So Barack Obama has weighed in and said there should be a playoff in the college football. That’s kind of like saying that we would like to end world hunger. Not the riskiest stance in the world to take.
Anyone’s that been unlucky enough to have to listen to me spew on the subject knows that I actually am against a playoff. (But for the record I would also like to end world hunger)
Well today at lunch in the Citizen Sports offices a few of my co-workers called me out and made me explain why I was against a playoff. After arguing the point I think I did realize that I’m not so much against a playoff but don’t really believe a perfect playoff can be created or rather will be created.
Ultimately, that is a pretty bad reason to be against a playoff. So before I go back to my anti-playoff stance I think it is important for me to actually construct the perfect playoff system.
One of my personal beliefs is that if we are to create a playoff system every team in every conference should have an equal chance at the playoff and there should be automatic bids for winners of each of their respective conferences.
So there are 11 FBS conferences and therefore 11 automatic bids. If we have a field size that can play through a perfect bracket with no byes then we need a field of 16 for these eleven teams to play against. Easy, five at-large bids selected by a committee similar to NCAA hoops. In fact all seeding would be done by this committee.
These sixteen teams would play a playoff down to one champion. The first round of games would be played in the higher seeds’ home stadium and then each subsequent round would be played in the BCS Bowl Stadiums. You’d get a total of seven BCS games so that would actually be more than the current number of BCS games.
Here’s the obvious rub. You’d be adding anywhere from one to three games to each teams’ schedule. So the first step would be to reduce the number of play dates for each team by one. Sure this would reduce one non-conference game from each team’s schedule but would that really be a bad thing? God forbid Florida doesn’t get to play Citadel in November again.
Next we’ll remove conference championship games from the equation. These are a new thing anyways and as anyone who follows the Big 12 can tell you, they are far from perfect. Also, given five at large bids to the “Big Dance”, having a championship game seems less vital.
So where does that leave us. Basically it leaves us with two teams playing an extra game and two teams playing two extra games. Not really the end of the world for the athletes.
So there it is… if we can get a playoff approved with the above format, I’m in favor of the change…
It is a very interesting debate though, and I’d love to hear your point of view.
Like I said, it’s easy to say you are for a playoff but figuring out how to actually end world hunger is a totally different story.
December 1, 2008 at 10:21 pm |
Playing off the metaphor, creating the ‘perfect’ college football system is unattainable in the near term… as unfortunately is the same with world hunger. The proposed solution is rather close to a ‘perfect’ system, but much like ending hunger the solution is more idealistic than realistic.
Last time the conferences got together to discuss the BCS, only the ACC and SEC wanted to move forward with talks of a plus one (4 team) system. It’s a safe bet a 16-team college playoff wont take place anytime soon.
So on the realistic hand, let’s consider a 6-team approach:
- Top two team gets byes, dismisses the argument that teams will throw away games at the end of season like the NFL.
- Sure there are going to be bubble teams, as in any playoff system. Like March Madness, there are teams that maybe should make it and don’t. However, its very different excluding a #3 team and a #7 team for the national title. Undefeated Auburn in 2004 got denied from a chance at that national title. That’s a travesty. Not letting 2008 Penn State (10-1 in the horrid Big 10) compete for a national title, we can get over it.
Finally, besides being just idealistic… I can’t say I have enough love for the small conferences as your proposed plans sets forth. Let’s be honest, outside the Big 6 and MWC and WAC (being generous)… what teams realistically have a shot of competing with the top dogs? If they want to be included, they’d have to schedule a monster non-conference game and beat em to show they belong.
December 1, 2008 at 10:23 pm |
I don’t think you can eliminate the conference championship game, given that a lot of conferences have multiple divisions (Big 12, ACC, SEC, etc.), and if they didn’t have multiple divisions, it would be very difficult for every team to play every other team. I do think that shortening the non-conference schedule is a good way to go. Whatever system you go with, there is going to be some team left out with a legitimate claim to be in the BCS/Playoffs… it will just be the 17th ranked team instead of the 3rd ranked team.
And can you imagine the uproar from all the other conferences if the Big 12 and SEC had 6 spots (at least- off the top of my head at least one of Mizzou/OSU, Texas, Texas Tech, OU, Florida, and ‘Bama HAVE to be there, right?), and only ONE at-large spot was left (none if you let Mizzou and OSU in)? I just don’t think the other so-called “major” conferences would stand for it. And although allowing the Boise States of the world into this playoff system is all well and good, I’m not sure I’d be willing to extend an automatic invitation to the winner of the craptastic Sun Belt conference. Troy @ Florida isn’t all that much more compelling that Citadel @ Florida. I think you have to give all the major conferences an automatic bid (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Pac-10), but beyond that it has to be at-large bids. The good mid-major teams will get a look anyways (Ball State, Boise State, and Utah are all in the top 12… and so is TCU), especially if they keep the BCS rankings.
December 2, 2008 at 10:03 pm |
Before reading this.. I was one that was IN FAVOR of a playoff system… to determine a True Champion. But now… I say “NO”
There is no perfect system… and your proposal is very nice… and on paper it should work… but these Conferences are so greedy. Why should the SEC be equal to the WAC… or the PAC 10 be equal to Conference USA. Egos and Greed gets in the way… and then you’ll have more dispute over the fact that (like the last post stated) the SEC and the Big 12 may have 6 teams each that should be qualified and then someone will be left out.
Is it so bad that the National Champion may not be deserving of the Title?… but the fact that we will have a dozen of bowl games on Jan 1st that will please every part of the country… spreading the wealth around… isn’t that what Obama is all about? LOL
This Argument/Discussion will go on… and every year.. there will be good proposals that should be seriously consider like your proposal…. but the bottom line is MONEY. That’s why these bowls are named after Corporations.
Outback Bowl at the Raymond James Stadium…
Capital One Bowl, GMAC Bowl, PapaJohns.com bowl, Tostitos Bowl etc. etc.
We hope for that perfect system like we hope “to end World Hunger”…
We might be able to Solve World Hunger before we solve this BCS Mess
Keep up the good fight and keep up the good work.
March 1, 2009 at 7:29 pm |
I can’t see a feasible solution for College Football. There is simply no way a 16 team tournament (not necesarily a bad idea) would happen in the near future. I have no idea what should be done.