More
Contact
Submit
Premium
Corruption is ruling college football these days. Things have gotten so bad people probably have forgotten the whole Cam Newton saga. More and more stories are popping up about college athletes, coaches and bowl chairman doing reprehensible acts. Whether it be more former Auburn players admitting to taking money while in school or Jim Tressel (yes Mr. Sweatervest himself) self-imposing a 5-game suspension for lying to the NCAA; college football's black eye continues to grow. Unfortunately the new bruise covers up the bruise that the BCS has already left from years of controversy.
But now even the BCS can't get out of the corruption spotlight. John Junker CEO of the Fiesta Bowl has been fired for illegally using bowl money to fund numerous activities; the biggest being using money to persuade employees to donate to certain political parties. Junker was also nice enough to fund parties, weddings and up to 27 family trips with the money his bowl made. But his spending frenzy did not end there; Junker used $1,200 at a strip club and said it was for "security site planning", (Washington Post). I guess the conference room was occupied that day. With more and more stories like this coming out, now is the time for college football to kick the BCS and its corruption to the curb and implement the playoff system everyone wants.
Folks it is time to get serious. College football needs and eight team playoff instead of the current BCS model. As we all know the BCS uses a formula to determine the two highest ranked teams in the country to play for the championship. A formula? Football needs to be played not computed. This formula they have regularly leaves undefeated teams out of the big game, and leaves everyone wanting more at the end of the year.
BCS executive director Bill Hancock says that a playoff system has too many potential problems to be put into place. On the official BCS website they state, "They (playoffs) would diminish the regular season, end the bowl system as it is today, create additional injury risk, and pose significant logistical challenges, among other reasons." To this I could not disagree more, on all of the points they bring up. I do not buy the whole fact that a playoff would diminish the regular season. Do you think teams would take the regular season lightly if they knew they had to be in the top 8 at the end of the year? My answer to that is of course not. I would argue teams would try even harder to ensure getting into the playoffs. Under the current BCS system once a team loses a game they are most likely out of contention for playing in the championship. But with an 8-team playoff one loss would not ruin a season, but rather give teams added incentive to play hard throughout the regular season.
Though I believe that the current number of bowl games is absolutely ridiculous, with a playoff those bowls can still be used. Just like the NIT in college basketball, the teams that do not make the playoffs can play in all of those other bowls just like normal. Honestly if the winning team of the Little Caesar's bowl feels like their victory is less important because of the new playoff system, then they are using drugs, are idiots, or both. The Little Caesar's bowl will always be the Little Caesar's bowl no matter what the format is.
Another reason many BCS backers give for not voting in a playoff is the extra games would keep students out of school longer and add injury risk. While this may be true, I do not find that to be a valid excuse. College basketball teams play over 30 regular season games a year, with the season ending in a 68-team playoff to find the winner. Currently college football teams play at max 14 games. Would 4 more be excessive? Maybe. (But I would argue for two less regular season games too.)
Everybody likes an underdog, but the BCS usually keeps the underdog out of its big game. First it was Boise State, and just last year it was TCU. Many small schools like these have put together undefeated seasons, only to be denied at the door by the BCS at the chance of competing for the championship. If this year's March Madness has taught us anything it is that: (1) the small mid-major schools like VCU and Butler can play and beat the big boys, and (2) those big boys aren't always so big. The Boise State's and TCU's of college football should be given the chance VCU and Butler has gotten; to prove their worthiness on the playing field, not with a stupid number a computer gives them.
With the NFL potentially locked out for their entire season, it is time for college football to clean off the dirt it is currently covered in and move to the spotlight. While I do not think a playoff would completely clean the game, it would at least distract fans for a while. Adding a playoff would garner added interest to an already incredibly popular sport. Now I know we are in the 21st century and technology is ruling most of our lives. But using a computer to determine the two best college football teams is just ridiculous. It is time we give college football the upgrade it deserves, something we all deserve. Champions should be determined on the field, not inside of a computer.
