Desert Sapper's Blogistan

So now we wait.  The bowls start next week, but is the Poinsettia Bowl really something we just can't miss?  This wait is what prompts so many to start arguing the merits of a playoff system, and I can't say that I necessarily disagree.

The bowls have a brilliant history, marked by great games, great tradition, pageantry, and more.  They represent the greatness of allowing so many teams to end their season with a win, and 5 teams as BCS Bowl game winners (with one winning the 'national championship' on the field after a game of #1 in the polls vs. #2 in the polls). 

The playoffs have a history, as well.  A history in what was once called Division 1AA football (now called the 'Football Championship Subdivision' or FCS).  There, the teams lineup, just as in every professional league, for a playoff, that ends with a championship on the field.

The FCS has a true champion, but no pageantry.  Arguably, the FBS (formerly known as Division 1A) is exactly the opposite.  All pageantry, but missing a true champion at the end.

Sure, LSU and Ohio State deserve to play for the championship.  Arguably, so do all the other conference champions this year.  Nobody has really stood head and shoulders above the rest this year.  So here we are in the age old argument.  Playoffs v. Bowls.

Some have said they can coexist.  Have the bowls, then play a 'plus 1' game.  That sounds nifty, but what happens when we have a year like this? 

Ohio State, LSU, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, USC, and even West Virginia and Hawaii have a claim for a shot at the title.  So who gets to play in the 'plus one'?  The winner of Ohio State-LSU, I'm guessing.  Maybe the winner of OU-West Virginia.  But if USC, Hawaii, and Va Tech all win, then what?  They're all conference champs.  They all have similar win-loss records (only Hawaii is undefeated).  So you have 5 teams that all deserve to play in the 'plus one' and you get the same beauty pageant that you have right now.  Two will play.  Three will be left to flap in the breeze. 

So I say this.

Keep the bowls.  Yes, keep them.  But have a playoff, too.  Make the decision like this...

The champions of all Major Conferences are invited to play (ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big XII, Big East, Pac 10).

Two at-large teams (who must be either independant or the champion of their respective conference) are invited to play.

The games are played at the home of the higher ranked team (based on the BCS poll).  Two weeks of games seed the teams for the bowls, with the championship alternating among the four BCS sites.  Games start after everyone takes their final.  So you have something like this in 2007:

15 December 2007

Game 1 BYU (Mountain West Champs, BCS #17) @ Ohio State (Big 10 Champs, BCS #1)

Game 2 Hawaii (WAC Champs, BCS #10) @ LSU (SEC Champs, BCS #2)

Game 3 West Virginia (Big East Champs, BCS #9) @ Va Tech (ACC Champs, BCS #3)

Game 4 USC (Pac 10 Champs, BCS #7) @ Oklahoma (Big XII Champs, BCS #4)

22 December 2007

Game 5 BYU/tOSU winner v. USC/OU winner

Game 6 UH/LSU winner v. WV/Va Tech winner

1 January 2008

Game 5 loser v. Game 6 loser in Orange

Game 4 loser v. Game 2 loser in Fiesta

Game 3 loser v. Game 1 loser in Rose

2 January 2008

Game 5 winner v. Game 6 winner in Sugar

The pageantry continues, because the Major Bowl game matchups are decided before Christmas (also allowing hype).

You are only talking about 2 more games than what teams already play and the home crowds get to see an extra big matchup or two.

It won't mess with the bowl games we already have in the dead period (between 20 december and 1 January), except that you have two games in addition to the three bowls on that day (and the major networks get two big matchups to air).

It doesn't mess with the academic integrity, given most schools have finals before these playoffs would start.

Everyone still makes a ton of money and it is more evenly distributed (ie; no TWO BCS games for the BCS conferences...but the little guys get a shot at the dough if they manage to make it up high enough AND win their conference).

Fans get a real champion.

The end.  My $2.50 ($.02 after taxes).