Caution- This article is going to be spicy. I have had enough of incompetent college administrators that do not understand sports.
If we ever had any doubts that Kirk Schulz is an incompetent university President when it comes to the sports that are the front door to his institution after his actions/inactions which led to the implosion of the Pac-12, the CFP negotiations this week confirm his status as one of the personifications of rampant ineptitude of the NCAA.
There are numerous reports Wednesday night that Kirk Schulz, representing the remnant Pac-2 conference is fighting to prevent changing a 6+6 model to a 5+7 model for the 12-team CFP. Last Night, Ross Dellinger posted this.
Background
The 5+7 model ensures that there are automatic bids for five conference champions.
The 6+6 model ensures that there are automatic bids for six conference champions.
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Now let's continue.
At its surface it seems like a no-brainer that Schulz would fight for the 6 autobid model. An extra autobid would be an additional opportunity for either Washington St. or Oregon St. to be granted that additional autobid, right?
Per Ross Delinger in this article in December (Sources: CFP leaders moving closer to adjusting 12-team playoff format - Yahoo Sports):
"Commissioners also established a new policy requiring a league to have eight members to be eligible for an automatic qualifying spot to the 12-team playoff."
The Pac-2 WILL NOT qualify for an automatic bid. It is in Washington State's and the Pac-2 best interests to have FEWER automatic bids in 2024 and 2025 until the Pac-2 can reestablish itself in at least an eight-team conference. If there are seven at large bids vs. six, either school COULD sneak into a playoff as an at-large team.
Both Washington St. and Oregon St. have been decimated in the transfer portal per the 2024 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings (on3.com). Oregon St. lost their generational coach to Michigan St.
However, remember Oregon St. was 8-5 last year and in the group just outside the final rankings. They were better than Washington St. and are the better CFP longshot.
This is the 2024 Oregon State Football Schedule per FBSchedules.com. How do you think the Beavers could do in 2024? They probably are favored in seven to eight of these games. What if they shocked the world and finished 11-1 with their only loss being a close one to Oregon. No, it is not likely. Is it possible vs. THAT schedule? YES. Is it possible they would be viewed as better than any G5 school? YES.
I think the Pac-2 SHOULD be fighting for consideration as the potential G5 representative. If they are ranked higher than the best G5 school, they should get that slot in a 5+7 model.
THAT is NOT what Schulz is fighting for. Again, per Ross Dellinger.
"According to those with knowledge of the situation, Schulz introduced to CFP leadership a proposal that seeks a guarantee of voting rights and revenue distribution to the Pac-12 (soon to be the Pac-2, with only Washington State and Oregon State) beyond the 2025 season. The proposal, presumably tied to his vote in a format change, was met with pushback."
Schulz is pretending like he is part of a Power conference still and that the conference that they will theoretically rebuild in the name of Pac-12 will look anything like the other power conferences and therefore should get a distribution similar to the other power conferences. It is DELUSIONAL.
No, Kirk Schulz you won't get Power Conference voting rights. No, you are not getting revenue guarantees to a theoretical conference you MAY be able to form. You might not be able to form a conference at all.
READ THE ROOM.
Keep this up Kirk Schulz and you will reap major unintended consequences. Your revamped Pac-12 will be given Group of 5 status - maybe. It might be even worse for you. You piss off Oregon and Washington- the two rival schools you NEED the most on your OSU and WSU schedules, and those games will be taken away from you.
The negative consequences of being unreasonable in these CFP negotiations is the very financial viability of your university sports. This was exactly the same incompetence Schulz showed in the media rights negotiations demanding that the Pac 12 conference signup for a TERRIBLE Apple deal and ignoring the needs and wants of the majority of the conference members. Think it through Kirk Schulz; stop being an incompetent stubborn out-of-touch administrator in the CFP negotiations.
Greg Flugar put out a video which this morning which largely reflects these thoughts that I had written last night.
It is a premium content video for his members, but I highly recommend his stuff.