To the BCS: It's Time To Play it Off - RaychelSnr's Blog

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RaychelSnr's Blog

To the BCS: It's Time To Play it Off Stuck

Posted on April 6, 2012 at 11:09 AM.

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The time has now come. In just a couple of weeks, BCS big-wigs from across the country will meet (April 24-26 exactly) to decide the fate of the free world...or at least college football's postseason.

But let's not shortchange the importance of this moment.

College Football is currently the only sport outside of figure skating, gymnastics, and 'Dancing with the Stars' where a champion is decided by people and not by winning your way to the top.

But according to a memo obtained by USA Today (and reported here by ESPN), that could change as soon as 2014 -- not that this wasn't public knowledge already.

The proposals Presidents and power-brokers are considering range from a convoluted four/six team playoff plus one, to small tweaks to the current system, to a full-fledged four team playoff.

Count me in for the playoff.

If I had my way, I'd say take the top four conference champions in the BCS standings and have them play it off. The first games in Mid-December on campuses of the higher seeds. Second game a month later in late January.

Notre Dame, that means it's high time to join a conference.

Basically you'd have the conference championship games in Early December. You'd have the Playoff and Bowl Selections, and the winners play in the BCS Championship on January 9 or 10 and the losers play in the specified at-large spots.

Bowls are still there. Playoffs are still there. We have big time college football in mid-December and for people who worry about academics (and we know you are full of baloney) that's just one extra game.

Eventually of course, the playoffs would expand because the money being generated will be too much to fend off. First it would be six, then likely eight.

And if you just let in conference champions at the four team level, you do not diminish the regular season one bit. If Alabama/LSU were playing for their one and only time last year and it was a true elimination game and everyone knew it -- you don't think that game wouldn't have been intense?

So what's your take? If you had a chance to give your ideal college football postseason scenario to power brokers and they were actually listening...what would you realistically recommend?

Comments

# 1 PackerBacker123 @ Apr 6

please god give college football a playoff system,then maybe I'll start watching again.

# 2 psymin1 @ Apr 6

That sounds like a great idea, but the problem I see with it is that it leaves no room for the underdog to come in from a non-BCS conference, thus eliminating their chances at a National Title completely, which shouldn't be the case. Maybe if they throw in 1 or 2 at-large bids for the playoff system, that would work. It would give non-BCS players some incentive to try their hardest and attempt to run the gauntlet of an undefeated season.

That said, I'm absolutely in favor of a playoff system, and it gets me excited to see that there actually might be a possibility for that in the coming years.

# 3 DirtyJerz32 @ Apr 6

PLAYOFFS!!! LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Sorry for yelling... carry on.

# 4 beelo @ Apr 6

I like the start of the playoff model, but down the road, it eventually needs to include every conference champ. What is the point of playing if it isnt to win it all.

# 5 Jadakiss88 @ Apr 6

I like the idea of every conference champion in the playoffs. And with those add in two wildcard bids for high ranked runner ups. The only problem is every conference needs to have an actual Conference Championship game and not just a regular season champion.

# 6 Senrab34 @ Apr 6

I agree that eventually this thing will expand to a 16 team playoff; which would be amazing. For now to get it started I suggest they play the season and conference championship games then take the top 4 in the BCS regardless of conference and pair them off 1 Vs 4 and 2 Vs 3 with the winners playing a week later in the NC. All other bowl eligible teams play in the bowl games as they do now. That way you keep the bowl system and have a separate little 4 team playoff system with the top teams.

# 7 TheRegan @ Apr 6

Why do people want Notre Dame to join a conference? I hear people complain about Realignment killing tradition in the sport, and yet you hear people wanting to kill the tradition of independent teams. When I heard Navy was joining the Big East, I was disappointed that one of the last true independent teams was going to forgo it's tradition. OS members just confuse me.

# 8 malky @ Apr 8

To EA: It's time to put the playoffs in the game as an option.

# 9 Tdgsport27 @ Apr 9

I like the four team playoff. I believe the top four teams should be able to compete for the championship. Keep the bowls for everyone else (It's nice to have something to look forward to if you're Wyoming) The one thing I do like about the BCS. No flash in the pan teams can win a championship. Look at all the Titles won recently. In the NBA Mavs. In the NFL Giants. MLB Giants and Cards. This getting hot late absolutely diminishes the importance of the regular season. And that's not the way it should be. Especially when there are twelve games in a season.

# 10 rudyjuly2 @ Apr 9

Four teams is perfect. I don't want anymore.

Totally agree with Tdgsport27 above about getting hot in the playoffs. Playoffs aren't about crowning the best team. The regular season champion wins maybe 25% of the titles in the major sports. Winning a playoff is more about timing and luck. I like small playoffs to reward the truly special teams. I love that most national champions are undefeated or only have one loss.

# 11 boomshakalaka24 @ Apr 9

If you get the chance, read "Death to the BCS". It's a good book about it, although very biased. The suggested plan in the book is basically this, or at least what I got from it.

16 teams, 11 auto bids for conference champions.5 At-large bids. Best teams earn higher seeds/highest seed has home field advantage for first 3 rounds meaning games on campus. Selection committee for at-large bids. Same time period as current bowl system. Bowls still around for non-playoff teams.
Possible matchups from 2009 with this setup: Alabama vs. Ohio State, Florida vs. TCU, Texas vs. Oregon, Boise State vs. Cincy