Nothing changes in college football, but it needs to

This is my annual ?We need a playoff in college football? column. I know what you?re saying, ?Same song 15th verse.? Some things never change.

But I have never been more convinced that a playoff is needed.

Let?s take a look at the inept BCS system. It was designed to create a matchup of the two best teams in college football for the national championship game.

In most seasons, that is very difficult to determine. Just look at this year. I really don?t have a big problem with the LSU-Alabama rematch. The smash mouth contest between the two teams in the regular season brought back pleasant memories. I love physical football, and you don?t see a lot of that in today?s more finesse- type of a game.

Certainly LSU belongs. They are the best team in the country. Alabama has a good resume. However, I can make a strong case that OSU has every right to be in New Orleans on Jan. 9.

I heard the argument that the Cowboys loss at Iowa State is a worse loss than Alabama?s setback to LSU. Granted, but it the comparison shouldn?t end there. If you look at losses, don?t you have to look at the wins?

OSU defeated four teams that finished in the top 25 in the BCS including Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor and Kansas State. Alabama beat Arkansas and Auburn. That comparison favors OSU.

I do subscribe to the theory that LSU and Alabama are the best teams in the country. But I also believe that OSU should have the opportunity to prove me and many others around the country wrong.

The biggest losers are the fans. Despite the complaints about the BCS, most of them justified, the system has turned college football from a regional game to a national game. More people are talking about college football -- even if it's trashing the BCS -- than ever before.

The biggest question about the BCS is, ?Is two enough??

Well, it's not enough. The fans want more and they deserve more. The folks in SEC country are pretty happy about this outcome. They are convinced Alabama and LSU are the two best teams in college football. But it's time for the product of postseason college football to evolve. In the next BCS contract, which starts with the 2014 regular season, it's time to say goodbye to the two-team playoff and adopt a four-team playoff.

Just think about this: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Stanford, No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Oklahoma State.

Now, just about everybody would like that, except No. 5 Oregon (10-2), which beat Stanford quite handily (53-30) and won the Pac-12 conference. No system will eliminate all of the disagreements.

The semifinals could be played around Jan. 1 with the national title game to follow.

That would not interfere with final examinations for the student/athletes.

There are those who are asking for an eight-team or a 16-team playoff, and they need to face the facts that it is simply not happening.

But I?m not convinced even a four playoffs is going to happen in my lifetime.

It?s all about money. College presidents and conference commissioners are in control of that money. They are afraid that any change would take that away from them.

I understand it takes a lot of money to operate an athletic program, and football is the biggest revenue producing sport.

I just don?t think that money should be the primary factor in running college sports. I know that?s not going to change, but that doesn?t change the fact that a change is needed.

The idea of 35 bowl games is crazy. Seventy teams, nearly 60 percent of Division I football teams play in the post season.

A bowl game should be a reward for a football team who had a successful season. A 6-7 UCLA team should not be in a bowl game.

The system also does not create the best matchups. I would like somebody to explain to me why 11th ranked Virginia Tech was chosen to play in the Sugar Bowl over a seventh ranked Boise State team or eighth ranked Kansas State.

Certainly the Sugar Bowl committee looked at the almighty dollar in picking the Hokies.

I find it comical that Virginia Tech is having problems selling all of their tickets to the game.

But I don?t want to pick on Virginia Tech who recently had another shooting tragedy. I know the of people of that school have been through a lot. I just don?t believe the Hokies belong in a BCS bowl.

There are some games that I am looking forward to seeing. The national title game, OSU-Stanford Kansas State and Arkansas just to name a few.

But there are several bowl games I have no interest in at all.

The New Orleans Bowl Louisianna Lafyette-San Diego State or the Marshall-Florida Internation matchup in the Beef ?O? Brady Bowl I have zero interest in. And there are many others.

There are just too many bowl games.

In the big picture, me being a small town sportswriter won?t carry any weight across the country.

But it was fun writing about it.

I do want to take the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Here?s hoping each and everyone of you have the best one ever.

Source: http://altustimes.com/bookmark/16891588

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