Will College Football Playoffs Eliminate Controversy? - jmik58's Blog

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Will College Football Playoffs Eliminate Controversy? Stuck

Posted on November 27, 2012 at 10:24 AM.

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College football playoff proponents and BCS loyalists are looking at the same example but telling two different stories as we close out the 2012 regular season.

On paper, we have the number-one team in the nation -- Notre Dame -- who is also the lone squad eligible for the BCS with an undefeated record (Ohio State at 12-0 is ineligible for postseason play). The Irish took down the eighth, tenth, and eighteenth ranked teams throughout the course of the season, capping their schedule with a victory on the road against the USC Trojans -- a team once believed to be national champion contenders.

With their resume', Notre Dame would have easily earned the top rank in a four-team playoff format slotted by a selection committee similar to what we will see starting in 2014. Likewise, their position as the lone undefeated BCS-eligible squad places them at the top under the existing BCS format. Under the current system, Notre Dame is finished with their fight to the top and have earned their spot in the national championship game. But under the future playoff format, the Irish would still have one contest to win -- presumably against a number-four seed -- before appearing in the national championship game.

It's exactly what fans have screamed for, but is that fair to Notre Dame? Should the lone team to carry an unblemished record have to prove their worth in a semifinal matchup or have they done enough -- is this something the BCS gets right, something we'll actually miss once playoffs roll around?

Chances are we'll spend less time defending the top-ranked teams and most arguments will be about spots two, three and four; and rightfully so. The BCS never had a problem picking the top eligible team, it was the contender spot that seemed to squeeze out the little guy.

I can only hope that the selection committee will do their best to put a premium on conference champions for the sake of equal opportunity. A team such as Kansas State (10-1) -- should they finish with a win to stay at one loss -- could carry a very tough Big-12 conference but many may argue that a one or two-loss SEC team would deserve to be slotted ahead of them. Likewise, the Oregon Ducks (11-1) are a dangerous squad merely a field goal away from being in contention for the BCS title game. But because their loss came at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal, such a selection committee would be stretching to place the Ducks in the four-team playoff when they didn't even win their own conference division.

And then there is the SEC and, perhaps more importantly, what people aren't talking about should so many teams from one conference be smashed at the top of the rankings in 2014 and beyond. In our current system the winner of No. 2 Alabama versus No. 3 Georgia will take on Notre Dame for the grand prize. But in a four-team playoff -- in 2014 -- the pyramid of power that the SEC has stacked this year could prove controversial.

The SEC champion would be the number-two seed in a playoff should the future playoff format exist now -- that's not much of a risk to state. But what happens with the other two spots, seed three and four? If Kansas State closes out with a win they would likely take the third spot -- but what if they somehow lost? And taking a step back, who gets the fourth spot or even third if the Wildcats lose?

Do we dare put the loser of the SEC championship back into the mix? Surely not, because then the importance of a conference title means less. And once the Kansas State dust settles, number-four Florida (11-1) has a legitimate argument as does LSU (11-2). But where do you draw the line for a single conference? If we don't allow the loser of the Georgia/Alabama game back in, how can we justify letting LSU or Florida into the picture? If either was selected, the flood gates would instantly be open with Oregon standing front and center -- arms raised and brows lifted in disbelief.

Perhaps this problem will be eliminated with the implementation of a playoff. One of the biggest injustices of the BCS era has been a tendency to evaluate matchups based on hypotheticals. The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Stanford Cardinal were overlooked in 2011 for the BCS title game because their losses weren't as impressive as Alabama's. While that fact was hard to argue, the qualification for playing to be a champion was never about judging and comparing your worst moments. The fact is that the best way to evaluate and compare top teams is to let them battle on the field -- our best versus your best.

The SEC may have the toughest teams at the top, but how will we ever know if the rest of the nation is caught up if we don't force them to play the best of the rest of the nation on a yearly basis? Until that happens, every SEC schedule only solidifies their perceived advantage and each loss means less, each win weighs more.

This is where the playoff format will get it right, in theory. But before we get to the playoffs a bigger obstacle stands in the way -- something that can screw up the dream; the whole reason we pushed for a playoff in the first place. Will the same conference biases stand in the way of equal opportunity? Will the selection committee be another BCS or will they finally get it right?

Sound Off: Which format would work best to crown the 2012 champion: BCS or playoffs?

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper

Comments

# 1 sarlndr @ Nov 27

With only 4 teams in the "playoffs" it won't eliminate controversy. I know it's a start but the number of teams needs to be bumped up to 8, minimum.

# 2 iverson3 @ Nov 28

OSU should be in contention for the National Championship too

# 3 Layoneil @ Nov 28

OSU shouldn't have cheated.

playoffs is always better. the only thing unfair about Notre Dame is that most other teams still have to play a championship game. all 4 teams having to playing the semi-final game is what makes it fair.

if they are the best they will win in the playoffs, if they lose when it really counts than they are obviously not the best and don't deserve to be the champs.

my 4 playoff teams this year are
#1 Notre Dame
#2 SEC Champ
#3 Kansas State
#4 Stanford / Oregon (only if Stanford loses the Pac-12)

# 4 sarlndr @ Nov 28

Cheating refers to an immoral way of achieving a goal. It is generally used for the breaking of rules to gain advantage in a competitive situation.

So getting tattoos & cash from selling their own memorabilia helped the Buckeyes win games? Lets just say broke the rules & failed to report them from now on. There is no way these actions helped them gain a competitive edge in any way.

This whole cheating thing is out of control and used out of context.