. Depending on how seeding is done, in this year's playoffs, the Razorbacks would have headed to Bloomington to face Indiana in the first round.

No thanks. Being the sacrificial lamb isn't exciting. It would have been slightly different in 2021.

Arkansas would have been sent to Tuscaloosa where the Hogs lost to No. 2 Alabama, 42-35, just a couple of weeks earlier. However, let's think through this scenario.

The Crimson Tide have already seen the Razorbacks can put a scare in them, so head coach Nick Saban already has their attention, plus he would have been salty that his Tide got dropped in the rankings for playing the Razorbacks close. Now it's his coaching staff planning against Pittman's in a do-or-die situation.

Pittman is amazing at getting the most out of his athletes where there are few players left on the roster from either team. He can inspire and game plan like no other in that situation, which is why he was undefeated in attrition bowl games.

However, full rosters with a run to the national championship on the line and in Tuscaloosa for a second time in a few weeks doesn't sound like a recipe for a high level of success.

Granted, it's about the only time and scenario in Arkansas history where there would be reason for at least a little hope. Wide receiver Treylon Burks had to have the game of his life to keep it close the first time, but Hogs fans would have held onto hope that it could happen again.

Had traditional seeding taken place rather than jamming the last team into the field in the lowest spot, Arkansas would have entered the fray as the No. 22 seed. For that, the Hogs would have won a free trip to Athens to take on the Bulldogs. So, in one scenario, the Razorbacks travel to the eventual runner-up in Alabama or to the eventual national champion in Georgia.

Again. No thanks.

There's nothing interesting about that at all. It feels pointless and as far from entertaining as it gets.

For the record, had the Razorbacks found a way into the playoffs this season with the results of the 2021 team, Arkansas would have either traveled to Indiana or, once again despite the years changing, Georgia.

The Bulldogs were down this year, but everyone who saw the violence inflicted upon Texas and Alabama knows it wouldn't have gone well for the Razorbacks among the hedges.

However, even if Arkansas pulled off the shocker of a lifetime, does anyone believe the Hogs were suddenly going to go on a run for the national title? They weren't national championship material.

Basic math and finances clearly state that under the current way of conducting business in college athletics guarantees the Razorbacks never will have the resources to legitimately compete for a national championship.

And that's what the playoffs are supposed to be about. It's supposed to be an avenue by which the actual best team is determined to be the national champion.

Barely squeezing in an Arkansas team that is just outside the Top 20 to serve as lamb for slaughter so teams like Indiana can grab another bag of cash to pad their already overflowing Mark Cuban-supported coffers does nothing to prove who is worthy to play in the eventual championship game.

It's a waste of time, resources and player health. No one heading in as a seed in the 20s is excited to be in the football playoffs. Adding a bunch of boring blowouts isn't going to do anything as far as whipping fans into a frenzy.

Just play with 12 teams and be done with it. If Notre Dame doesn't like being left out in the cold with the Auburn Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks, then get in a conference and win a conference championship.

America shouldn't have to watch a bunch of bad games so the Irish can feel better about making their own schedule and not beating either of the two good teams on it. So, to put it clearly, don't add a bunch of games that are going to be blowouts featuring teams like the 2021 Arkansas team that have no hope of winning the national championship.

The playoffs drag out too long as it is.

Hogs Feed