Poll question (re: BCS Title game)

[LaxRef]

Just one factoid... for all the crap that that has been heaped upon the BCS - They have gotten in right two of the last four years: Miami/Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and last year in the Rose Bowl (Texas/USC). Some people have a short memory.

Which, of course, means they have gotten in wrong in two of the past four years.

Saying, "Well, this thing occasionally gives us what we could get every year if we'd just have a playoff" is damning with faint praise. The whole system is based on hypocrisy of the highest order: college presidents pretending they give a damn about how a playoff will affect academics for "student"-athletes. They don't; they just want as much money as they can get.

And that's fine, but then they should just come out and say, "Look, we don't give a crap what is best for the fans, we just want to make as much money for our schools as possible." But academics is the last thing on their minds. I mean, they have a playoff in every other division, and no one is complaining about how the NCAA basketball tournament keeps the players out of the classroom for too long (because that freaking thing makes a fortune).

[James Foote]

I believe it happened 4 years ago when the #1 team in the BCS lost to the #2 team late in the season (maybe even the last game) and they merely switched places in the polls. I don't have time to do the research, but does anyone care to check that? If Ohio State/Michigan is close, be worried.

[Beta]

Just one factoid... for all the crap that that has been heaped upon the BCS - They have gotten in right two of the last four years: Miami/Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and last year in the Rose Bowl (Texas/USC). Some people have a short memory.

Which, of course, means they have gotten in wrong in two of the past four years.

Saying, "Well, this thing occasionally gives us what we could get every year if we'd just have a playoff" is damning with faint praise. The whole system is based on hypocrisy of the highest order: college presidents pretending they give a damn about how a playoff will affect academics for "student"-athletes. They don't; they just want as much money as they can get.

And that's fine, but then they should just come out and say, "Look, we don't give a crap what is best for the fans, we just want to make as much money for our schools as possible." But academics is the last thing on their minds. I mean, they have a playoff in every other division, and no one is complaining about how the NCAA basketball tournament keeps the players out of the classroom for too long (because that freaking thing makes a fortune).

Heyyy LaxRef and I agree on something, awsome. College basketball has the lowest graduation rate amongst collegiate athletics (Fencing was #1, Lacrosse #2). Football was in the Mid->Lower range. A playoff system would extend past Finals for most schools and would only affect school vacation time. You are 100% right LaxRef..the school presidents obviously are just flapping their gums about academics for their "student" athletes.

[Sonny]

Just one factoid... for all the crap that that has been heaped upon the BCS - They have gotten in right two of the last four years: Miami/Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and last year in the Rose Bowl (Texas/USC). Some people have a short memory.

Which, of course, means they have gotten in wrong in two of the past four years.

Not really. Remember that under the old (pre-BCS) bowl system, none of these matchups would have happened.

Call me a traditionalist, but I don't want to scrap the entire bowl system.

[Rob Graff]

Kudos to Lax Ref.

Outstanding post

[Beta]

Call me a traditionalist, but I don't want to scrap the entire bowl system.

I dont think anyone is saying "scrap" the entire bowl system. But more along the lines of turning the current 4-5 game BCS bowls into a playoff system by adding 2 more bowls for the playoff. The fan support would be ridiculous (IMHO) even if it were just a 4 team playoff it'd be fun to watch. Take the current top 8 and match them up, there'd be so much less controversy with "who is the best 8" as opposed to "who is the best 2".

1. Ohio State vs 8. USC
2. Michigan vs 7. Texas
3. West Virginia vs 6. Auburn
4. Florida vs 5. Louisville

Which would suuuuuurely result in a...
1. Ohio State vs 4. Florida
7. Texas vs 6. Auburn

And yes..2 possible season rematches with (Texas/Ohio State and Florida/Auburn). But it seems more like they earned the right to do it at this point.

[Sonny]

I think the complaints would be even louder.

Teams 5 - 8 would complain in a 4-team playoff.
Teams 9 thru 12 would complain in a 8-team playoff.
Teams 16 thru 18 would complain in a 16-team playoff.

the current bowl system wouldn't work if it was shoe-horned into a playoff system. The minor bowls would all die off. Communities wouldn't support the bowls through sponsorships or ticket sales (and fans wouldn't travel as much as they do now).

Who are you to say that at a one loss SEC or Big 10 team deserves to be in the "playoff" over one loss Pac-10, Big East, or Big 12 team? What about the rest of 1-A football (WAC, Mountain West, Conf USA, Sun Belt, etc.) That is main point of the problem, as I see it.

An 8 or 16 team playoff might work if the NCAA took over control of 1-A football's championship and had a blue-ribbon selection committee. But it would be the near virtual end of the post season for the other ~ 40 - 50 bowling teams and the selection process would make NCAA Div. 1 Hoops look like a walk in the park.

[Arklax]

Which, of course, means they have gotten in wrong in two of the past four years.

Actually, the BCS has been very accurate. We only have the hindsight of the bowl performances to say who should have been in the championship.

And until every BCS conference does/doesn't have a championship "game", the argument against teams who aren't conference champs is invalid. Take away the Big XII championship game, the 2003 Sooners still have an undefeated record, and the swagger it lost against K-State to kick you-pick-em-LSU/USC in the teeth. USC did not have to deal with another game versus one of their better conference opponents.

For example, let's assume UT loses (doubtful, but given their Tech 1st half performance, possible), they're out. And, the Big East teams beat each other out of national title contention (very possible). Tennesse beats Arkansas, but Arkansas goes on to win the SEC championship over Florida (don't hold your breath, but that is possible). We then have both Tennessee and Auburn, with one losses, and no SEC title under their belt, out of national title talk? Say Cal beats USC...you're going to put them in before Tennessee, who they beat down earlier this year?

[yourmom]

The BCS system is bass ackwards. I'm tired of hearing all the debates about it. Why can't it just be cut and dry?

[CATLAX MAN]

Just one factoid... for all the crap that that has been heaped upon the BCS - They have gotten in right two of the last four years: Miami/Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and last year in the Rose Bowl (Texas/USC). Some people have a short memory.

So getting it right 50% of the time is a good thing????

Actually, the BCS has been very accurate.

Quite untrue. There are a lot of people who would disagree with that. The BCS is about as accurate as the Laxpower rankings.

[LaxRef]

I think the complaints would be even louder.

Teams 5 - 8 would complain in a 4-team playoff.
Teams 9 thru 12 would complain in a 8-team playoff.
Teams 16 thru 18 would complain in a 16-team playoff.

And teams 65-67 complain in the NCAA basketball tournament. I don't see that as being a major issue.

For a 16-team playoff, you could designate conferences with AQs, maybe all 11, and then add 5 at-large teams. People might complain about the at-large bids, but, hey, you could have been in if you'd just won your conference, so quit your whining.

As to how it affects the bowl system, why are we worried about how an unjust system is affected by the creation of a just system? That's like complaining about the end of segregation because you like to sit at the front of the bus.

[Sonny]

I think the complaints would be even louder.

Teams 5 - 8 would complain in a 4-team playoff.
Teams 9 thru 12 would complain in a 8-team playoff.
Teams 16 thru 18 would complain in a 16-team playoff.

And teams 65-67 complain in the NCAA basketball tournament. I don't see that as being a major issue.

For a 16-team playoff, you could designate conferences with AQs, maybe all 11, and then add 5 at-large teams. People might complain about the at-large bids, but, hey, you could have been in if you'd just won your conference, so quit your whining.

As to how it affects the bowl system, why are we worried about how an unjust system is affected by the creation of a just system? That's like complaining about the end of segregation because you like to sit at the front of the bus.

The college football bowl system is now considered unjust? By whom?

Do you have any idea how many players, coaches, fans, communities have been positively impacted by the college football bowl system over the last 80 or so years?

[DanGenck]

BOTTOM LINE-

If they wanted a play-off, they would have one. That's because the decisions are made BY and FOR the people actually involved in the sport. Coaches don't want a play-off. Athletic Directors do not want a play-off. In a pole done by the NCAA, 80% of the players said they didn't want a 12th game, not to mention a 13th, 14th, 15th, etc.

There will not be a play-off to appease the least important people in the equation (i.e. the fans).

I'm sorry if this all sounds harsh, but it's the honest truth. When the priorities of the coaches, AD's, and the players change, then the system will change.

[Sonny]

Just one factoid... for all the crap that that has been heaped upon the BCS - They have gotten in right two of the last four years: Miami/Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl and last year in the Rose Bowl (Texas/USC). Some people have a short memory.

So getting it right 50% of the time is a good thing????

The BCS isn't perfect, but it is much better then the previous system which couldn't match No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a bowl game.

[Zeuslax]

The BCS isn't perfect, but it is much better then the previous system which couldn't match No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a bowl game.

Exactly. Nothing is going to stop the complaining.

I'm a little surprised to see people on here writing Michigan into the national title game. I think Michigan and Ohio State are equal, until you input Troy Smith into the equation. He's just that good and gives Ohio State the advantage. Also, it's getting colder across the country and the teams that can run excel in the later parts of the season. WVU looks great in this department.