One of my friends asked me the other day “why college football, why not basketball, or pro football?” I thought about it and gave this answer generally (though less articulately since I have a chance to review and edit what I’m writing.)
- 28,000 – that’s the number of people who attended a practice; not a scrimmage, not a game, a practice for Ohio State last Monday.
- One and done – that’s what it takes to disqualify you for playing in a meaningful post season game. One loss. Effectively, the entire season is a playoff. Win against good competition and everything takes care of itself (apologies to Auburn fans, your team shouldn’t have scheduled Cupcake U in the non-conference games in 2004.)
- Millions – the only whiny millionaires you’re likely to see are certain head coaches. The players play because they love the game. Antonio Smith, a walk-on at Ohio State majoring in mechanical engineering, won’t go to the NFL. But he’s out there practicing and helping the team every day. He was rewarded with a scholarship because of that in his senior year and might see the field during games.
- 105,000 – that’s how many people jam into the Horseshoe for each Ohio State home game. Doesn’t matter who they’re playing, doesn’t matter if the team is good or bad, doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing, or sleeting, people show up garbed in Scarlet and Gray.
- OSU/Michigan – rivalries and traditions. Script Ohio. Dotting the “i.” Army/Navy. The Old Oaken bucket. Joe Pa. There’s more to the game than the game. People can’t wait for their team to take the field and there’s always a tradition, rivalry, and/or side story to the action.
It’s only 6 days now until OSU/NIU. I can’t wait. Oh, by the way, a Google search of similar kinds of articles turned up this ESPN column from Ivan Maisel, he writes about 20 reasons College Football rules.
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The whole season is a playoff? Tell that to USC in 2003. The BCS should have been canned right then.
Strength of schedule matters now for Auburn? Why did it not matter in 1983?
The simple truth is, the BCS is a single game playoff with a flawed seeding system. 2003 proved the BCS failed in its fundamental mission: To pit #1 against #2, produce a true national champion, and eliminate forever split titles.
Any seeding system which places a conference title game loser (FYI, conference title games are playoff games), into a national championship game is screwed. When was the last time an NFC or AFC runner up made it to the SuperBowl?
The BCS seeding system is still fundamentally flawed because there is no automatic elimanation of a conference championship loser.
The critics of a playoff say we can’t have a playoff because we cannot tolerate any more games added to the season. Then this year they add a 12th regular season game. Add a conference championship and you are at 13. Add a bowl and you are at 14.
Here is a crazy idea. Go back to an eleven game season. Modify the BCS seeding so no conference championship game loser can be in the BCS championship, regardless of polls or computers (i.e., single elimination). Have two semifinal games (#1 vs. #4, and #2 vs. #3) on New Year’s day. Then have a “College Superbowl” in mid January.
Yes, #5 will feel slighted. But if it works, someday it could be expanded to a quarterfinal, with eight teams seeded. With only eleven conferences, and a only a handful of independents, that is the most Division 1 college football needs. #9 should have done better.
What would work even better with an eight team playoff would be if there were the elimination of independents, some consolidation of conferences, and a requirement for conference championship games. This would allow the conference championship games to be integrated as the first round of a playoff.
By the way, why is an eleven team conference called “The Big 10”. Is it because you midwestern farmboys can’t count above 10? Maybe you need to take your shoes off.
Great comments, thanks. BTW, I agree about the Big 11, Notre Dame should just get over itself and join so there’d be 12 and they could fight with that “other” Big and 12 conference over names…..
That being said, I am a playoff proponent in the manner you layout above, I still stand by my comment though “win your games against quality competition” and the rest takes care of itself regardless of the post season format.
Cupcake U!!! Sorry ToeSU fans, your team shouldn’t play in the most overatted conference in the USA. Sorry ToeSU you’re team hasn’t beat an SEC team in a bowl game in the BCS era, because you have to play real teams. may I remind you of January 8th, 2007… the day ToeSU lost to Florida 41-14 in the BCS National Championship game.
WAR EAGLE!!!
Ryan, let me get this right, you’re an Auburn fan bragging about Florida, LSU, and South Carolina victories? Sh, yeah, the words Auburn and Florida do look alike if you’re illiterate! Come leave an inane comment again when Auburn is in the conversation or plays my Buckeyes….until then, realize you root for teams, not conferences.
And, Oh By The Way, have you checked out the OOC schedules for those teams down south? Cupcake U definitely applies south of the Mason-Dixon line….