...why not a playoff system in 1a football?

[Broken Record]

Bottom line? The "Plus-One" proposal is as big a pile of steaming fecal matter as the current system. Period.

Actually, it would be as big a pile of steaming fecal matter as the current system -1, since it's one game closer to the playoff system you covet.

How's that for another pithy comment?

Since the BCS has a contract that runs through the 2010 bowl season, I suppose you can continue to gripe about it until then. As for me, I've given my opinion and I'm done with this discussion.

... and to all a good night.

[yh]

Noone wants to see .500 teams come Bowl time.

Try telling that to the Kansas fans. And don't think that the UNR fans aren't thrilled to have a shot at the Miami Hurricanes.

Mid to lower tier schools within major conferences like to have something to look forward to at the end of the season if they can avoid a losing record. I'm a 28 year season ticket holder for Mizzou and while I'm damned mad that Gary Pinkel flubbed our best chance to qualify for a big-time bowl game, I'm still stoked about my team playing in the post-season. Bowl games are fun - I will watch as many as possible because I love college football and like getting to see teams I wouldn't ordinarily get to see during the season. Don't take the bowls away.

Now, what I see happening here is a gradual process that might set the stage for some kind of playoff. The BCS Championship Game is played one week after New Years. We're essentially extending the bowl season by a full week. Fine. In years where there are only two undefeated teams which finish 1-2 in the BCS rankings, those teams get the berth in the title game. In years where this isn't the case (like this year) the team that gets the final #1 ranking in the BCS system gets an automatic berth in the title game and the #2 and #3 team play off in the bowl which hosts the title game. In other words, this year OSU would go to the big game and Michigan would play Florida in the Fiesta Bowl for the right to move on to the big one. This preserves the present bowl system (for the most part) and also employs at least a small merit system into the mix. There should be no reason to deny the nation's #1 team a chance to play in the title game but it injects at least a wee bit of fairness into determining who will contend for the title. And the good news is that we're not extending the season any further than it lasts right now. All that would have to happen is for the other BCS bowls to play on or before New Years so as to give the team that does advance to the title game an adequate time to prepare - they will already be in the host city but it's only fair to give the team a week since their opponent essentially got a bye.

[Pat]

Noone wants to see .500 teams come Bowl time.

Try telling that to the Kansas fans. And don't think that the UNR fans aren't thrilled to have a shot at the Miami Hurricanes.

Mid to lower tier schools within major conferences like to have something to look forward to at the end of the season if they can avoid a losing record. I'm a 28 year season ticket holder for Mizzou and while I'm damned mad that Gary Pinkel flubbed our best chance to qualify for a big-time bowl game, I'm still stoked about my team playing in the post-season. Bowl games are fun - I will watch as many as possible because I love college football and like getting to see teams I wouldn't ordinarily get to see during the season. Don't take the bowls away.

Point Taken. I understand that for fans of lower tier schools, playing in any bowl is a big deal. And as a college football fan, watching some extra bowl games never hurt.

It just seems that there are so many, its gotten ridiculous. It used to be an accomplishment to make it to the post-season, now it seems they reward mediocricity.

[Epiphanic]

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9860068/rss

Taking a step back from the debate. Michigan's Carr says that there will be a national playoff eventually. The ball is apparently rolling, at a slow pace, but rolling nonetheless.

[mjrbaseball]

Some of you have made the point that Boise State shouldn't have a chance at a national championship because they're in the wrong conference. That may be accurate, but it's extremely unfair.

Every school that plays a sport -- EVERY SCHOOL -- should have at least a microscopic chance of winning a national championship every season, and they should be able to do it entirely on their own effort.*

Little colleges like Bloomsburg and Concordia and Wisconsin-Whitewater have their national championship. Even big schools that don't play at a high caliber have the Division I-AA playoffs.

So the only fair system is one that every team can theoretically win. Either that, or take the BCS conferences and put them in one division, and put all of the other D-IA conferences into their own level. (D-IB???) Then this year you would have Ohio State playing Florida for the D-IA title, Boise State vs Rutgers for D-IB, and so on.

But as long as they are all in the same level, they all should have a chance.

[rams80]

So anyway with the final rankings out its time to release my bracket.

@Columbus, OH

1. Ohio State Buckeyes(Big Ten) vs.

16. Troy Trojans (Sun Belt)

@Boise, ID

8. Boise State Broncos (WAC) vs.

9. Auburn Tigers (at large)

@Baton Rouge, LA

4. Louisiana State Tigers (at large) vs.

13. Brigham Young Cougars (MWC)

@Los Angeles, CA

5. University of Southern California Trojans (Pac 10) vs.

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (ACC)

@Ann Arbor, MI

3. Michigan Wolverines (at large) vs.

14. Houston Cougars (Conference USA)

@Louisville, KY

6. Louisville Cardinals (Big East) vs.

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (at large)

@Gainesville, FL

2. Florida Gators (SEC) vs.

15. Central Michigan Chippewas (MAC)

@Madison, WI

7. Wisconsin Badgers (at large) vs.

10. Oklahoma Sooners (Big XII)

Complete results

1. OSU 45

16. Troy 17

(One of these years the Sun Belt won't get blown out...)

8. BSU 38

9. Aub 28

(Blue turf folks...Blue turf)

4. LSU 35

13. BYU 10

(They got that 10 in the 4th Quarter)

5. USC 14

12. Wake 16

(USC player: Whoops!)

3. Mich 49

14. Hou 6

(Welcome to the Big House...)

6. Lou 48

11. ND 7

(PWN3D)

7. Wisc 17

10. Okla 24

(Guess Oklahoma was more underrated than Wisconsin).

2. Fla 56

15. CMU 3

(They aren't Wolverines but they're from the state...)

Quarterfinals

@Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)

1. Ohio State 42

8. Boise State 24

(Ohio State wins the battle of unbeatens)

@Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl)

4. Louisiana State 21

12. Wake Forest 6

(Wake Forest was just happy to be there)

@Orlando, FL (Capital One Bowl)

3. Michigan 52

6. Louisville 49

(Defense? We don't need no flippin' defense!)

@Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)

2. Florida 31

10. Oklahoma 17

(OU was doomed the second they saw the bowl's moniker)

Semifinals

@Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)

1. Ohio State 38

4. Louisiana State 10

(LSU Player: "Wait? An actually good opponent? ")

@New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl)

2. Florida 28

3. Michigan 30

(There was a "wide left" for Florida as time expired)

3rd Place game

@Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl)

2. Florida 24

4. Louisiana State 7

(Angry Gators)

National Championship

@Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)

1. Ohio State 37

2. Michigan 24

(no doubts here folks)

[jkrdevil]

Some of you have made the point that Boise State shouldn't have a chance at a national championship because they're in the wrong conference. That may be accurate, but it's extremely unfair.

Every school that plays a sport -- EVERY SCHOOL -- should have at least a microscopic chance of winning a national championship every season, and they should be able to do it entirely on their own effort.*

Little colleges like Bloomsburg and Concordia and Wisconsin-Whitewater have their national championship. Even big schools that don't play at a high caliber have the Division I-AA playoffs.

So the only fair system is one that every team can theoretically win. Either that, or take the BCS conferences and put them in one division, and put all of the other D-IA conferences into their own level. (D-IB???) Then this year you would have Ohio State playing Florida for the D-IA title, Boise State vs Rutgers for D-IB, and so on.

But as long as they are all in the same level, they all should have a chance.

Well Rutgers plays in a BCS conference so they wouldn't play Boise State if there was a further split. That said I agree with your point.

[TFoA]

So anyway with the final rankings out its time to release my bracket.

@Columbus, OH

1. Ohio State Buckeyes(Big Ten) vs.

16. Troy Trojans (Sun Belt)

@Boise, ID

8. Boise State Broncos (WAC) vs.

9. Auburn Tigers (at large)

@Baton Rouge, LA

4. Louisiana State Tigers (at large) vs.

13. Brigham Young Cougars (MWC)

@Los Angeles, CA

5. University of Southern California Trojans (Pac 10) vs.

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (ACC)

@Ann Arbor, MI

3. Michigan Wolverines (at large) vs.

14. Houston Cougars (Conference USA)

@Louisville, KY

6. Louisville Cardinals (Big East) vs.

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (at large)

@Gainesville, FL

2. Florida Gators (SEC) vs.

15. Central Michigan Chippewas (MAC)

@Madison, WI

7. Wisconsin Badgers (at large) vs.

10. Oklahoma Sooners (Big XII)

Complete results

1. OSU 45

16. Troy 17

(One of these years the Sun Belt won't get blown out...)

8. BSU 38

9. Aub 28

(Blue turf folks...Blue turf)

4. LSU 35

13. BYU 10

(They got that 10 in the 4th Quarter)

5. USC 14

12. Wake 16

(USC player: Whoops!)

3. Mich 49

14. Hou 6

(Welcome to the Big House...)

6. Lou 48

11. ND 7

(PWN3D)

7. Wisc 17

10. Okla 24

(Guess Oklahoma was more underrated than Wisconsin).

2. Fla 56

15. CMU 3

(They aren't Wolverines but they're from the state...)

Quarterfinals

@Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)

1. Ohio State 42

8. Boise State 24

(Ohio State wins the battle of unbeatens)

@Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl)

4. Louisiana State 21

12. Wake Forest 6

(Wake Forest was just happy to be there)

@Orlando, FL (Capital One Bowl)

3. Michigan 52

6. Louisville 49

(Defense? We don't need no flippin' defense!)

@Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)

2. Florida 31

10. Oklahoma 17

(OU was doomed the second they saw the bowl's moniker)

Semifinals

@Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)

1. Ohio State 38

4. Louisiana State 10

(LSU Player: "Wait? An actually good opponent? ")

@New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl)

2. Florida 28

3. Michigan 30

(There was a "wide left" for Florida as time expired)

3rd Place game

@Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl)

2. Florida 24

4. Louisiana State 7

(Angry Gators)

National Championship

@Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)

1. Ohio State 37

2. Michigan 24

(no doubts here folks)

Dude, this system would make so much sense. Of course, there would be people campaigning their asses off for the at large bids, and people would have their feathers ruffled about "BUT WE WUZ IN THE BIG 10, EVEN THO WE HAV 4 LOSSES, WE WULD KILL CMU!!!" but it would make sense...all the major/mid-major conference winners get in, with a few at large bids. I'd love if this would actually go down. But, alas, this is only dreams that can be accomplished by playing NCAA Football.

[slightly shotgunned]

quick question, what is the criteria involved in determining that the sec is the "the toughest conference in the country"?

[PeytonManningRocks]

You know, I hear people talking about "Don't take the bowls away, it's our only chance for a postseason bid". Well, college basketball has an NCAA Tourney and an NIT. If college basketball can have it, why not college football?

And as far as the SEC being the "toughest conference in the country", that is just another reason why the name matters more than the body of work in the BCS. At least with a playoff, we can see whether or not the SEC is really all it's cracked up to be.

And finally, I would say that records should be a more important determinant in postseason play. An unbeaten team is an unbeaten team, no matter what conference they play in. If Boise State is undefeated, they should get just as much of a shot as anybody to play in the National Championship. Not saying they would have a chance against OSU, but if you were doing playoff rankings or stuff like that, the actual records, not reputations, should be taken into account.

[KevinMcD]

quick question, what is the criteria involved in determining that the sec is the "the toughest conference in the country"?

Probably that they have 3 teams in the top 10 and 5 in the top 20 and only having 7 losses out of conference.

[slightly shotgunned]

And finally, I would say that records should be a more important determinant in postseason play. An unbeaten team is an unbeaten team, no matter what conference they play in. If Boise State is undefeated, they should get just as much of a shot as anybody to play in the National Championship. Not saying they would have a chance against OSU, but if you were doing playoff rankings or stuff like that, the actual records, not reputations, should be taken into account.

agreed

[PeytonManningRocks]

quick question, what is the criteria involved in determining that the sec is the "the toughest conference in the country"?

Probably that they have 3 teams in the top 10 and 5 in the top 20 and only having 7 losses out of conference.

But again, put teams like Tennessee and Auburn in the Pac-10, and, assuming they had similar records, would they be ranked as high? I don't think so. Rankings are 30% how you play and 70% your national "reputation"

The 7 out-of-conference losses I can't argue with, however, how much credence can teams like Florida get when they're beating the likes of Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina? As compared to Michigan who crushed Notre Dame? The only "cupcake" Michigan played was Ball State. Florida had a lot of them.

[KevinMcD]

quick question, what is the criteria involved in determining that the sec is the "the toughest conference in the country"?

Probably that they have 3 teams in the top 10 and 5 in the top 20 and only having 7 losses out of conference.

But again, put teams like Tennessee and Auburn in the Pac-10, and, assuming they had similar records, would they be ranked as high? I don't think so. Rankings are 30% how you play and 70% your national "reputation"

The 7 out-of-conference losses I can't argue with, however, how much credence can teams like Florida get when they're beating the likes of Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina? As compared to Michigan who crushed Notre Dame? The only "cupcake" Michigan played was Ball State. Florida had a lot of them.

You have a point. But the Big 10 has nobody after Wisconsin. Who is 4th, Penn State (8-4)? But 4th in the SEC is LSU or Auburn both 10-2. I think that the SEC better overall but up top the Big 10 is better with Michigan, OSU and Wisconsin.