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In a 'real' playoff system, Florida could repeat as national football champions
(December 7, 2009) -- If you should have a sense of deja vu as you read the following (mental) diatribe aimed at the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), then go to my elbertreble archives and check out the January 2008 column.
Upfront, not a damn thing has occurred in 12 months to change the system of declaring a national college football champion. Nothing. Nada. Nil.
In pairing No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the final BCS ratings, the travesty is that three other unbeaten teams and a once-beaten team have no shot at being national champion. Not a chance in hell! Where's the incentive when it comes to playing second fiddle?
While Alabama and Texas, both with perfect 13-0 won-lost records, have the tarnished distinction of playing for the national title, equally unbeaten Cincinnati, Boise State and Texas Christian (a.k.a. TCU) and once-beaten Florida (the defending champion) will have to settle for runner-up -- or second runner-up -- to the Alabama-Texas winner.
Now, if the BCS had a credible playoff system in which the top eight teams in the final ratings would be paired -- No. 1 vs. No.8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, etc., with Nos. 2 and 3 in the top bracket and Nos. 1 and 4 in the bottom bracket -- only Georgia Tech (11-2) and Iowa (10-2) would have grounds to complain. The latter two teams placed No. 9 and No. 10 in the final ratings.
If we had that playoff system to crown the national champion, the quarterfinal pairings would look like this: (1) Alabama vs. (8) Ohio State and (4) TCU vs. (5) Boise State in the bottom bracket. That would pit a 13-0 Alabama against a 10-2 OSU; and two unbeatens would face off. In the top bracket the pairings would be (2) Texas vs. (7) Oregon and (3) Cincinnati vs. (6) Florida. That would send a 13-0 Texas against a 10-2 Oregon; and unbeaten Cincy against once-beaten Florida.
According to my picks, Florida defeats Cincinnati; Texas downs Oregon; Boise State whips TCU; and Alabama crushes Ohio State. In the semifinals, Florida edges Texas and Alabama topples Boise State.
This scenario would give 14-1 Florida a chance to defend its 2008 national title against 15-0 Alabama in a Southeastern Conference championship rematch. Although Florida lost to Alabama badly in that game, my pick would be the Gators over the Crimson Tide -- and a repeated championship.
Alas, that scenario cannot happen -- because there is no playoff system that could guarantee college football fans the excitement of penciling in bracket results each week until a "true" national football champion is crowned. And, most assuredly, Gator Nation fans will not be able to demonstate any new year jubilation for avenging that Dec. 5 drubbing by Alabama. Only gloom until the 2010 season begins in September -- just because there is no playoff system.
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