Playoffs, Payoffs and the State of College Football

Despite the controversial, and incredibly boring national championship game, there were still plenty of ups, downs, and new developments in college football this year. Conference realignment, the Penn State and Miami scandals, playoffs, record lows in ratings and viewership for the BCS. And perhaps most importantly, the NCAA managed to retain some arguable level of respectability and credibility with its actions this past season.

The conference realignments of this last season ended some historic and long enduring rivalries, like Texas vs. Texas A&M, and Missouri vs.Kansas.  It lead to the demise of some conferences, and the merging of others. And why did this all happen? Money. 

It's sad, and undeniably true, that college football is a business. How could it be anything else when there are livelihoods and hundreds of millions of dollars at stake? But there are still people who foolishly believe and say otherwise, like Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick. Swarbrick said in an ESPN interview, "this is being driven much more by the academic side of campus at most schools than by the athletic side. Presidents and chancellors see this as a rare opportunity to change their educational neighborhood and better their universities in the process."

I don't fault schools for switching conferences, because truly they are doing what is best for them. But what I have a problem with is that they are improving revenues at the expense of the fans and the sport. Despite the obvious detriments of realignment, I believe that it is a necessary evil, that the building of "super-conferences" will prod college football along the path to where it needs to be and lead to more competitive games.

In relation to realignment, it's fair to say that the BCS has hit rock bottom. Dozens upon dozens of meaningless bowl games, huge snubs, and mediocre viewership have finally combined to ruffle enough feathers and add real momentum to the playoff movement. The system that is in place is one that rewards mediocrity. Why should a .500 record—looking at you UCLA—make a school bowl eligible? Even something like increasing the requirement to seven wins is ridiculous and should not even be considered. After all, most schools don't aspire to be in the MAACO Bowl, or the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Although the current sentiment is for a "plus one" or four team playoff, the best scenario would be to have eight or more teams, and have seeding determined purely by record. That would give fans and players an incredible experience, be more financially viable for schools than bowls, and give everyone a fair way to decide a national champion. 

I used to think that the NCAA was the most hypocritical and corrupt organization in all of sports. But after following football and basketball closely the last few years, it seems that the NCAA is doing its best to govern a system that is getting out of control.That being said, the punishments handed out for infractions over the last few years have been controversial, to say the least. But, reforms like additional aid to cover full cost of attendance, and allowing multi year scholarships, are to be applauded. Amateurism and "the student athlete" are dying ideals that the NCAA was founded on, and it is good to see the governing body get back to that.

With all that has happened this last season, the good and the bad, fans can be optimistic for the change that is coming, and hopeful that we will start to see the best of college football in the near future.