What BCS Controversy? New System Gives Everyone a Shot at Title

In a cramped office located in Central Texas, not too far from where the Longhorns are celebrating their Fiesta Bowl victory over the Buckeyes, exists a group of misfits who had nothing better to do over the last few months than solve the most controversial problem in all of sports. 

This is an obscure think-tank if there ever was one.

They meet after work, sometimes until 3 a.m.  They come from many different backgrounds: a social worker, a high-school basketball coach, a grocery store clerk, among others.

They are the Group for a Better Championship System (GBCS*).  They are all volunteers, and only one out of the entire lot of them is a Texas fan. 

In this unknown, hard-to-reach, unnamed strip mall where the office is located, you will find a University of Washington fan, a Florida backer, and a few Big East fans. 

They were all brought together by one man, who states that the only qualifications to be a part of the GBCS is to “Have an open mind.  Be passionate about college football.  And be creative.” 

The founder of the GBCS, Coy Raimer (Gator fan), insists that the system his group has created is, “flawless.”  When asked what makes his system so different, he jumps out of his chair and rattles off the money points.

“There will never, ever again be two undefeated teams.  And if your team is undefeated, you will be the National Champion.  What most other ill-thought-of attempts at a solution have failed to factor in is the rivalry games.  We have ensured that every rivalry game in existence will continue.  Heck, we’ve even brought back the War on I-4 between UCF and USF.”

The GBCS calls their solution the 8/128 plan.  The number “8” represents the number of regular-season games each team will participate in before they begin “Group Play”.  The “128” refers to the number of teams that will participate in the very unique tournament that will commence once the eight-game regular season is over.

But the GBCS is very hesitant to call it a “tournament.”

“With most tournaments, it’s single- or double-elimination,” Raimer said.  “Our Group Play and re-seeding of the final 8 guarantees all 128 teams six games apiece—thus having a 14-game schedule for everyone.” 

When informed that there are currently only 120 teams that can vie for the National Championship (in theory, Utah, in theory), the GBCS has proposed that eight teams gain entry, increasing the number to 128. 

Raimer stated, “Over the past several months we’ve conducted countless hours of research to determine which eight teams deserve to be entered.  We concluded that four of the teams are natural fitsL Montana and Eastern Washington, as both would enter the Pac-10, Villanova, and UMASS, with those two teams entering the Big East.” 

The remaining four teams: Appalachian State, Weber State, Richmond, and Southern Illinois. 

When asked about, “Group Play,” Raimer was more than eager to explain how this part of the plan works. 

“Well, we determined that there should be four groups of 32 teams.  Each conference, and the four independents, would be placed into a group.  We have spent a tremendous amount of time and effort into which conferences should be paired together into each group,” he said.

Group I: Big 10, Big 12 North, Sun Belt, Mid-American West, and Appalachian State

Group II: Big 12 South, WAC, CUSA, Notre Dame, Navy, Army, and Southern Illinois

Group III: SEC, ACC, Mid-American East, and Richmond

Group IV: Pac-10, Mountain West, Big East, Montana, Eastern WA, UMASS, and ‘Nova

The GBCS factored in current strength of conference, past national championships, and success in bowl games to determine where each conference and team should be placed.

Raimer understood that there would be an outcry regarding the splitting up of the Big-12.  “This doesn’t mean the teams within those groupings cannot play each other.  We still allow for every rivalry game, which means the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe will still be factored into the schedule every year.” 

It must be noted that the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe between Oklahoma and Missouri is the only rivalry game between the two divisions.  Raimer feels that out of all the conferences, the Big-12 is the most likely one to split up because it has only been in existence for a little over 12 years. 

Also factored into the situation is that the Big-12 is a large conference with many excellent programs.  Placing the entire Big-12 within one Group diminishes the values of the other Groups, comparatively speaking.  

“But we know that this conference must still maintain a piece of history and nostalgia, so we’ve allowed for cross-group play, especially when the divisions only have six teams apiece,” Raimer said.

An example of this shows Baylor playing Nebraska at the end of the eight-week schedule.

The GBCS has generated a mock schedule, mock Group Play, and a mock re-seeded 8, which Raimer says has been a painstaking process.

“A schedule for each team is available upon request to [e-mail].”  Raimer said that he would enthusiastically supply a mock schedule to anyone, as it can do nothing but promote the system. 

“Honestly, the mock 8-game schedules are not that different from a team’s current schedule.  Georgia will still play a majority of SEC teams, except for its game against Georgia Tech,” he said. 

Group Play is where it gets interesting.

After the eight-game regular season each team is seeded within its respective group.  For the mock Group Play, the GBCS generated a schedule based on how the teams performed this year. 

For example, Oklahoma would play Southern Illinois and Texas would battle Weber State in the first round of Group Play for Group II.  

“This allows for so much drama and rematch action.  You can’t help but be excited,” Raimer said. 

It is easy to understand what he is talking about.  During the fourth round of Group Play for Group I, Penn State plays Ball State in the mock tournament. 

During the third round of the same group, Iowa gets its first shot at Ohio State.  That would be a fairly interesting game, as Iowa has been one of the hotter teams winning its last four games, including Penn State. 

During the third round of Group Play for Group III, Florida State is pitted against Florida for a second time and Boston College has a shot at Alabama.  Perhaps a more interesting match-up has Buffalo facing Georgia in the second round. 

The Bulldogs do, however, obtain a rematch against the Gators in the fourth round.  Of course Florida and Alabama advance from this group in the mock situation.

In Group Play for Group IV, we see a rematch of USC and Oregon State in the third round.  It would be nice to see USC have another shot at Oregon State. 

Raimer also points out that certain teams like Cincinnati would not fall apart because they are in a meaningless bowl game.

“Cincinnati fell apart in the Orange Bowl.  What’s interesting about our mock Group Play is that we have Cincinnati playing UCONN in the second round.  I think Cincinnati beats them a second time around and has a chance at a national title.  Do I think they beat USC in the fourth round?  Of course not.  But it would be nice to see them play on.”

Another interesting match-up in that Group Play is TCU against Utah in the fourth round.  The only losses TCU suffered this year was a three-point defeat at the hands of Utah in early November and the 35-10 loss to Oklahoma. 

Currently, the only option TCU has is to play in the Poinsettia Bowl.  In the system that the GBCS has developed, TCU has another shot at Utah, a shot at the National Championship, and if they lose to Utah the second time, they still have a chance to play in the Poinsettia Bowl. 

For Group II, drama and rematch dominate the landscape.  Tulsa and Oklahoma face off in the third round.  Oklahoma moves on and faces Boise State in the second round.  Texas Tech and Texas play each other in the fourth round—that is, of course, if Texas Tech gets past East Carolina in the third round. 

Once each group is down to its final two teams, those remaining eight teams are reseeded based on records, strength of schedule, and margin of victory—all factors that are also included in determining the 1-32 seeds in Group Play. 

“Whoever thinks that margin of victory has not been a factor in determining the poll placement of Oklahoma is nuts.  We want to use margin of victory.  I think it should be used,” Raimer said.  “Perhaps Texas will give us a more exciting fourth quarter with our system.  Plus it’s not based on a computer—it is determined on the field.”

With the mock re-seeding of the final eight teams, we see the following match-ups:

Florida vs. Utah

Alabama vs. USC

Texas vs. Texas Tech

Oklahoma vs. Penn State

The teams that have lost throughout group play will continue to play, ensuring that each team plays a total of 14 games.  But the GBCS has thrown an interesting twist into this as well.

There are no bye weeks during the first eight-game regular season.  The first bye week is after the regular season.  There are no games the weekend following the regular season. 

Once Group Play begins, every team that wins receives the next week off.  Every team that loses plays each other the following week.  This continues throughout Group Play, giving every victorious team a weekend off between games.  Every losing team must play the following week. 

With the “win one, wait one” (win a game, wait a week) situation, as the GBCS likes to call it, the poor quality teams will start eliminating themselves during the first or second week of December.  The National Championship game will be played during the second weekend of January.  Yet they will all have played the same number of games. 

What about the bowls? 

“We think the bowls will make more money—and who’s denying that money is the No. 1 factor in all of this?  And after discussing our system with anonymous sponsors, they agree.  Multiple Bowl sponsors would rather have a share of Florida or USC than settle for Memphis.  No offense to Memphis.” 

Raimer says no entity wants to go on record against the current BCS system.

“Does the New Mexico Bowl make more money having Colorado State and Fresno State play in a meaningless game or having Florida and Florida State play in a game that means everything?” 

Raimer continued, “Yes, some teams will be left out of being invited to a bowl, but more money will be generated because of the infinitely increased meaning of the game.  And who’s to say that the extra money earned can’t be shared more equitably among the schools and conferences?”

The new system that the GBCS has developed would allow for one school to possibly win three or four bowl games.  Raimer sees a scenario playing out such as this:

• Florida vs. Utah in the Orange Bowl
• Alabama vs. USC in the Rose Bowl
• Oklahoma vs. Penn State in the Capital One Bowl
• Texas vs. Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl
• Florida vs. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl
• Oklahoma vs. Texas in the Fiesta Bowl
• Florida vs. Oklahoma in the FedEx National Championship Game

The Capital One Bowl immediately takes on a much greater significance.  But Raimer says the designation of these bowls are negotiable, as are the admittance of the eight extra teams.

“We’re not saying that these teams must be admitted.  We’re just saying that we have a system that is foolproof.  A champion will be determined on the field, not on some computer and definitely not by a bunch of people sitting behind a desk and watching television.  Let the players decide who’s National Champion.”

Still not satisfied because of the elimination of the conference championship games?  Raimer has a question for you, “Would you give up a conference championship in order to crown a real, undisputed, final, national champion?"

I know I would, and it’s an easy thing to do.  We’re not saying that a conference champion couldn’t be had.  It’s acceptable for the Pac-10 and Big-10, why not everyone else?” Raimer said.  “People seem to think that those two conferences have it wrong.  We say the Pac-10 and Big-10 are excellent conferences and aren’t diminished by their lack of a conference championship game.”    

It is easy to dismiss these non-affiliated group of guys with no connections to schools or conferences.  But it is very difficult to dismiss the solution they have come up with.

At best this system, or something quite similar, is implemented and we have a real national champion.  At worst, this solution at least sparks conversation within the power circles and a change is made. 

The 8/128 plan…everyone has a chance.

*The “Group for a Better Championship Solution” and “Coy Raimer” are both fake, made-up entities created in the mind of the author in his attempt at a utopian college football world.  The email address, however, is real.