Only Solution to BCS Is a Playoff

Everyone wants one. Even Barack Obama. Logic dictates that it's the only way to really declare a champion. Surely everyone knows that? Right?

Well...Not exactly...

The powers that hold up a division I/FBS playoff do so, citing all the valid reasons they can muster, including the detriment to the students for being away from class so long (March Madness anyone?) and the integrity of the traditional bowls.

What they are really saying is that they have a lot of money tied up in television and corporate sponsorship with this BCS business and are terrified that having a playoff of any magnitude would disrupt their revenue stream.

The mere fact that the premier flight in NCAA football refers to itself as the "Football Bowl Subdivision" leaving the word "championship" to the lesser levels is quite telling. They get it, and almost admit that the system is flawed, therefore will not call the winner the National Champion any longer, just the BCS champion.

I never thought I'd say that the old system of unfair human voting may have worked better.

A look at this year is an example of both how the BCS was meant to play out and a magnification of it's greatest failure.

The conference championship games of the SEC and Big 12 will produce the teams that will meed in the BCS Championship games. The remaining eight BCS Bowl slots will be filled with the winners of the remaining conferences and four "at-large" bids. At least one at-large will go to a mid-major, the others to high quality BCS conference teams ranked in the top 10.

On paper, it looks like a win for the BCS. Basically two conferences have all the guns, and the last one standing from each will advance for the big prize! Yea BCS!

But the Big 12 screws it up.

Thanks to geographical alignment and a down year by half of the conference, the Big 12's three best teams are all in it's southern division and have all traded losses. The triumvirate not only are holding identical 10-1 records, but also make up three of the top five in the BCS standings. If all win out, and the highest-rated loses the conference title game (to one would guess Missouri), you may see a team that did not win it's conference play for a national title.

We can all hope that someone, say, Oklahoma State, helps us all out by upsetting the Sooners in Stillwater this weekend, but it's much more likely that there will be debate and violent disagreement among those three schools as one goes and two don't.

The ACC and Big East also screw things up by not really being better than the Mountain West or WAC, or maybe the MAC. It is a shame that the BCS has to take the winner of the ACC or Big East. As exciting as it is for Cincinnati to get to the Orange Bowl, will a matchup between Cincinnati and Boise State really draw a lot of television viewers? Or 73,000 people?

How about a Boston College vs. Utah in the Fiesta? Not the Peach...or the Citrus...The Freaking Fiesta Bowl.

Thankfully, Penn State and the winner of the PAC 10 have helped oput the situation naturally. They nullify themselves from Championship games buy their losses early. Penn State, who lost to an 8-4 Iowa team, but pounded Oregon State at home. So no matter who the representative from the PAC 10 is, they are disqualified. (USC lost to Oregon State, and Oregon State IS Oregon State)

Years like this make any argument against a playoff seem much less valid. Apart from the Rose Bowl, which will get it's traditional Big Ten vs. USC, err... Pac 10 game, there isn't much tradition left among the Big Bowls. Most are no longer on New Year's Day. The Championship game is a WEEK later. It's all getting out of hand anyway.

So why NOT go ahead and crown an actual champion?

It is not like basketball, where you've got to invite the world because you never know if George Mason or Kent State can get hot and make a run...

You pretty much know that there are maybe 15 schools with a realistic shot. To make that an even number, cut it down to 14. Keep your six conference champions, give the poll No. 1 and No. 2 a bye. That will give you the six conference champs, plus eight at-large berths.

IF and ONLY IF Notre Dame is in the Top 10 and at least 9-2, they receive one of the berths. (Come on...it's fair)

For the sake of argument, if the Top 25 remained as it is today, and Cincinnati and we'll say Florida State round out the conference winners (hey, they have a Rhode Scholar on the team! PROPS!)...a tournament field would appear as follows:

Round one, played the week following Conference Championships at Campus sites:

Alabama and Oklahoma have byes.

Texas Tech vs. Boise St. @ Lubbock

Penn St. vs. Oklahoma St. @ State College

Florida vs. Cincinnati @ Gainsville

Texas vs. Florida State @ Austin

USC vs. Missouri @ Los Angeles

Ohio State vs. Utah @ Columbus

The second round of four games to be played the following week at campus sites, Alabama hosting the Texas Tech/Boise State winner, Oklahoma hosting the Ohio State/Utah winner. USC/Missouri plays Texas/FSU, Penn St/Oklahoma St. plays Florida/Cincy.

The third round games are played on New Years Day at two of the four current BCS bowl sites...rotating annually.

The third round game is the following weekend at a neutral field, similar to the BCS Championship Game that we have now.

Obviously, I've spent way too much time thinking about this. I'm sure many of you have as well. I figured I'd present a playoff that includes the bowls as they are...and may be...just maybe...convoluted enough to make some sense to the NCAA.

It may not be self-important enough though...