| What a welcome story that would be to NCAA | | | | |
| football fans around the country. And | | | | Any remaining spots go to the highest ranked |
| hopefully someday soon it will become a | | | | teams that are not already in the mix - i.e. |
| reality. But as it stands now, college | | | | Michigan. So this years final would be: |
| football's national champion is largely | | | | Ohio State, Florida, USC, Wake Forest, |
| influenced by polls and computers instead of | | | | Oklahoma, Louisville, Boise State, and |
| letting the players decide the outcome - not | | | | Michigan. Matchups would be determined based |
| to mention the participants - on the field. | | | | on BCS rankings similar to the NCAA |
| But before the playoff system can become a | | | | basketball tournament. |
| reality, there are several hurdles to jump. | | | | |
| | | | College football fans would love to such |
| Few, if any, college football seasons have | | | | exciting matchups as: Florida vs Oklahoma, |
| not involved some heated debate over which | | | | USC vs Boise State, Ohio St. vs Wake Forest, |
| teams deserve to play for the national title | | | | and Michigan vs Louisville over the New |
| since the BCS was implemented. This year is | | | | Year's Holiday. |
| no different. Certainly Florida and Ohio | | | | |
| State deserve their spots in the championship | | | | A week later, seeded on BCS rankings, the 4 |
| game. But how can you be sure the Michigan | | | | winners would play for a spot in the |
| Wolverines wouldn't claim victory against | | | | championship game. The venues would be two |
| both of them on a neutral field? | | | | of the sites of the major bowl games and |
| | | | would rotate each year. The Final Four |
| And what about the Big 12 champion Oklahoma? | | | | games, assuming the favorites won the first |
| The rankings show two losses. But officials | | | | round games, would feature: Ohio St vs USC |
| were publicly reprimanded and an apology | | | | and Florida vs Michigan. |
| issued to Oklahoma because of a blown call | | | | |
| that resulted in an Oklahoma loss. A case | | | | Finally, a week later at one of the two major |
| could be made for a one loss Oklahoma team | | | | bowl sites that didn't host a semi-final |
| deserving a shot at the national title. | | | | game, the champion is crowned on the field. |
| | | | With a total of seven games: four first |
| What about Boise State? Does anyone honestly | | | | round, two Final Four, and a National |
| think the Broncos would have a chance to beat | | | | Championship game, each site would host 2 |
| college football's elite programs? | | | | games 3 out of every 4 years on a rotating |
| Unfortunately, they'll never even get the | | | | basis. That means more revenue to put a |
| opportunity and that's too bad. Then again, | | | | smile on the face of big business. |
| who gave George Mason any chance of defeating | | | | |
| such perennial championship contenders as | | | | Are there more issues and challenges? Too |
| Michigan State, North Carolina, and | | | | many games? Are the players missing too many |
| Connecticut on their improbable march to the | | | | classes? Not long ago, all the major bowl |
| Final Four last year? | | | | gmaes were played on New Years Day, remember? |
| | | | Now the games are spread out over a week |
| The best part of a playoff is that the | | | | because big business discovered they could |
| championship is determined objectively on the | | | | get higher ratings and make more money that |
| playing surface - not subjectively by a | | | | way. |
| computer. OK, technically the result of the | | | | |
| game between Ohio State and Florida will be | | | | The playoff system would stretch out only |
| decided on the field, but the BCS picked | | | | week past the current BCS schedule and only |
| those two teams. It was not decided on the | | | | for teams. One additional game, the BCS |
| field. The bigger point is that virtually | | | | Championship Game on January 8th, has already |
| every season there are more than two teams | | | | been created especially for the BCS. So |
| deserving to play in college football's | | | | what's 2 more games? |
| national championship game. And this year is | | | | |
| no different. Is there a better solution | | | | So who wins under this playoff system? The |
| than letting the players decide the outcome | | | | fans and players win. The championship is |
| on the field? Absolutely not. | | | | decided on the field and more teams have a |
| | | | chance to win it. And finally, the NCAA, the |
| The biggest roadblocks are big business and | | | | universities, and big business are winners. |
| tradition. Make no mistake, the NCAA is big | | | | Contrary to what anyone says publicly it's |
| business and so are the major bowl games: | | | | all about the money and a playoff system that |
| the Rose Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar | | | | creates more interest in more games means |
| Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl. The schools, the | | | | higher ratings and increased revenue. |
| NCAA, and the major bowls rake in billions of | | | | |
| dollars annually so don't expect them to | | | | Championships should be decided on the |
| forfeit profits for the the best interests of | | | | playing surface, not by computers or polls. |
| college football. Who could blame them? And | | | | Can you name another sport, any sport - high |
| the good news is that they don't have to. | | | | school, college, professional, or pee wee - |
| The major bowls can be worked into the | | | | where the championship is not decided by the |
| playoff system. | | | | players on the playing surface. I didn't |
| | | | think so. It's completely dumbfounding. |
| Here's one solution: Put the top 8 teams in | | | | |
| the 4 major bowl games. These games will be | | | | So NCAA, big business, college & university |
| played January 1st and 2nd. Ideally, they | | | | presidents and coaches, please stop making |
| would be played sooner but there is just no | | | | excuses and start working together towards a |
| way around the tradition of bowl games on New | | | | solution. Intelligent people who put the |
| Year's Day. | | | | best interests of college football in front |
| | | | of personal agendas could quickly come up |
| Here are the 8 teams. The champions of the | | | | with a workable college football playoff |
| BCS conferences - ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big | | | | system. So make it happen. Is that fair? |
| East, Pac 10, SEC - get the first 6 spots. | | | | |
| The next spots go to any other undefeated | | | | Which of your favorite sports stars headline |
| Division I teams - like Boise State. I can't | | | | the All-MoneyTeam? and many more...find |
| remember it happening, but it there are more | | | | out at Sports Top 10 2Day Can you really get |
| than 2 other undefeated Division I teams, the | | | | a FREE NFL Jersey? The answer may surprise |
| two with the highest BCS rankings get the | | | | you... |
| final two spots. The other(s) are out. | | | | |