Things I Don't Understand #2

...why must I, as a college football fan continue to be forced to put up with the BCS and not be allowed to wallow in the majesty that a playoff would be? Or, how many times will I have to write this particular post? Yes, it's that time of year. The point where I tell you how it should actually work, you agree, and then we all look at how great it would be.

First, if you don't think we need a playoff system after this most recent incarnation of college football then I guess you don't care about college football or you've ceased to produce brainwaves. Just one more argument, though, just to make me feel better. Am I the only one that detected an odor of fishiness when LSU ended up in the championship game by winning in a lackluster effort that somehow enabled them to jump over three teams that didn't lose, and one that actually had a more impressive win? The more obvious reasons? One, most years we seem to be a little too iffy on who the champion should be. Two, the current system essential locks out smaller schools or traditionally weaker conferences. A playoff system would kill like eight birds with one stone. Now to my plan.

I want to apologize to some that have been following along the whole time, but I'm going to go over the entire thing again. First, it will have 16 teams. Eight can't work because you still have some conferences automatically locked out. And any less than 8 (4 or the "Plus 1" option) still leaves us with a good probability of the same problems we now seek to alleviate. Second, and this may be the most controversial aspect of my plan. All conferences will get an automatic bid. There are currently 11. The one that you can't think of is called the Sun Belt. Yes, I would give them an automatic bid, too. I will add one caveat...more than four losses and you're out. Just in case one of those lowly conferences champions has a rough non-conference record. I include every conference because if they're in Division I, excuse me, the FBS (aka Football Bowl Subdivision) they should have a chance to win. If you don't think they should be included, then get them out of Division I...I mean the FBS. Next, I will limit each conference's participation to three teams. With only 5 at-large bids, it would rarely be implemented...but just in case. We would still use some sort of BCS poll to get our at-large teams and then seed them accordingly. Now, before we get to our mythical playoff bracket there's a couple of things I want to go over.

There are still some people out there that throw out arguments that we don't need a playoff system because each week of the regular season is it's own playoff. That is just patently false. As you can see from this year, both of the teams playing for the title lost their second to last game of the season. Which also just goes to show you that the whole, "It's okay to lose early in the season but not late," is just a sports myth. I just think a little more objectivity needs to be added to the situation. So finally the bracket. Look just look at how glorious this would be.

Oh, the Sun Belt champ. stays at home because Florida Atlantic finished the year at 7-5. That's more than 4 losses folks, so there's one extra at-large bid (Illinois celebrates).

(1) Ohio State - Big 10 Champ (BCS #1)
(16) Bowling Green - Mid-American Champ (NR)

(8) Kansas - At large (#8)
(9) West Virginia - Big East Champ (#9)

(5) Georgia - At large (#5)
(12) Florida - At large (#12)

(4) Oklahoma - Big 12 Champ (#4)
(13) Illinois - At large (#13)


(3) Virginia Tech - ACC Champ (#3)
(14) BYU - Mountain West Champ (#17)

(6) Missouri - At large (#6)
(11) Arizona State - At large (#11)

(7) USC - Pac 10 Champ (#7)
(10) Hawaii - WAC Champ (#10)

(2) LSU - SEC Champ (#2)
(15) Central Florida - Conf. USA Champ (#27)

So that's what it would look like. Just think of how magical that first week would be. With eight games, they would probably have to be played over two days. But what a glorious two days they would be. Honestly, there's probably only 3 first round games that you might be ok with missing. Oh, and the first team that got left out of the playoffs? That would Boston College at 14. As I've said before, wouldn't be better if the argument was over who was the fourteenth best team in the country instead of the third best team?

The Song That Never Ends

Apparently, this is going to be an annual occurrence. That is, me complaining about the BCS and showing you how great it would be with a playoff system. But what am I supposed to do when they keep putting this crap in front of me and asking me to eat it. In the last five years I think the BCS has actually "worked" once, and that was last year. But just realize, it only "works" if we finish the season with only 2 undefeated teams.

I'm going through this tired act now as opposed to after this weekend's conference championships because I'm almost positive that if there was a playoff system, especially with 16 teams, the conferences would get rid of that game so fast it would make your head spin. They wouldn't want to saddle one of their best teams with another loss, which is really all a conference championship game would accomplish at that point.

Now, I've tweaked the plan just a tad. Let me reiterated it for you here. You know, because I'm nice and it's the holiday season and all. There will be 16 teams. Every conference champion receives an automatic bid unless (Tweak #1) they have more than 4 losses at which point an another at large team would be added. I think that would ensure that one of the low-end conferences doesn't get a 6-5--or like the year North Texas won the Sun Belt with a 5-6 record-- team in. Conferences would be limited to no more than 3 teams. At large bids would be determined by a BCS like poll. Now a look at what this year's mythical college football playoff would look like.

OK, sorry, I actually wrote the first three paragraphs without even looking at the standings and knowing that with my new 5 loss rule, that the Sun Belt champion would not qualify with a 7-5 record. Luckily for Notre Dame, as they received that last available at large bid. Also, I should mention that I had to just pick a winner for the SEC and MAC for their conference championships are actually needed to provide a clear cut winner.

• 1) Ohio St. (Big Ten Champ.)
  
• 16) Ohio University (MAC Champ.)
  

• 8) Boise State (WAC Champ.)
  
• 9) Arkansas (At large)

• 5) L.S.U. (At large)
• 12) Rutgers (Big East Champ.)

• 4) Florida (SEC Champ.)
• 13) B.Y.U. (Mountain West Champ.)

• 3) Michigan (At large)
• 14) Georgia Tech (ACC Champ)

• 6) Louisville (At large)
• 11) Oklahoma (Big 12 Champ.)

• 7) Wisconsin (At large)
• 10) Notre Dame (At large)

• 2) U.S.C. (PAC 10 Champ.)
• 15) Houston (Conf. USA Champ.)

So there you go. The first round would feature some great games, plus you get that all-Ohio 1 v 16 game. You get to find out if Boise St.'s for real and if the SEC is really all that. Oh, and the team left looking in? The team who would be complaining the loudest? Well, the next at large team would be #11 Auburn, but they would already be ineligible under my rules because the SEC has 3 teams in. So, the next eligible team that wouldn't get in would be #14 Virginia Tech. What's my point? My point is that instead of arguing if the #2 or #3 team is the better choice to play for a national championship we would be debating about #10 through #15. That would be better...wouldn't it?