The BCS Needs Some Fixing

Every year since its inception the BCS, specifically its voters, have made a mockery of the rankings resulting in at least one if not two undeserving teams playing for a National Championship. Thus resulting in a national outcry from college football fans for a playoff “system”. Bowl games are what separate NCAA football from any other sport. It makes it unique. The tradition of New Years Day bowl games are its Holy Grail.

A playoff would ultimately destroy college football as we know it. Politics aside I do have a few suggestions that I feel would lead to a more diplomatic approach in crowning a champion while still allowing for BCS rankings to play their part. Short of appointing me the “Bowl Czar” they are as follows:

1. INTEGRITY -  Eliminate all conference championship games and align all 120 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision schools into 10 conferences of 12 teams each.

2. CONTINUITY – Assure that all teams end their regular season on the same day. (First Saturday in December) All conference games must be completed no later than the third Saturday in November.

3. BALANCE – All teams will play 8 conference games as well as 4 non conference games. Non conference games to be determined by a power ranking. Power rankings will be determined by the previous years bowl results based on the winning percentage of each conference in their respective bowl games.

4. TRADITION – Conference champions would play each other New Years Day in the five major bowls; Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Fiesta. The BCS would continue to rank teams accordingly and the two highest ranked winners from these bowls would then play for a National Title.

Suggestion three would eliminate “cream puff” games from the non conference schedule. Teams would play two non conference games to start the season and two more to end the season. This would also give each team in each conference a chance to host a bowl type atmosphere home game at seasons end creating the revenue lost by the elimination of conference championship games.

Under this plan a sample of what the Gators, Sooners, Trojans and Utes non conference schedule would be as follows:

Gators: Boise St, Oklahoma, USC, Tulsa

Sooners: Florida, Utah, Cincinnati, Penn State

Trojans: Penn State, Troy, Florida, Cincinnati

Utes: Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Virginia Tech

I am not one for mathematical formulas but I am sure the BCS could and would adjust accordingly. Insuring two deserving teams play for the national title.

While I’m a fan of all sports I try to keep to writing about hockey. However, last month I put together my idea for a possible college football playoff that I would like to share. Feedback is encouraged because I think FBS (former D-IA) is overdue for a playoff.

Below is my attempt at creating a college football playoff.

General Setup

· 12 teams, 6 automatic births, 6 at-large
10 regular season games min. (8 conf, 2 non-conf)

· Keep BCS system as it is today to rank teams. At the end of the season—in the final BCS poll—remove BCS conference champs.

· Take remaining teams and put them in order. Top 6 ranked teams get at-large bids.

· Of the 12 playoff teams top four in BCS get bye weeks. Seeding based on BCS rank among 12 teams.

· Regular season ends Saturday before Thanksgiving at latest. Conference title games played Thanksgiving weekend.

· Opening Round played weekend after conference title games.

· Playoffs run through National Semi finals weekend.

· Monday after national semi final games is when the minor bowls start. Bowls played every day at existing sites and played for subsequent two week period leading up to National Championship Game.

· National Championship Game played first Monday in January

Current BCS Bowl Sites

· Four BCS Bowl sites kept as is.

· Sites get a national quarterfinal (to be shown in prime time) national semi-final, and national championship game on rotation.

· Remaining playoff games (other 3 quarterfinals and opening round games) played at current non-BCS bowl sites

Minor Bowls

· Minor Bowl games played in two weeks leading up to national title game (after national playoffs). Their significance is not changed at all.

Under the system proposed above here is how the playoffs would shape up

Automatic Bids (BCS Conference Winners):

· Virginia Tech (ACC); Oklahoma (Big 12); Cincinnati (Big East); Penn State (Big 10); Florida (SEC); USC (Pac-10)

At-large bids (top 6 in BCS excluding BCS Conference Winners):

· Texas (Big 12); Alabama (SEC); Utah (Mountain West); Texas Tech (Big 12); Boise State (WAC); Ohio State (Big 10)

Seeding (In order of appearance in final BCS rankings)

1. Oklahoma*

2. Florida*

3. Texas*

4. Alabama*

5. USC

6. Utah

7. Texas Tech

8. Penn State

9. Boise State

10. Ohio State

11. Cincinnati

12. Virginia Tech

*Denotes opening round bye

Opening Round match-ups (weekend of 12/5):

USC vs. Virginia Tech

Utah vs. Cincinnati

Texas Tech vs. Ohio State

Penn State vs. Boise State

National Quarter finals (weekend of 12/12):

Oklahoma vs. Lowest remaining seed

Alabama vs. Highest remaining seed

Florida vs. Second lowest remaining seed

Texas vs. Second highest remaining seed

National Semifinal (weekend of 12/19):

Semi #1: Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed

Semi #2: Second highest remaining seed vs. Second Lowest remaining seed

National Final (Monday 1/5/2009)

Winner Semi # 1 vs. Winner Semi #2

Dates listed are for how this system would have worked if it had been implemented from the season’s beginning

I realize there are a lot of logistics to figure out but this is the basic frame work. The automatic bids disallows a team in a major conference to feel like they were cheated, win your conference and you’re in guaranteed. The at-large spots give those not in BCS conferences a chance to participate and it gives teams who played in top level conferences but did not win it a chance gain a spot as well. And no the idea did not come from the NFL but rather it was the best way I could think to have automatic bids make up half the playoff and half to be at-large (similar to basketball where the split is close to 50-50 at 34 at-large to 31 automatic bids). I also thought this might be the best way to determine a champ on the field while also keeping a healthy discussion going about: 1. Who should be seeded above whom and why 2. Who should be the “twelfth” team in.

Let me know what you think, thanks.