Anybody have a better idea?

[Water Pony]

Coming up with an improved system to decide an NCAA champion wouldn't be easy

Teddy Greenstein
ON SPORTS MEDIA AND COLLEGES

December 4, 2006

Florida coach Urban Meyer says it's just so obvious, calling it "common sense."

Division I-A college football needs a playoff to determine a true national champion.

What's far less obvious is how to accomplish that without diminishing the regular season and without killing a bowl system that rewards thousands of student-athletes each year and has been a backbone of the sport for decades. And how to do it in a way that treats the contenders fairly.

Meyer can draw up a spread-option attack to beat a dime package, but when he was asked Sunday if he planned to propose a better system, he punted.

"No," he replied, "unless I'm asked or put on a committee of the American Football Coaches Association."

And therein lies the problem. Many people hate the BCS system, but how about coming up with something better?

"Where is the magic point," asked BCS coordinator and Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, "where you maintain the quality of the regular season as it currently exists and yet, at the same time, provide more opportunity for deserving teams?"

That is the key question. Let's examine some possibilities.

16-team playoff

The good: No more complaints about teams not getting a chance to "win it on the field."

The bad: Regular season would be completely watered down, with top teams knowing they can lose once or twice and still make the tournament. Example: This year's game between one-loss Notre Dame and one-loss USC would have been all but meaningless. It could require some teams to play 17 games. Early-round playoff games (bowls) would not draw well, with fans waiting for more important games. Would 30,000 Wolverines fans flock to Tampa for a first-rounder between No. 3 Michigan and No. 14 Wake Forest?

Eight-team playoff (using BCS rankings)

The good: Obvious entertainment value. Teams such as Michigan and Boise State would get a shot this year. Could possibly be integrated into the bowl system, with second-rung bowls (Cotton, Capital One, Gator, Outback) hosting first-round games.

The bad: Still diminishes the regular season. This year's Michigan-Ohio State game would have lost significant meaning. And how about fairness? While No. 6 Louisville, No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 8 Boise State would be included, Auburn, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Arkansas would be left out.

Eight-team playoff (using six conference champions and two at-large teams)

The good: Would add excitement to ACC, Big 12 and SEC title games. Auburn, which won the SEC in 2004, would not have gotten shut out. Again: obvious entertainment value.

The bad: How do you select the at-large teams? If you go by BCS rankings, Michigan and LSU would make it over USC, Notre Dame and Boise State. Two years ago, Big East champ Pittsburgh, rated 21st by the BCS, would have made it over No. 6 Utah (because of at-larges Texas and Cal). Last year, No. 11 West Virginia would have made it over No. 6 Notre Dame (because of at-larges Ohio State and Oregon). Notre Dame would argue that the system is unfair to independents.

Plus-One system (four-team playoff using BCS bowls)

The good: Teams ranked third, such as Michigan in '06 and Auburn in '04, would get their shot. One extra game that college football fans would relish.

The bad: Major issues about fairness. This year, fourth-ranked LSU, at 10-2, would get in over 10-2 USC, 11-1 Louisville, 11-1 Wisconsin and 12-0 Boise State. Last season, No. 4 Ohio State (9-2) would have made it over 10-1 Oregon and 9-2 Notre Dame (losses were by three points to Michigan State and USC). And we might never have gotten the perfect national title game, undefeated USC vs. undefeated Texas.

[email protected]

Copyright © 2006, The Chicago Tribune

[J.T.supporta]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... nes/061205

another great article about the BCS and playoff systems.

[LonghornFan68]

Here's what I would propose - a combination of a playoff and BCS-type poll:

1) Have independents join a conference. For example, Navy and Army could join the big East, Temple could join the WAC (not the best fit, but would have to do) and Notre Dame could join the Big 10/11.

2) Each conference would split into divisions.

3) Each team would play 10 or 11 regular season games (haven't decided).

4) Every conference would have a champ game (either at home or at a neutral site).

5) Each conference champ would automatically get a playoff spot as well as 5 at-large teams. The at-large teams would be determined by their ranking in the BCS-style poll.

6) The 16 playoff teams would be seeded based on their ranking in the BCS-style poll. 1 would play 16, 2 would play 15, etc. The higher ranked team would be the home team. Each round the teams are re-ranked and reseeded.

I haven't quite figured out how to incorporate the bowls, but perhps this would weed out some of the crappier bowls. I think there are too many as-is.

This scenario would give validity to the OOC games as well as the Conference games. Therefore, a team like Texas would not be penalized for scheduling a tough OOC game like Ohio State and losing because it could still go out and win the conference and have a spot in the playoff.

I'm sure it's a flawed idea, but it's the best I could come up with.

[MustangStealth]

The best idea I've heard is a plus-one system, but not like what that describes. Go back to the old bowl system and play all the games. THEN apply the BCS formula to determine #1 and #2, and have them play the next week.

This year, it would be something like:
Rose: USC vs. Ohio St.
Orange: Oklahoma vs. Wake
Sugar: Florida vs. Notre Dame
Fiesta: LSU vs. Michigan
Capital One: Louisville vs. Wisconsin
Cotton: Texas vs. Auburn
etc.

You would probably see the Liberty Bowl change their tie in to some arrangement where they can get the top 2 non-BCS teams, for instance Boise vs. BYU, similar to 2004 when Boise played Louisville.

Conceivably Ohio St and Florida would control their own destiny at this point, but Michigan could still get in if either of them lose, and if all of those front runners lose, there's even an outside shot still for a team like Boise (at least much greater than there is now).

The tradition of the bowls is maintained. Only 2 teams have an extra game to play, and that can be done the week after New Years (which has games under the current arrangement). All of the contenders get one last shot to impress the voters against another quality team before anything is decided (so Michigan can't whine about finishing 2 weeks before Florida). Fans don't have to worry about buying tickets to 4 playoff games in 4 different cities. The regular season would keep its importance.

[MustangStealth]

1) Have independents join a conference. For example, Navy and Army could join the big East, Temple could join the WAC (not the best fit, but would have to do) and Notre Dame could join the Big 10/11.

I too would like to see all of the conferences go to 12 teams (either 9 conferences and boot the bottom 11 teams to 1-AA or let in one more team and go to 10 conferences). This move would have to come from the conferences, and the PAC 10 (Utah? BYU?) and Big 10 won't do it (unless it was Notre Dame). The NCAA can't and more importantly shouldn't force teams into conferences. I think the time of independents in college football is done, with the BCS and the need for Bowls to have pre-arranged tie ins, and the ones that are left need to bite the bullet. On that note, Temple will join the MAC next year, giving them 13 teams.

[that's great raplh]

Plus-One system (four-team playoff using BCS bowls)

The good: Teams ranked third, such as Michigan in '06 and Auburn in '04, would get their shot. One extra game that college football fans would relish.

The bad: Major issues about fairness. This year, fourth-ranked LSU, at 10-2, would get in over 10-2 USC, 11-1 Louisville, 11-1 Wisconsin and 12-0 Boise State. Last season, No. 4 Ohio State (9-2) would have made it over 10-1 Oregon and 9-2 Notre Dame (losses were by three points to Michigan State and USC). And we might never have gotten the perfect national title game, undefeated USC vs. undefeated Texas.

just add the following element - only conference champions can play in the four games...

i feel that, at that level, only champions should play each other for championships

this year my four seeds in order would be:
ohio state
florida
luoisville
usc

[PK]

Like the idea of conference champions playing for the national title, but there are more than 4 conferences. How would the bowl games fit into this scheme? With all the money out there for bowl games, there better be a way for them to fit in.

[J.T.supporta]

Just have 12 conferences with 10 teams in them. Every team plays 9 games conference games and 1 "warm-up" game against a I-AA school.

The 12 conference champs make the playoffs with an NFL format where The top 4 teams get byes. After each round teams are re-seeded. and thus A PLAYOFF system is born into CFB...someone send this to the NCAA ...

[MustangLaxer]

Sorry to be a hater, but you are telling me that Houston (who lost to 6-6 Miami) deserves a chance in the 'playoff' ahead of Michigan because they won the CUSA? Hope the postage to the NCAA didn't break you bank pal

[couch 'em]

Every conference selects a champion, 8 team playoff.

Conferences champions with the best records (note, not ranking, but record) get selected. Best record among independants counts as their champion.

This encourages conferences to even out - they'll want to pick up some easy teams to boost their record. This is create a true champion and make a more even playing field.

[MustangStealth]

Just curiously, is everyone who favors a playoff willing to forfeit our 1935 NC claim? We basically would have lost our first round playoff game that year, despite finishing the regular season #1 and beating #2.

[mrydel]

Just curiously, is everyone who favors a playoff willing to forfeit our 1935 NC claim? We basically would have lost our first round playoff game that year, despite finishing the regular season #1 and beating #2.

Only if you also allow me to go back in time and go for 2 against Arkansas the year we lost out to Penn St. Although kicking was the right thing to do at the time, knowing now what the final outcome was, that would become the thing to do. Also, I want to go back and revisit my first marriage decision, and a couple of job moves.

[Mountain Mustang]

Here's what I would propose - a combination of a playoff and BCS-type poll:

1) Have independents join a conference. For example, Navy and Army could join the big East, Temple could join the WAC (not the best fit, but would have to do) and Notre Dame could join the Big 10/11.

2) Each conference would split into divisions.

3) Each team would play 10 or 11 regular season games (haven't decided).

4) Every conference would have a champ game (either at home or at a neutral site).

5) Each conference champ would automatically get a playoff spot as well as 5 at-large teams. The at-large teams would be determined by their ranking in the BCS-style poll.

6) The 16 playoff teams would be seeded based on their ranking in the BCS-style poll. 1 would play 16, 2 would play 15, etc. The higher ranked team would be the home team. Each round the teams are re-ranked and reseeded.

I haven't quite figured out how to incorporate the bowls, but perhps this would weed out some of the crappier bowls. I think there are too many as-is.

This scenario would give validity to the OOC games as well as the Conference games. Therefore, a team like Texas would not be penalized for scheduling a tough OOC game like Ohio State and losing because it could still go out and win the conference and have a spot in the playoff.

I'm sure it's a flawed idea, but it's the best I could come up with.

I like this idea, and actually think it'd be pretty easy to move some teams around geopgraphically and come up with ten 12 team conferences. You'd have those 10 in and 6 at large. I say still play all the smaller bowl games. I would have the first round be played at the home site of the higher seeded team as it would probably occur when school is still in session (early-mid December).

I'd limit each team to 11 games with 8conf. and 3 OOC games + championship. The most games anyone could play is 16 (only 2 more than Florida will play this year) and there's only 2 teams that would play that many.

I have previously said that I would like to see an 8 team playoff, but I think that 16 could work out pretty well, especially with the first round at home sites.

[EastStang]

I favor something slightly different. Eight team playoff Six BCS conference champions are in. The Non-BCS conference champion with the best record (this year Boise State and no more than 2 losses and if two teams have identical records the one with the highest BCS rating). One independent at large if they have only 1 loss (this might get ND to consider joining the BE). If no team qualifies to fill the non-BCS spot or the Independent slot then to the teams with the highest BCS rating. ND will not join any conference unless they see it in their best interest to do so. They are the only school with its own network TV deal.

My second choice is that the non-BCS slot is filled after a series of play in games between the various conference champions (MAC, WAC, CUSA, MWC and Sunbelt). The problem of course is the odd number of conferences. Again, you might be able to eliminate the conference champion with the worst record (in this case Troy State). Then you could have MAC vs. WAC, MWC v. CUSA winners play for the 8th playoff slot.

[MustangStealth]

Then you could have MAC vs. WAC, MWC v. CUSA winners play for the 8th playoff slot.

Now you're looking at at way too many games.

11-12 game regular season
1 conf. championship game
2 play-in games
3 round playoff.

That's as many as 18 games someone could play. The Superbowl winner in the NFL usually only plays 19.