Division I-A Playoff

[Charleston Pony]

As I sit here watching the March Madness games, I can't help but think college football could do the same thing basketball does, i.e., have a playoff that gives EVERYONE a chance to compete for the national championship. These mid-major conferences battle hard for the right to go to the Big Dance, where realistically they are going to get their heads handed to them. They have NO CHANCE of winning the championship, but the Toutney is better for having allowed them to compete.

Division I-AA has shown that a 16 team playoff is workable. The 6 BCS conferences would all send their champions and they would obviously be the top seeds (earning home games that would most likely be sellouts). The 5 current mid-major conferences and independents (except for Notre Dame?) would have to be reorganized into 4 more regional conferences of 12-14 members. This would set up conference football championship games to determine who would represent the various conferences. With only 4 mid-major participants, the BCS conferences (and Notre Dame if they don't join the Big 10 or Big East) would compete for 6 wild card spots.

If 16 teams participating and 15 games being played isn't enough, there could still be a series of bowl games or even another tourney (like the NIT) for teams that may have lost their championship games but had seasons deserving of post season play. I hope the NCAA gives this type of plan some serious consideration when the current BCS deal ends in 2006.

[Stallion]

you're right-its too bad college football doesn't have a commisioner with the power to do what's right for the game. I fully understand the financial monopoly the BCS has on college football-but that greed reduces the product that college football could offer. College Football is forgetting that to a large segment of even the sports fan-the endless number of meaningless bowls is simply not attractive or competitive with other sports championships. The one crucial fact that you pointed out is that a championship would make ALL BOWL GAMES important and meaningful resulting in a much larger audience and eventually more negotiating power at TV contract time.

[Grider]

For what it's worth, I was at a function the other day and the guest speaker was a Big 12 ref. He was asked the question about the playoff system. He actually said the NCAA is forming a comittee this year to examine the possibility of a playoff system in Div-I football.

[Water Pony]

My concern about the Division I playoff is the control and domination by the BCS conferences. Their budgets and enrollments will have the ability to define a process which ensures Conference Winners and other top half teams to particpate in bowls and playoffs, while the Mid-major hope for one or two teams at best.

I am rapidly approaching the idea that more parity is desirable by capping the number of players on teams, while reducing the total expenditures, which have rewarded to date the biggest schools with the biggest enrollments. The Road to the Final Four is much more democratic. In the meantime, we are finally doing the right things to compete. Go Mustangs.

[Charleston Pony]

Water Pony: my proposal would set up a Division I-A football playoff that would be very similar to the current Division I basketball tourney. Yes, it would be "biased" towards the BCS programs, who would have 12 of the 14 participants, much like basketball is biased towards the "power" conferences...BUT, it would give the mid-majors a chance to participate and possibly narrow the gap that exists today.

I personally have no problem with the BCS schools dominating the post-season. Let's face it: how many kids have signed with SMU or other mid-majors after having been offered scholarships by UT or OU or Nebraska? Those top BCS programs draw 3-4 times more fans than any of the mid-majors, so why shouldn't they have 3 times the representation?

I just want to see a system that includes the mid-majors, and the current system is a joke. With the bias inherent in the RPI, there is virtually no chance a mid-major program ends up ranked in the top 6 in the nation (I think that's the current requirement). The truth is that SMU could go unbeaten with our current schedule and still be on the outside looking in.

I'd love to see consolidation of the mid-majors and have 12-14 team conferences with a football championship game that is truly meaningful...because the league champ gets to show what they can do against the very best. I'd prefer that to today's opportunity to play a 4th place team from a BCS conference in what is pretty much a meaningless game.

[Water Pony]

Charleston:

I like your summary and, more importantly, your enthusiasm toward this model. If we can be a player in a strengthened Mid-Major conference (with improved Regional competition), I would be for it. I don't like today's bowl opportunities either and the performance of the lower tier schools in Mid-Majors (which unfortunately has included us recently) has a pull down effect.

To get a conference winner and another one or possibly two strong performing Mid-Major teams in the Play-offs would be great. Can we trust the BCS led review of the options remains a concern.