Death to the BCS

A couple tidbits and post-reading thoughts from Death to the BCS authored by Dan Wetzel

I first must say that I was somewhat against a playoff at the FBS level in Division I college football.  I was worried it may kill the bowl system, make the regular season less relevant and take away from the magic of college football.  Turns out I was completely buying into everything the "cartel", as Wetzel puts it, was wanting me to believe.

• A 16 game playoff could be held over the same time frame as the bowl season currently runs.
• The bowl season could still thrive as the money for the playoff could help offset and subsidize smaller bowls.
• Could give all 11 conference champions a chance to win a national championship.
• Would give college campuses and towns additional revenue.
• Keeps regular season meaningful with conference championship races and the ability to earn home field advantage.  Think about the races in NFL.  Now think about how the races would look after 12 games. 
• Would create a "March Madness" like opening weekend.  Think about a Friday/Saturday with four college football playoff games on each day.  AWESOME! 
• The amount of money this college football playoff would bring in would dwarf the amount the current system brings in.
• Big Ten commisioner Jim Delaney has been a big opponent to the playoff because his conference has the largest share of the "small pot" of money.  
• Bowl presidents make a ton of money and the whole process is rather sleazy.
• Currently many universities go to bowl games and lose money even after their conference helps them out.  With EVERY conference getting a share of the projected 750 million dollars in revenue all schools could come out ahead.
• Conferences would get shares of the total pot based on how far teams advanced.  Your conference plays in 3 playoff games, your conference earns 75 million dollars. 

Here is how this seasons playoff might have looked....

1) LSU vs 16) Louisiana Tech (Friday December 16th, 11 a.m.)
2)Alabama vs 15) Arkansas State (Friday December 16th, 2:30 p.m.)
3) Oklahoma State vs 14) Northern Illinois (Saturday December 17th, 11:00 a.m.)
4) Oregon vs 13) Southern Mississippi (Saturday December 17th, 9:00 pm.)
5) Stanford vs 12) West Virginia (Saturday December 17th, 6 pm)
6) Wisconsin vs 11) Kansas State (Saturday December 17th, 2:30 pm)
7) TCU vs 10) Michigan State (Friday December 16th, 7:30 p.m.)
8) Clemson vs 9) Arkansas (Friday December 16th, 6 p.m.)


There are some salty matchups in that first round.  There are some snoozers.  EVERYONE would be watching though.  My seedings may be off but assuming top seeds advanced, the second weekend you would have these matchups....

8)Clemson @ 1)LSU (Saturday December 24th 11 a.m.)
7) TCU @ 2)Alabama (Saturday December 24th 2:30 pm)
6)Wisconsin @ 3)Oklahoma State (Saturday December 24th, 7 pm.)
5) Stanford @ 4) Oregon (Saturday December 24th, 9:30 pm)


That would be one hell of a Saturday football schedule!

Then...

4) Oregon @ 1) LSU (Monday January 2nd, 7 p.m.)
3) Oklahoma State @ 2) Alabama (Monday January 2nd, 2:30 pm)

Then...

3)Oklahoma State vs 1) LSU @ the Rose Bowl (Monday January 9th, 7:15 pm)

This still gives teams like ISU a chance to participate in a bowl game.  It still gives them a shot to sneak into the playoff and compete for a national championship.  I don't know as if a playoff with this many teams would ever be realistic but it is certainly fun to think about.  I think the best short-term resolution we will get is a "Plus One" or four-game playoff.  I really like the idea of all conference champions participating however.