Yeah, for some reason Barack Obama sounded off on the “NCAA Football Playoff System” topic during an interview on 60 minutes last month as our country was on the brink of falling apart. It was weird. I think he was trying to be funny.
Regardless, as every college football fan has discussed at one point in their life, there should undoubtedly be a NCAA football playoff. Some people argue for 8 teams, 16 teams, or some sort of variation.
Here are my reasons for a 16 team playoff system…
1) Nobody cares about non-conference games. Non-conference games suck. Cut all 4 of them out of the schedule and start the season off with OVERLY worthwhile conference games. Without being said, your team better be ready to play on week 1!
2) Nobody cares about bowl games (anymore) unless your team is playing in one. For example, this year I slept through the Rose Bowl because it was a blowout, went shopping during the Cotton Bowl even though it was a close game because – ranking wise – it didn’t really matter what team won, and am blogging during the Sugar Bowl because I could care less about either Utah or Alabama and they can’t finish #1.
3) A 16 team playoff system would make the NCAA so much money it’s sick. Just like March Madness, some network will drop some major $ on the exclusive tournament rights. In fact, I’ll guess that a network would drop way more money than the networks dish out to cover the current BCS bowls. Each of the 8 tournament games can keep their bowl games (and destinations?) in the event the NCAA wanted to keep corporate sponsors. For example, the 1 vs. 16 match-up could be the Gaylord Hotels Bowl and/or the 2 vs. 15 match-up could be the Outback Bowl. As the playoff boils down, the NCAA would still maintain their major bowls like the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange and keep their lame sponsors.
4) Every single year since its inception in 1998, it seems that the BCS system screws some team HARDCORE – sans rubber. This year, USC, Utah, and Texas got screwed.
5) There isn’t a single football fan that likes the BCS system.
So, a 16 team postseason tournament. This would make for 9 conference games, 1 bye, and NO non-conference games. The top team from each of the 11 conferences and the top 5 other teams (as voted upon by a committee) would be invited to participate in the tournament. I guarantee that such a playoff system would have almost every single college football fan tuning into each of the 15 games over 4 weeks. RATINGS!
Unless I’m missing something, a NCAA football playoff system should be in place as early as next year. As baffling as it was that my grandparents didn’t have running water growing up, I think my children and grandchildren will wonder why the NCAA screwed the pooch so horribly with the current BCS system.
Thoughts?
Update: Here’s something from last year that I seemingly copied and pasted sections from. Ha!
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-playoff112707&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Bcc:List.com 
I like the pitch but what happens with solid teams in the 4-5 conferences with East and West divisions?? Only 5 at large committee picks? You do not have enough games for all teams to matchup so does that present a problem? I am all for the playoff but want to ensure the right teams get in.
Good stuff!
Nick,
I have to admit that I don’t really follow the conferences that have two divisions like the MAC or ACC. But, don’t the two leading teams of each division play at the end of the year to figure out who won the conference? If so, the above would work. If not, you bring up a good point but I guess we’d leave it up to the aforementioned committee to decide the last 5 teams in.
Thanks for the comment!
It won’t happen. I was listening to Kirk Herbstreit from ESPN on the radio. The BCS is run by the conferences, not the NCAA. It’s not like March Madness which the NCAA is in charge of. So, because the conferences run the BCS, a playoff would in effect take money away from the conferences that would lose the importance of their bowl game. Some schools are getting anywhere from 4 to 5 million for a bowl game. The conferences want that money. Until the NCAA is in charge of the BCS, and not the conferences, you won’t have a playoff. Plus, Herbstreit said that a BCS contract was signed recently for another 6 years. So, you have at least 6 years until that is even a discussion.
Just thought I would share. Personally, I would also like to see a playoff, but after hearing Herbstreit explain it, it won’t happen.
its a good argument A.B., but you couldt still have a playoff system while the conferences are still making money. if you have a 16 team bracket, have the top seeds getting home playoff games, bringing revenue to the respective teams and their confrences
There has to be a way to make sure all the conferences/teams make major money since every NCAA football fan will be watching every game.
Keep the sponsors ($!!!) the same for the 16 team playoff. Since there would only be 15 games, I assume they’ll need to have a few teams play in 15-20 other non NCAA bowl playoff system games.
I can’t believe something recently got signed with the BCS for 6 more years. This means 6 more years of screwing at least one team and NCAA football fans being disgruntled at the postseason set-up.
I think there should be a playoff system because the fans (including me) would like the game better. it would be more intense when it is win or go home.
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i like the current bcs bowl system
i am a texas fan and i beleve that texas did get screwed but thats ok because the system we have now works
there is nothing wrong with the current bcs bowl system
you are definitely in the minority here. there’s a much better way to determine a national champion. we’ll see what happens I guess.
the conference games shows what conference is the best without this who will be able to tell what team are really good we just need more games like NFL
Glad I took a minute to stop and read. I will be back.
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will get will have a divide 1 playoff.
I don’t get it…