Pac-12 changes format for Football Championship Game
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Pac-12 changes format for Football Championship Game
Division titles no longer matter
The PAC-12 announced today that the rules for participants in the Football Championship game would no longer be the divisional winners. Instead, the top two teams with the best conference records, regardless of division, would play in the title game.
The rule change goes into effect this upcoming 2022 season.
“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.”
Divisions should be gone next year and I'm fine with that. I don't really see much merit in backing into a conference championship due to a weak division. Yeah, there's the chance for pulling off an upset (and more Cal football to watch) but I'd prefer the Pac get our best teams into the playoff (with the revenue sharing). I really want that Rose Bowl and/or playoff slot and finishing Top-2 (or 1st) has long been the expectation.
As I understand it, no one wins the North ever again, including this year. My understanding is that divisions are now gone and we only have the schedule this year (which look like divisional pairings) because it's too late to change the games. Now, CAL can't even win the North when it doesn't matter...Of course, technically the only reason we ever had these divisions is because the NCAA required divisions in order to hold a championship game. Now we get to have a championship game and schedule the regular season any way we (well, all the anti-CAL folks in conference power) want...