Beyond Common Sense

The college football season is perhaps one of the most exciting in all of sports. Nevertheless, at the end of the year, a committee known as the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) creates a series of bowl games for division 1 College teams to play in. Unfortunately, this bowl system takes the place of a much needed playoff system in College football. Last night the 12-1 Oklahoma State Cowboys beat the number four ranked Stanford Cardinals in the Tostitos Fiesta bowl. The bowl game was incredibly exciting and high scoring, yet neither team will get an opportunity to play for a National Championship despite having the same record as Alabama, one of the teams playing in the game. The Championship game will feature Alabama and LSU, two SEC teams who have already played each other this season, with LSU winning in a 9-6 field goal battle.

The BCS is a broken system. The one thing crippling College football is a lack of playoff system. Every year there are a couple of teams that are seemingly deserving of an opportunity to play in the National Championship, but are robbed of this opportunity due to the system. An eight game playoff system could easily be incorporated while also maintaining the current bowl system. The playoff system would include the six major conference winners, and two at large teams. The at large teams could be chosen by the BCS, allowing the computer model to still maintain its use. The playoff games could be played in the same major venues as the current bowl games are, allowing the bowl games to also maintain their history. Lastly for teams unable to make the playoffs could continue to play in Bowl games following the season, allowing for extra practice time as well as an extra game. Over the long run this transition would probably benefit the NCAA both from an economic and TV ratings standpoint. Nevertheless, until the BCS is proven completely inadequate the system will not likely change.