BCS on the Hot Seat in Texas

Over the last few years, the media, fans, and even head coaches have sounded off, calling for an end to the BCS ranking system, and an end to bowl games, in favor of a playoff system mirroring that of NCAA College Basketball.

Unfortunately, their calls fall on deaf ears as there is too much money in it for the bowl sponsors and the television stations to even consider it.

So with that being said, I move on without debating whether there should be or should not be a BCS system in place. Rather, the more tangible question of how can we fix the BCS system that currently acts as God in the world of college football?

I can understand the positive side of having a BCS system and bowl games, because it makes every regular season game a playoff game. If there were playoffs, then yes, the championship game would feature the two best teams in college football with little argument against them.

However, that would make the regular season less exciting, and not every game would be a make or break as it is today.

I am not arguing for a BCS system, I am just saying I understand its significance. I do not find a problem in the BCS bowl game selections. For all those who watch March Madness, there are 65 teams invited, and there is still serious debate among media, fans, and coaches as to which teams should get in and what teams shouldn't.

No matter what system is in place, there will always be a grey area. However, this year proves my main argument against the BCS better than any other. It is the aspect of timing that is a part of this system.

A loss in the beginning of the season should not mean any less than a loss in the last week of the season; a loss is a loss. The problem is, as clearly stated in the situation with Texas and Oklahoma, that wins and losses are judged by when they took place.

I can see the argument for Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma to be in the Big 12 Championship for a shot at the national title, but I have a hard time seeing Oklahoma ahead of Texas when Texas won the head-to-head.

If that game had occurred last week, instead of earlier, then Texas would be in the Big 12 title game. This clearly points out the fundamental problem with the BCS rankings, the "time" aspect. This is a problem that can be fixed easily by only releasing the BCS standings when the season is over.

Let the AP poll, coaches' poll, and the USA Today poll decide the standings and let the BCS hold its judgement until the end of the regular season. This will erase the timing problem that haunts college football year after year. So, instead of debating whether there will be bowl games or a playoff structure, don't waste your time, because its not happening. Think about ways to improve the BCS.