Message to Division I Football Presidents: Make a Playoff Already!

Dear Division I Football President,

I write you with the strong urgency to make a playoff system. Something needs to be done. This year there is a very good possibility that there will not be a "BCS" school that is unbeaten. And even if there is one team, there will be plenty of teams with one loss that deserve to be in the National Championship game. So what happens then? Some computer decides? This can't go on any longer. Something must be done.

I have come up with a solution to help you out. Please read carefully and make changes accordingly.

Currently most D-I schools play 11-12 regular season games. Usually eight conference games and 3-4 non-conference games. Most conferences have some sort of conference championship game. More often than not in the big "BCS" conferences the loser of that conference championship game goes on to a bowl game along with the conference champion. So those teams are looking at a 13-14 game schedule.

One of the current arguments against a playoff system is that the kids need to be in school and playing a playoff would deter them from school by playing more games. Well I believe throughout the weeks right now, there are games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday along with the normal slate of Saturday games. So don't tell me they need to be in school because they aren't right now. And usually at the ends of the season most schools are getting ready for winter break anyways.

My proposal to you, is at most a 15 game schedule. The season would begin the first week of September, and it would be an 11 game regular season. Eight conference and three non-conference games. It would then include the conference championship game, which all conferences will play (yes, even you Big 10). This will ensure an even playing level.

The conference championships would be played either the first of second Saturday in December. With the current system teams in conferences like the Big 10 are sometimes at an advantage for not playing and losing or a disadvantage for not playing and winning (i.e. Ohio State last year).

Finally it would include an eight team playoff with the final BCS rankings. This would not be like the current system where the bowls get to choose based on a Top 12 final BCS rankings for 10 spots. This would be no matter who you are, Utah, Boise State, Ball State.

There would also not be a limit on how many teams from a conference get into the playoffs. This year with all of the Big 12 schools that will end up in the top 12 only two of them will be awarded spots in the BCS games, one of which will more than likely be the BCS National Championship game. Also, if your school made it to the playoffs, it would guarantee two more games (see bracket).

How would it work?:

The top eight teams would play on the last Saturday in December in some of the higher profile non-BCS Bowl games (Insight, Gator, Outback and Chick-fil-a). The winners would go on to play the following Saturday in two "BCS" Bowl games for the semi-final. The losers would get to play the following Saturday in either the Cotton or Capital One Bowl as well.

The winners of the semi-final games would go on to play in the National Championship game which would be a rotated "BCS" Bowl game the next Saturday. The winners of the "consolation" bracket would play in the final rotated "BCS" Bowl game the night before the National Championship game. 

Final Rankings:

The final rankings for the top eight would be based solely on how you played in the playoffs. The winner of the National Championship game would be No.1. The loser of that game would be No.2. The winner of the "Consolation" bracket championship would be No.3 and the loser No.4.

Here's where it would get tricky. The losers of the semi-final game would be ranked No.5 and No.6 based on what they were ranked at the start of the playoffs. And finally the losers of the "consolation" bracket semi-final game would be No.7 and No.8 based on what they were ranked at the start of the playoffs. (Please see the bracket to fully understand how everything works)

Now I know what everyone is saying. What about the current bowls, where will they go? They would remain. The playoffs would use certain bowls for its games. The bowls not used will remain the same with the same types of selection processes. The BCS Bowl games will return to rotating every year and every four years each bowl will host the National Championship.

In closing, I feel this system would work out great. They would finally truly decide it on the field. It seems complicated in writing but it cannot come close to being as complicated as the current BCS system is. I hope you will consider this in your next Presidential vote for college football

Sincerely,

Outraged College Football Fan.