Playoffs? You kidding me? PLAYOFFS?

[Pony Soup]

I know Dwan has seen this coming, but it is time for a playoff!! The idea that Ohio State, Kansas, Missouri, or West Viginia would beat USC or LSU (or any SEC teams probably) is just plain absurd. That being said, I believe they should get a shot if they earn it. I will outline my proposal for a playoff scheme below and please feel free to comment or make suggestions.

A Model BCS:

This proposal is based upon the idea that, ultimately, every student-athlete should show up to day 1 of practice with a dream: a NCAA National Championship. And every single man should have the chance to fulfill that dream.

I propose an 8 team playoff that will take place around Christmas weekend, New Year's, and approx Jan 8-9. (Other Bowl games will remain in place.) Every conference will be required to determine its champion by means of a championship game. Six of the eight spots in the playoff bracket will be filled by the highest ranked conference champions. The remaining 2 spots will be filled by the highest ranked non-conference champs.

The purpose of this structure is two fold. First, it affords each team and every player the opportunity to earn a shot at the "big guys." Second, it encourages teams to play legitimate, high profile non-conference games, which is a good deal for the schools (financially) and the fans.

As for Notre Dame, join a conference or finish with as a top 2 non conf champ or go home. No free rides here.

Most of the people who do not like my idea are fans of schools that benefit from the current system (Texas, Wisonsin, etc). But at the end of the day, if you can't win your conference, you can't be national champion. (I realize that this proposal allows for that possibility, but I have to give something if I want them to bite off). Remember when Oklahoma lost the Big 12 and still played for the title? Is that a joke?

Anyways - thoughts, suggestions, comments? It certainly isn't perfect but I just strongly believe that the smaller programs (SMU included) should be able to say to themselves, lets win our conference and then we can have a shot at a Texas or a USC...

[perunapower]

Make it a 16-team or a 24-team playoff and I'm on board. An 8-team playoff would not helpful. I believe FCS uses a 16-team. FBS could use a 24-team system where the top 8 get a bye and the other 16 play the first week.

[Pony Soup]

I am all for a 16 or 24 team playoff, just think thats harder to sell because of the other bowls, etc. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. I just think its absurd that 80% of players can't even dream about winning it all..

[abezontar]

According to ESPN there are 64 bowl slots available, meaning that 64 teams make a bowl game every year. This means that there are 32 bowl games. Why not just use your bowl games as the locations for playoff games. I'd be willing to bet some of these would be better attended than they are now. I'd be much more likely to try to make the Ft. Worth Bowl if I knew that the teams were playing for something other than to be the ft. worth bowl champions, even if I had no idea who the teams were going to be.

[J.T.supporta]

People that dont believe in the BCS need to look back at the last month and realize we have had a playoff basically every week of the season dating back to the start of Nov...

Bowl Games make CFB what it is, the best type of football to watch...back in the day no one complained as much as they do today about having "split NCs".

Abes view on how to play games for the playoffs is perfect but folks just have to understand that it wont be happening anytime soon because they'll only take money away from schools, BIG OR SMALL...and we all know Colleges love money!

[Bergermeister]

No playoffs, thank you.

[Pony Soup]

JT - if a playoff is built thoughtfully, total revenues would certainly increase. No question about that.

And Berger - No playoffs? Why? Just because?

[J.T.supporta]

JT - if a playoff is built thoughtfully, total revenues would certainly increase. No question about that.

And Berger - No playoffs? Why? Just because?

sure revenues might increase, but money will still be taking out of the smaller schools hands that DEPEND on bowl games to give them that much needed cash for their program.

I will admit if and when they get the money right, we might be seeing a playoff system...but wont be happening for atleast another 5 years...2013 maybe

[Pony Soup]

I dont expect it to happen soon, but this is a season that proves we need one. This proposal will give conference champions from smaller conferences BCS type money, and they can require a rev sharing structure as well to help out other schools. My proposal also calls for the other bowl games to go on as scheduled. If they stick to 8 teams, or possibly 12 with a bye structure, then there is no reason the other bowl games would disappear.

I just think that taking 6 champs opens the door to opportunity for more schools, increases revenues, determines a true champion, and incentivizes the "big-name" programs to play marquis non-conference games because beating the best is the only way to lock up an at large spot in the event that you lose your conference.

the current system rewards the big schools for generally not scheduling anyone worthwhile for non-conference games (see Texas' schedule), closes the door on 80% + of players when the preseason ranking come out, and needs to be changed.

Why does Ohio State, which lost to an UNRANKED lllinois, still have a shot at the BCS title game when Hawaii is undefeated? THis is a perfect example - Hawaii wins the WAC outright and remains undefeated to date...shouldn't they get a chance to play someone? While they probably dont deserve a spot in the one title game that can only take 2 teams , my proposal would get them a chance at the title and still allow those teams that squeak out of the best conferences, even with 1-2 losses, their fair shot as well.

[abezontar]

JT - if a playoff is built thoughtfully, total revenues would certainly increase. No question about that.

And Berger - No playoffs? Why? Just because?

sure revenues might increase, but money will still be taking out of the smaller schools hands that DEPEND on bowl games to give them that much needed cash for their program.

I will admit if and when they get the money right, we might be seeing a playoff system...but wont be happening for atleast another 5 years...2013 maybe

I thought I read an article stating that most small money programs broke even or lost money on the bowl proposition because the bowls they were traveling to didn't have a high enough payout. If I can find the article I'll post it.

[J.T.supporta]

JT - if a playoff is built thoughtfully, total revenues would certainly increase. No question about that.

And Berger - No playoffs? Why? Just because?

sure revenues might increase, but money will still be taking out of the smaller schools hands that DEPEND on bowl games to give them that much needed cash for their program.

I will admit if and when they get the money right, we might be seeing a playoff system...but wont be happening for atleast another 5 years...2013 maybe

I thought I read an article stating that most small money programs broke even or lost money on the bowl proposition because the bowls they were traveling to didn't have a high enough payout. If I can find the article I'll post it.

please do...but i know that schools in the MAC look foward to those bowl payouts

as for a playoff system...i think whats best is to have ALL conferences play a championship game, meaning that most conferences need to go to atleast 12 teams deep...then you can take ALL championship winners and place them in the playoff by rankings or records...then from the remaining teams that did not win their conference...take the 5 highest ranked teams from them...and theres your 16 team playoff...

but i still hate the idea of a playoff

[Pony Soup]

It is key that all conferences determine their champion by a single championship game. I think allowing all conference champs into the playoff is great, but would be a very difficult sell to start. I would expect it to start with 8 and hopefully expand from there

[Ponymon]

I know Dwan has seen this coming, but it is time for a playoff!! The idea that Ohio State, Kansas, Missouri, or West Viginia would beat USC or LSU (or any SEC teams probably) is just plain absurd.

USC, probably not if Booty is the QB. LSU, however, couldn't beat a mediocre Arkansas team. They aren't quite as great as you make them out to be.

[that's great raplh]

the rgular season is the playoff

[J.T.supporta]

the rgular season is the playoff

AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!