70 Million Reasons The BCS Needs a Playoff System

It seems every sportswriter and fan across America wants a college football playoff. 

I wonder what the bowl organizers and universities are scared of.  Why haven't they implemented the obvious? Why is playoff system is not in place? 

It has been widely speculated that money is the main factor. The five BCS games generate 117 million dollars in revenue share to conferences. That's a lot of money.  Adding three games would create additional revenue to BCS and crown a true champion.

The BCS averaged 23 Million dollars per game in revenue share to universities. The final three super-games would surely generate above average revenue.  I estimate an additional 70 Million dollars in revenue sharing to the respective conferences.

In my ideal scenario, the eight best teams under the BCS rankings go to the big bowl games.  The Orange, Sugar, Rose, and Fiesta.  The four winners of those bowl games, would advance to fight another day, leading to a true champion.

It would add two games to the season for two teams.  That's something I think college football can handle. 

Here is how the situation would have played out last year. 

1. Alabama (12-0)    vs. 8. Ohio State (10-2)
2. Texas (12-0)       vs. 7. Oregon (11-1)
3. Cincinnati (12-0) vs. 6. Boise State (13-0)
4. Florida (12-1)      vs. 5. TCU (12-0)

The highest remaining seed play the lowest seed left standing.

Wow, that's a pretty good looking playoff bracket.  It appears the BCS did its job, no one was left out, and a true national champion was crowned.  The funny thing is all eight teams in this playoff bracket ended up participating in a BCS game.

In 2009 it would have given the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats, a chance at the BCS Championship. It would have given underdogs Boise State and TCU a chance of a title.  The 2009 playoff would have still had dominant programs such as Florida, Texas, Ohio State and Alabama.

Wouldn't college football be better off with 8 teams with a chance to win it all in December?

So I bet you are wondering how it would have worked in 2008 right?

1. Oklahoma (12-1)   vs.  8. Penn State (11-1)
2. Florida (12-1)       vs.  7. Texas Tech (11-1)
3. Texas (11-1)        vs.  6. Utah (12-0)
4. Alabama (12-1)     vs.  5. USC (11-1)

In 2008, Utah would have been the underdog to compete for a National Championship. More times than not the greater seed advances, making Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, and Alabama a very appealing final four.  But it would be an equally great Cinderella story if Utah or Texas Tech prevailed as National Champions. 

Bowl game match-ups will have to be determined by ranking instead of conference standing.  That would be an upgrade to what the BCS gave us in 2008 BCS Match-ups. 

The 2008 Orange Bowl featured a 4-loss #19 Virginia Tech team and #13 Cincinnati 3-loss team.  The Fiesta Bowl had contender #3 Texas versus and under matched 3-loss Ohio State team ranked 10th.

So what's the hold up BCS?  I'm just average Joe but raising revenue by 40%, and crowning a true National Championship sounds good to me!

The BCS has been littered with scrutiny since its inception. A playoff mini-series would fix all the BCS's problems, the BCS would be considered a HERO not a ZERO. 

If crowning a true champion does not interest the BCS or universities, 70 Million dollars should.