No Playoffs For College Footbal

After seeing what happened to the Colts last week and to the Saints this week, I am 100% against a playoff system in college football. The Colts and the Saints did not care if they won. It is OK to lose if you already have a spot in the playoffs. It is OK to sit back and let the 3rd stringers lose the game for you. At that point, why even play the games at all? At that point, the games become totally meaningless.

As is stands in college football, every game counts, especially if you are ranked in the top 5. Look at Texas. In my view, their last game of the season, Texas A&M, could have easily went the other way. Without a playoff system, had Texas lost, they would have been out of the running, with no shot at a National Title. In a playoff system, I can conceive of that in-state rivalry game being reduced to nothing more than 3rd stringers playing just to keep the core players healthy for the playoffs, rivalry be damned.  Frankly, that would suck.

The same problem would have occurred for Alabama and Auburn. That game was one of Alabama's toughest all season, and it mattered if they won or not, mattered as a rivalry game and mattered on the path to playing in the National Championship game. Without a playoff system, a loss to Auburn could have meant the end of the line and no trip to Pasadena. In a playoff system, Alabama could have let their core group watch from the sidelines as one of the best in-state rivalries in the country was lost by a group of boys not yet prepared to take the reins, but that would be OK, because the team would be ready for the playoffs. Again, rivalry be damned. That would suck.

Continuing on using the Texas and Alabama example, in a playoff system, would Conference Championships even matter any more? They matter now. If Texas or Alabama had lost their Conference Championship game, neither team would be playing on January 7. In a playoff system, the same reasoning would apply as I talked about earlier. Who cares if we win or lose? The playoffs and National Championship game are what's important, and we are going to keep our best players healthy. Conference Championship be damned? That would really suck.

No my friends, I cannot go along with a playoff system. To me, every game is important, rivalries are important, and winning my conference is important. For every game to be important and to mean something is what college football is all about. I would not want it any other way.