Florida State Seminoles, Notre Dame Fighting Irish: What If, 2000 Version

Continuing our look back at the BCS era and how each season would have turned out with a six-team playoff, we now examine the 2000 season, otherwise known as "BCS Epic Fail, Season 1."

Miami beat Florida State early in the year and was ranked ahead of Florida State in the final human polls, but was ultimately passed over in the BCS rankings in favor of Florida State, which in turn lays possibly the most colossal offensive egg in a college football championship game, ever.

Seed/Team/Conference/BCS Ranking/Overall Record Pre-Bowl

1. Oklahoma (Big 12, 1st, 12-0)
2. Florida State (ACC, 2nd, 10-1)
3. Miami (Big East, 3rd, 10-1)
4. Washington (Pac-10, 4th, 10-1)
5. Florida (SEC, 7th, 10-2)
6. Notre Dame (Independent, 11th, 9-2)

Top conference champ left out: TCU (WAC, 14th, 10-1)

Revolting Fan Prediction

Miami over Notre Dame.  Washington over Florida.  Miami over Florida State. Oklahoma over Washington.  Miami over Oklahoma.

Observations

An undeserving two-loss Notre Dame team makes its first appearance in the playoffs—due entirely to being Notre Dame and not being TCU—by winning the "independent division." 

The Irish are immediately exposed by a Miami team on a mission, much as they were exposed by Oregon State in the bowl game that same season.  Miami goes on to prove their point against Florida State in round two, and then light up an impotent Oklahoma offense in the championship game.

Rules Recap

• All FBS conference champions are eligible, top six qualify.
• Top six conference champs seeded in order by the final BCS rankings.
• Conferences determine their representative as they see fit.
• Top two conference champs receive a first round bye.
• Five championship series games are played at the current four BCS bowl sites.
• Remainder of bowls operate as is, independent of the championship playoff.

How would 1998 have played out?  Click here.

Click here for 1999.

2010?  Click here.