How an eight-team playoff could work....

After much consideration, we're going to put out our idea for college football's future.

The BCS is pretty much a train wreck. If Alabama and Texas Tech both lose, then it'll be a whole lot of "and 1" teams (and three unbeatens from non-BCS schools—Boise State, Ball State and Utah). In other words, it won't be about who beat who on any given Saturday, it'll be up to a bunch of over-opinionated pollsters.

So here we go:

1. College football should be decided via an EIGHT TEAM PLAYOFF. This will include the WINNERS of the SIX MAJOR CONFERENCES (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, Big East) as well as TWO OUT OF THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCES (WAC, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt Conference USA). 

In other words, if you don't win your conference, then bad stinking luck.

The two qualifying "AT-LARGE" CONFERENCES will be decided on strength of schedule and record against major conferences. In other words, if you or a member of your conference beat a major conference team, then you're in.

All in-conference teams will play EACH OTHER during conference play. That means all Big Ten teams will play 10 in-conference games, and Big 12 teams will play 11, and the SEC will play 11. The Pac-10 will play nine. This will reduce the padding of schedules via "cupcakes."

2. Every conference will have a Championship Game, which will mean splitting up the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences in "North" and "South" Divisions. You can still keep the ancient rivalries (i.e. Michigan vs. Ohio State or USC vs UCLA), as well as having some intra-divisional rivalries, which will again strengthen the conference.

3. If two teams are equal atop the division, the head-to-head result is the only thing that matters, eliminating the "BCS rank," as happens in the Big 12 when teams at the top are decided.

4. All eight games shall be played during December and January. The other bowl games will be decided on rankings via the BCS.

BUT WHAT ABOUT NOTRE DAME AND THE REST OF THE INDEPENDENTS?

If Notre Dame, Navy, Army, and Western Kentucky don't want to play in a conference, then too bad. They won't get into the playoffs. Simple as that.