Footballking16

But back to the discussion, I think Chatard has the definite advantage in this one. They have a virtual bye round 2 (assuming they beat Brebeuf a second time) while West Lafayette is going to likely face a very solid Guerin team.

Seeding would lead to a qualification system. The IHSAA under the all-in format can justify first round blowouts because of the "luck of the draw". They no longer could if sectionals were seeded appropriately. I've done this exercise the last 3 or 4 years and and you need but 1 or 2 fingers to count the number of upsets that occur where a bottom half rated Sagarin team beats a top half Sagarin team. This theory where every team should be included because "every team starts 0-0 with new life come week 10 has a chance" simply doesn't exist.

The proponents of seeding AND a qualifying format would likely get to watch a Chatard/Yorktown and Guerin/Brebeuf first round match-up and West Lafayette (and North Mont) would likely be in a completely different bracket and would get to face the winner of this group at the semi-state or state finals where it should rightfully take place. Crawfordsville wouldn't even be in the picture. Things to ponder....

How is a virtual play-in game not better than a game where the final outcome means absolutely nothing? Under my proposed system Lawrence North is literally playing for their playoff lives while Pike has a chance to play spoiler.

You get an additional home game essentially every other year where you get to keep ALL the gate revenue. In a qualifying system, every single game whether it be home or away now has actual value or real meaning. That alone should boost gate revenue. Keeping the current system because of shared gate revenue while completely watering down the entire postseason isn't right.

Maybe, maybe not. I'll tell you one thing though; Week 9 along with the first 8 weeks has actual value under a qualification system. Under the current system it's nothing more than a 9th exhibition game.

So literally the system(s) that the other 49 ststes + DC use? Why should our postseason cater to the teams that don't deserve be anywhere near a postseason? That makes zero sense. A split gate revenue under the all-in format doesn't make my top 100 reasons as to why Indiana should go a qualifier. It's irrelevant.

You don't think the same discussions would occur only to the tune of "who should be in" or "who should be out"? Not really one of your brightest points.

He played Saturday and laid some absolute wood on a kick off although it was ultimately called back due to an offsides. Not sure if he's still in the running to redshirt with the new 4 game rule but he has seen the field in at least more than 1 game. That I'm sure of.

Any system that pits the literal two best teams in the entire state against each other in the opening round in which the winner gets either a soon to be 1-8 team or a 3-6 team for the sectional title is absolute failure. It's not just broken, it's fundamentally flawed.

Add a tenth regular season game and everything stays the same. Our current week 10 is the first round of sectionals for 1A-4A and a few 5A schools.

In a qualifier system that eliminates half the field at the conclusion of the regular season, not that hard to seed teams 1-8 in a North bracket and 1-8 in a South bracket once the field has been established.

Can't imagine there's much envy when 49 other states + DC have a qualifying/seeding format. Indiana isn't the one that "gets it".

There's where I disagree. A qualifier makes regular season games meaningful. More meaningful games equals more incentive to attend. It yields more interest. For an example, under my proposal that eliminates half the field after the conclusion of the regular (using Sagarin) Lawrence North at 2-6 who is in the top half of Sagarin is currently out of the playoff picture because they haven't accumulated the necessary 3 wins to earn qualification status. Lawrence North hosts Pike this Friday and it's essentially a play-in game. On the surface, a 2-6 team playing a 1-7 team isn't a huge draw especially since both teams are automatically in the playoffs with their opponents already determined. But under a qualifying system, this games now has actually interest and something to be played for.

I don't know as I haven't polled the 4+ million Kentuckian's for their opinion. I can't imagine they'd be thrilled with the two best teams playing each other in the first round.

I know, and they somehow have managed to go to a seeding/qualifier format. That's my point.

I didn't miss anything. You can control profitability by going to a qualifier/seeding system where it doesn't come down to the roll of the dice (or ping pong ball). That's my point.

You know what doesn't dictate profitability? Two undefeated teams playing round 1 while two winless or 1 win teams play round 1.

Ok Kentucky?

Makes the playoffs that much more enjoyable. Games should get tougher and more competitive as the postseason progresses, not easier. It's the opposite many a times with the current format.

Yeah, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the country is that difficult to navigate. Kentucky?

I'd bet a tenth regular season game generates more revenue for the home side than 1/7th of the revenue they accrue for the entire sectional.

The Cluster System and the All-in are on two extreme ends on the spectrum of bad ideas. The Cluster System left out deserving teams and only included a small percent of the actual field. They compounded the Cluster System and made it worse with the implementation of the all-in rendering the regular season meaningless. Believe it or not, there can be a happy medium and that is a qualification system that cuts the field in half at the end of the regular season. Formulate a rating system that factors in W-L record, opponents W-L record, SOS, and opponents SOS and add a caveat that a team must win at least 3+ games in order to qualify and you'll be hard to press to make a case that a team deserving to get in was truly snubbed.

Are Rhode Island, Wyoming, and Alaska football states? How have they figured it out? Our neighbors to the south are a basketball state. Why haven't they been held back?

PREACH!!!