Another college football season is over and once again the BCS failed to crown a true national champion that everyone can agree on. Utah, USC and Texas all say that they should have played Florida for all the marbles.
Take Utah they went through the season undefeated then dominated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Texas only had one loss and beat the team that played Florida for the national championship during the regular season. USC had a lapse against Oregon State but at the end of the year it was quite obvious that talent wise they were probably the best team in the country.
Florida on the other hand came away with the title. They won the SEC title which just happens to be the toughest conference in the country and they did what they had to do beating Oklahoma in the BCS title game.
There are some that say that is the true charm of major college football because with so many bowl games half the team go out on a winning note rather than ending the season being eliminated in a playoff. Half the fun most people say is arguing in front of the water cooler the day after the game about who was best. They say having a playoff would remove that mystique.
More and more fans would like to see a playoff of some kind even if it is only a plus one format after the January 1st bowl games are completed. Vote for the two best teams left standing and let them play a week later for the title. Sounds good but who would you pick this year when Florida, Utah, USC, and Texas were all deserving?
Using the four New Years day bowls as a starting point or quarter final may be the most logical way to start. Play four games on New Years Day. Two more games the week after and crown a champion two weeks after New Years.
What that does is give eight teams an even shot at the title without killing the big bowls. In fact you make them all more interesting because they are worth more. Rotate the three extra games among the major bowl sites and everyone is happy because they end up adding more TV money to the coffers.
The Pac 10, Big 10, SEC, Big 12, ACC, and Big East all have automatic berths in the bowls currently. That leaves two at large spots. One problem it does create is that under the current arrangement ten teams are now playing in BCS bowl games which gives schools in the MWC, WAC, and C-USA a chance to qualify. Shrinking the pool to only four games will probably cut them out once again. You have to figure Notre Dame will return to its former glory one of these days and suck up one of those at large spots more often than not.
Perhaps you give the top conferences automatic bids to the New Years bowls and have a couple of play in games for the two at large spots. That would open the door for four more teams to participate which would be two more than at present.
Proposed Format
Championship Game (Pasadena)
Semi Final Game (Phoenix)
Semi Final Game (Fort Lauderdale)
Rose Bowl - Pac 10 vs Big Ten
Orange Bowl - ACC vs Big East
Sugar Bowl - SEC vs At Large
Fiesta Bowl - Big 12 vs At Large
Play in Game
Play in Game