NCAA needs bigger playoff format

Such a format would guarantee any truly deserving team would have a chance at the title and would also offer the opportunity for a team outside of the “power five,” like Western Michigan this year, to get in the mix.
Let’s look at what an eight-team playoff could be this year, assuming the favorites win their conference championship games this weekend: Alabama (13-0) vs. Western Michigan (13-0), Ohio State (11-1) vs. Oklahoma (9-2), Clemson (12-1) vs. Wisconsin (11-2) and Washington (12-1) vs. Michigan (10-2). That seems like a fun slate to me.
Bottom line, seven meaningful games are better than three.
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I am very excited about Tiger Woods being back next week. What are your realistic expectations for next season?
—Alex Hunt
Knoxville, Tennessee

At this point, I have no expectations for Woods.
The reason is pretty simple. In 11 events played in 2015, Woods made the cut six times. He had one top-10 finish — 10th at the Wyndham Championship. That was 15 months ago, and he hasn’t played at PGA Tour event since.
It wasn’t any better in 2014 as Woods played just seven events with one top-25 finish and no top 10s.
We have to go back to 2013 for the last time Woods was a relevant contender. He won five times that year, finishing fourth at The Masters and sixth at the British Open.
Woods will be 41 when he takes to the course for the 2016 season. He may have one more major win in him, but I wouldn’t count on it.
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Statistically speaking, is it tougher for an NFL team to win every game or lose every game?
—Tony Minch, Portland

A question asked by a true Browns fan, who is confident his favorite team is going to finish the season winless.
Statistically speaking, they are equally difficult.
In the Super Bowl era, two teams have completed undefeated regular seasons. The Miami Dolphins were unbeaten (14-0) in 1972 en route to winning the Super Bowl, and the New England Patriots were perfect (16-0) in 2007 before falling to the New York Giants.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions were 0-16 in 2008 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 0-14 in 1976.
So in 50 seasons, that’s two unbeaten teams and two winless teams. Let’s hope this year’s Browns don’t give losers the edge.
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When winter sports are finished at the high school level, what three major headlines can you predict we will have seen?
—Jason McGraw, Portland

The prediction business isn’t easy, but I’ll give it a shot.
•Bader takes titles
While the Jay County girls swim team will be facing an uphill battle to defend its back-to-back sectional titles after some key losses to graduation, junior Alex Bader is primed for more tournament success. A state qualifier as a freshman and sophomore, she should win sectional titles in both the 100-yard breaststroke and whatever other event coach Matt Slavik slates her in.
•Multiple Patriots make state
The JCHS wrestling team sending one wrestler to state has been a fairly regular occurrence over the last decade, but sending two has been rare. With seniors Tyler Leonhard and Ivan Hemmelgarn back after near misses last year, two other semi-state qualifiers in the mix and freshman Mason Winner ready to make an impact, I think at least two Patriots will wrestle at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in February.
•Jay wins ACAC again
The Patriot girls basketball team was a heavy favorite to earn conference titles in each of the last two seasons and is now 20-0 in conference play. Jay County has already lost sophomore Shelby Caldwell to a season-ending knee injury, but I think the team will still be able to pull together and win the conference.