BCS getting grilled on a

eulesseagle · December 8, 2005

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2251585

Using examples of the MWC....Interesting....

I would like to see a D-1A FB playoff system with ALL D-1A conferences included.

untbowler · December 8, 2005

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2251585
Using examples of the MWC....Interesting....
I would like to see a D-1A FB playoff system with ALL D-1A conferences included.
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Congress needs to just shut up and actually focus on things that are more important like Education, Healthcare, etcc...

90% of the population could give a rat's behind about the BCS and its dealings.

TeachinTodd · December 8, 2005

I don't know if I want all D-1 conferences included - to me it would be like pretending that some of these "lower" conferences might really compete with the Pac10, Big 10, etc. on a CONSISTENT basis. I don't know that one of these lower conferences winning a early round game would infuse any excitement. Sure it works in D-1 basketball, but 5 on 5 is a lot different than a game involving 11 on 11, on two sides of the ball. Just my .02

Eagle1855 · December 8, 2005

actually a playoff system is the only legitimate shot any non BCS chool ever has of winning a national championship. Think about, TCU could go undefeated for the next 3 years and never jump a 11-0 Texas or 11-0 USC. At least with a playoff there is the remote possibility of a non BCS going undefeated and then knocking off a couple more teams. Im all for the playoff, as long as it starts once the season ends. Im sick of all the BCS crap going on until Jan 4th- a month away.

But as far as congress goes, I would think (or hope ) they have better things to do. typical

Coffee and TV · December 8, 2005

Congress needs to just shut up and actually focus on things that are more important like Education, Healthcare, etcc...
90% of the population could give a rat's behind about the BCS and its dealings.
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Yeah but this is the subcommittee on commerce and energy, so we're not talking about Congress working on a last minute bill, this is an ongoing issue that's being addressed. Just like other committees are listening to New Orleans resident's testimony about Katrina.

badgerwolf · December 8, 2005

From the 12-8-05 Albuquerque Journal:

When the chair of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection challenged the head of the BCS on Wednesday that 1-A football is the only college sport without a playoff system, Kevin Weiberg (BCS Coordinator) replied:

"It certainly, congressman, is possible to have a playoff at the Division I-A level, as well. We have chosen not to go that path."

The subcommittee made it clear they are not interested in pursuing legislation.

Yeah but this is the subcommittee on commerce and energy, so we're not talking about Congress working on a last minute bill, this is an ongoing issue that's being addressed. Just like other committees are listening to New Orleans resident's testimony about Katrina.
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UNTLifer · December 8, 2005

From the 12-8-05 Albuquerque Journal:
When the chair of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection challenged the head of the BCS on Wednesday that 1-A football is the only college sport without a playoff system, Kevin Weiberg (BCS Coordinator) replied:
"It certainly, congressman, is possible to have a playoff at the Division I-A level, as well. We have chosen not to go that path."
The subcommittee made it clear they are not interested in pursuing legislation.

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What Weiberg meant to say was, "You can have a playoff, but all of the BcS schools will go their own route and keep the bowl games and the dollars and leave none for the non-BcS."

SouthernMustang · December 8, 2005

Just my 0.02....

The reason I love college football is that EVERY regular season game matters. We all talk about how much we love March Madness and NCAA basketball. Yet, how many people pay attention during the regular season to the games? Exactly. Not very many. I don't think a 64 or 32 team play-off would do anything except take away excitement from the regular season.

Plus, I think the bowl system rewards teams that improve. Is Arkansas State a BCS-caliber team for winning their conference and going 6-5? No, but they should be rewarded for having a good season and qualifying. Same goes for UCF.

Keep the bowls in tact, and then just disregard conference affiliations. Take the Top 8 BCS ranked teams, and put them into a play-off. Use the 4 current BCS bowls, and create a play-off from there. Then you actually have a group of teams that have a legitimate shot at competing against each other.

You save the tradition of bowls, and still allow plenty of teams to enter the post-season. And you don't create a joke National Title picture with a goofy-play off. And the regular season still matters, b/c EVERY team has to strive to be a perfect 12-0 or near-perfect 11-1 to make that Top-8 cut.

UNTLifer · December 8, 2005

Just my 0.02....
The reason I love college football is that EVERY regular season game matters. We all talk about how much we love March Madness and NCAA basketball. Yet, how many people pay attention during the regular season to the games? Exactly. Not very many. I don't think a 64 or 32 team play-off would do anything except take away excitement from the regular season.
Plus, I think the bowl system rewards teams that improve. Is Arkansas State a BCS-caliber team for winning their conference and going 6-5? No, but they should be rewarded for having a good season and qualifying. Same goes for UCF.
Keep the bowls in tact, and then just disregard conference affiliations. Take the Top 8 BCS ranked teams, and put them into a play-off. Use the 4 current BCS bowls, and create a play-off from there. Then you actually have a group of teams that have a legitimate shot at competing against each other.
You save the tradition of bowls, and still allow plenty of teams to enter the post-season. And you don't create a joke National Title picture with a goofy-play off. And the regular season still matters, b/c EVERY team has to strive to be a perfect 12-0 or near-perfect 11-1 to make that Top-8 cut.
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I don't agree with your arguement, or anyone's for that matter, about a play-off taking away from the regular season. My main problem, bowls or play-off, is that the 56 or so teams in BcS conferences share 95% of the revenue and leave the other 60 some odd teams out in the cold. This creates the UT's of the world with 90 million dollar budgets or Ohio State at 100 million that live lavishly while the non-BcS schools scape and cut corners to make ends meet.

DeepGreen · December 8, 2005

I don't agree with your arguement, or anyone's for that matter, about a play-off taking away from the regular season. My main problem, bowls or play-off, is that the 56 or so teams in BcS conferences share 95% of the revenue and leave the other 60 some odd teams out in the cold. This creates the UT's of the world with 90 million dollar budgets or Ohio State at 100 million that live lavishly while the non-BcS schools scape and cut corners to make ends meet.
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Well said UNTlifer. Herein lies the BCS vs non-BCS problem. Kinda makes the blood boil doesn't it?

H-towngreen · December 8, 2005

Ok so what happens when you have an 8 team playoff system. But you have:

2 undefeated teams

5 1-loss teams and

8 2-loss team

15 teams for 8 slots. Even in a playoff you are still going to have teams left out of the picture. Everyone is for a playoff system but no one has come out with one that will work. Plus I like the Bowl system, yes almost half the teams make it. But it's fun to be able to see all these teams that other wise would not get any national exposure. Even if it is only for a night.

December 8, 2005

Ok so what happens when you have an 8 team playoff system. But you have:
2 undefeated teams
5 1-loss teams and
8 2-loss team
15 teams for 8 slots. Even in a playoff you are still going to have teams left out of the picture. Everyone is for a playoff system but no one has come out with one that will work. Plus I like the Bowl system, yes almost half the teams make it. But it's fun to be able to see all these teams that other wise would not get any national exposure. Even if it is only for a night.
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I would think that the only thing that would work is a 16-team playoff, ala 1-AA (and Diviion II and III). Ideally, each conference champion and five at-large choices (based on ratings as it is now done). Seed the teams similar to that used in basketball. I would use the major bowls as the playoff sites.

There could still be bowl games or all-star games for qualified teams. We get matchups now between #23 and an unranked team, for example now; little would change.

We have a playoff in EVERY team (men's and women's) sport except Division 1-A football. You could even keep a sponsor for quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

What is so difficult?

H-towngreen · December 8, 2005

So you let a 6-5 Ark. St. go but then leave out several other non-conference champs with 9-2/8-3 records. All I'm saying is that no matter what you are going to have problems. Plus you can not have the post-season drag to long into the spring semester.

December 9, 2005

So you let a 6-5 Ark. St. go but then leave out several other non-conference champs with 9-2/8-3 records. All I'm saying is that no matter what you are going to have problems. Plus you can not have the post-season drag to long into the spring semester.
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Have a play-in with the lowest ranked champs out of all the conferences, like is done in the NCAA tournament. That would give those teams a spotlight all their own without having to play a USC or UT in their first game and get blown out.

I don't really care how it is done, but I really would love to see a playoff that included all conference champs.

FirefightnRick · December 9, 2005

I think ArkStfan gave some very good examples a couple of years ago as to how this could be done. He also gave examples of why, in the current system, it will never be allowed because of the massive amount of money it would generate. Seems like the amount was so high that it would ultimately give the AD's at the universities too much power, which was why the university presidents would never go for it because they don't want to hand the schools over to the AD's. Not exactly sure of all the facts used to explain it, but it made perfect sense, and explained some things as to how and why we see what we currently see.

Rick

Trojanman · December 9, 2005

The "if we have 8 teams then the number 9 team will be upset because they didn't get in theory" doesn't hold much water with me. If you're the number 9 team then that means you've lost at least one and maybe two games. If you want to be in the playoffs, then don't lose. If you put yourself in a posisition to be screwed and then you get screwed, then ultimately, it is your own fault.

I could really sympathize with Auburn and Utah last year. They did everything they were supposed to do, they beat everyone they played, but still had no shot at a national championship. That's where the only real unfairness of the whole BCS mess comes into play. When a team does all it can, but still doesn't get a chance to play for a championship, that's when you know you have a broken system.

A lot of people are whining about Oregon not getting in. They had a chance. Just beat USC (if I recall, they were leading that game at one point). I don't feel sorry for any BCS that controls its own destiny and then gets hosed by the very system it created.

As far as us "mid-majors" go, we'd have a set of criteria for making the playoffs as well, even if it's harder to get in than the BCS schools. Just make sure they set them ahead of time and don't change them. If they say you have to win all of your games and beat at least two teams in BCS conferences in the year, then so be it. We know what we have to do. But they darn well better not try to exclude us if we do what they requested. A chance, even though it is a small one, is all that people are asking for.

GreenTiger_OriginalAcct · December 9, 2005

So you let a 6-5 Ark. St. go but then leave out several other non-conference champs with 9-2/8-3 records. All I'm saying is that no matter what you are going to have problems. Plus you can not have the post-season drag to long into the spring semester.
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I am tired of the spring semester argument as well as the arugment about quality teams getting left out. It doesn't hold water. Division 3 football starts with over 200 teams every year, narrows it down to 32 playoff teams (18 or 19 conferences are guaranteed spots, the others are at large), and finishes the season this year on December 17th. This is all run by the NCAA!!! It is an absolute joke that the NCAA claims this cannot be done for D-1. Somebody is on the take $$$$. Plain and simple.

Coffee and TV · December 9, 2005

Don't know why we can't take the top 4 teams (which if you look at the history of the BcS, they've been less controversial) have 1 play 4 and 2 play 3, winners play for the title. It adds one more week onto the bowl schedule which still finishes before the spring semester, and it prevents fans from having to travel 3,4, or 5 weeks in a row in a playoff system.