LETTER: College football needs playoffs

MadisonJournalTODAY

RSS Feed

Email Alerts

Facebook

LETTER: College football needs playoffs

Posted by

Zach Mitcham

in Opinions

Monday, January 24. 2011

Comments (4)

Dear Editor:

It’s time for a playoff in college football. Even with the BCS getting it right this year with Auburn and Oregon in the national championship game, this isn’t always the case every year.

Because of the problems in college football, ranging from not all the top teams playing for the championship and a too large bowl system, all of this costs college football postseason interest and profit.

To protect college football’s traditions and solve these problems the bowl system needs to be reduced and a playoff system put in place.

But what type of playoff would work best for the sport and BCS? After regular season play and the conference championship games not many quality teams are left. So an eight or four-team playoff using the current BCS format would be the right size, not a 16-team NFL style playoff, with borderline good teams filling out the field.

The only change to the BCS would be adding two semi-final games if an eight-team playoff was used. With the games being played on the highest-ranked home teams field or a neutral site. Also, New Year’s Day bowl games would again have meaning, with the first round playoff games being played in that day’s BCS bowl games.

As the NFL faces a possible lockout and moves to an 18-game season. 2011 would be the year for a playoff system to start. If not, college football fans, can look forward to more boring postseason games.

Sincerely,

Terry D. Adams

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Anonymous on 01/25/11 at 01:03 AM [Reply]

Um, they didn't get it right this year. Without a plus one, Auburn and TCU have share the national championship. Both teams finished undefeated, and won their bowl games.

TCU Horned Frogs, 13-0, Co-National Champs!

#2 Think about all of the benefits... on 01/25/11 at 07:59 AM [Reply]

Terry,

There are many benefits for the players, universities and programs that are provided under the current system.

In short, don't look for it to ever change where only 8 teams participate in postseason play.

As it stands now every team participating in a bowl game receives:

- anywhere from 4-6 weeks of extra practice approved by the NCAA. Many teams use this as a way to give underclassmen a chance to take on a larger role.

- a platform to publicly- and legally based on the NCAA's strict guidelines- promote their school, program and all aspects of their team to potential recruits who are still making up their mind.

- a rather generous amount of money that can be used to further improve facilities and other aspects of each school's program. Like it or not, sports at the NCAA Division 1 level have slowly evolved into an arms race and there is no end in sight.

When you combine a chance for a team to get better, with influence and money one can quickly deduce that a playoff system excluding most of the teams currently participating is nothing but a pipe dream.

In light of the fact that some things will never change, I've found it more beneficial to find the positives in what you may feel to be a negative situation. Watch the games for what they are- 18-22 year old young men playing a game that the vast majority of us can not.

#3 Brent Mikel on 01/25/11 at 10:53 AM [Reply]

Being somewhat of a purist, I agree with the idea of establishing a playoff system in place of the current Bowl Champsionship Series (BCS). Crowning an undisputed winner who earned the championship by knocking off the other contenders is the fairest system. A current successful template already exists (Division 1AA).

Ultimately, and here is the thing that must be addressed openly and honestly - it is all about the love of money. Bowls have the potential for big revenue if well funded and marketed. Many individuals (vendors for example) and organizations (universities, football teams, alumni, TV networks, cities, corporations, parades, beauty contests, etc.) who see the current BCS system as a big part of their livelihood will lobby to keep the BCS alive.

#4 bill on 01/28/11 at 09:15 AM [Reply]

I'm sorry but a college football playoff system is not very important except to bookies.

Are these players not students? Do they ever have a chance to go to class? Really, how many college football players are going to the NFL?

Let them get their degrees and Mr. Adams can find something else to keep his interest during the weekends.

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is seven minus four?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

Community

Madison Community

LETTER: College football needs playoffs

MadisonJournalTODAY

LETTER: College football needs playoffs

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags